Around Paladru Lake

A beautiful blue pearl in a green setting, Lake Paladru is the ideal setting for this itinerary, which also takes in archaeological and heritage gems, such as the Archaeological Museum of Lake Paladru and Virieu Castle.

From Charavines, head towards the leisure center then continue along the shores of Lake Paladru.
In Montferrat, just after the Véronnière marsh, turn right towards Saint-Pierre-de-Paladru.
Then turn left towards Valencogne and continue on the D17 to Le Pin.
Continue on the D17, then turn left to return to the starting point.

This loop takes you around the 5th largest natural lake in France. It offers beautiful views of Lake Paladru and its turquoise waters and the discovery of a rich built heritage.

Further information : Loop

Tips and Suggestions: 
Jams: -Les vergers de Louisias, in Charavines, is a farmhouse with a thatched roof and adobe walls, listed as a Historic Monument. Built in 1805 but still in operation, it offers delicious home-made products, using fruit from the orchard (jams cooked in a cauldron without additives, quince jelly, fruit in syrup, etc.), as well as seasonal fruit (strawberries, raspberries, plums, vineyard peaches…). Louisias orchards. Such. 04 76 06 66 14.

History, culture and heritage: 
Lake Paladru: of glacial origin, Lake Paladru is the fifth largest natural lake in France. It has the pretty nickname of "blue lake" for the color of its waters, ideal for swimming, with a temperature often close to 25°C in summer. The main beaches are located in the towns of Charavines, Montferrat and Le Pin. Rowing, pedal boating and fishing are also practiced there. The wooded hills that surround it, and give it a particular charm, culminate at 800 meters above sea level. But Lake Paladru also represents an archaeological site of great wealth, thanks to the remains found using underwater excavations. These remains of civilizations from both the Neolithic and the beginning of the year XNUMX have acquired an international reputation and are presented at the archaeological museum of Lake Paladru. Not far from the lake, in the town of Le Pin, you can discover a very beautiful building called the Grange Dîmière. Dating from the XNUMXth century, this former outbuilding of the Carthusian monastery of Sylve Bénite, listed as a Historic Monument, was used to collect the royalties collected in kind (including the tithe) and the estate's harvests. Today, it is a magnificent setting for hosting contemporary exhibitions. Near the route, another splendid vestige of the past, the Château de Virieu, in Virieu-sur-Bourbre, dating from the year XNUMX. You can visit its lounges, bedrooms, chapel, kitchen and its French gardens. Another castle near the route is the Château de Pupetières: the Virieu family also had the Château de Pupetières built in Châbons. Built in the XNUMXth century, then destroyed during the French Revolution, it was rebuilt in the neo-medieval style by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, to whom we also owe the restoration of Notre-Dame-de-Paris. The polychromy of the glazed tiles and the interior decorations bear witness to the renaissance of decorative arts at that time. A romantic place that inspired Lamartine and the painter Jongkind.