The Mont Carmier walk, a panorama steeped in history in Cerdon!

A must-see walk for its exceptional view: the short hike to the statue of the Virgin of Mont Carmier offers a 360° panorama overlooking the village of Cerdon, the Culaz waterfall and the entire Cerdonnais vineyard.

Photo & Text: Julie Arbeit - Cerdon Vallée de l’Ain

From the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Cerdon, there are only around thirty minutes that separate you from Mont Carmier and its panoramic view overlooking the village of Cerdon.

In the center of the village, go up to the church via Father Collin's path. Then walk along the cemetery to the top, and follow the path to the right for around twenty minutes to reach the top.

In spring, the experience is wonderful: Mont Carmier is adorned with all its lilacs in bloom and perfumes the place.

From up there, you can explore the trails available to you, then discover the remains of the Carmier tower and the statue of the virgin dominating the village.

This family walk, slightly steep in places, takes you to a summit full of history. The Carmier tower is one of the oldest remains dating from the Middle Ages in Cerdon. Built in 1620, the story goes that it served as a watchtower for the inhabitants of Cerdon and La Balme.

Due to lack of resources at the time, it was not maintained enough, leaving only the ruins that can still be seen today. In 2012, a group of hikers decided to clear the surroundings of the ruins, once made invisible by nature having taken over.

From the remains of the tower, a panorama of greenery emerges before our eyes, and our gaze is drawn towards a picturesque element: the statue of the virgin, which gives us the impression of watching over Cerdon. Surrounded by an arch carrying 5 lanterns, it is impossible for this statue erected in 1855 to go unnoticed, not even from the village.

HIKING INFORMATION

Duration: 45 minutes round trip

Difficulty: easy

Elevation gain: 150 m