Chemin des Chapelles (Chapel Trail)
Threading through the old hay meadows and larch forests between Combloux and the hamlet of Cry, the Chemin des Chapelles is a centuries-old pilgrimage circuit linking seven small wayside chapels — each no bigger than a garden shed — that local farming families built and maintained as acts of devotion from the 16th century onward. Almost no tourist brochure mentions it, yet it is one of the most at
The Route
The full loop covers approximately 8 km and gains around 200 m of elevation, making it a gentle half-day walk suitable for most fitness levels. The path is waymarked with small yellow signs reading 'Circuit des Chapelles' and begins at the car park beside the Église Saint-Nicolas.
Each chapel is different: some are simple stone niches with a painted Madonna barely visible under centuries of candle smoke; others are small frescoed rooms with a wooden bench where you can sit in genuine silence. Chapel No. 4, dedicated to Saint Grat, retains its original 17th-century fresco of the saint holding a severed head — startling and vivid.
Flora, Fauna and Practicalities
The section through the larch forest above the hamlet of Le Planet is particularly beautiful in October when the larches turn gold — European larch is the only deciduous conifer in the Alps and the autumn colour is extraordinary, especially with snow already on the high peaks above.
The path passes directly through working hay meadows that are privately owned but traditionally open to walkers; close all wooden gates behind you. In early June the meadows are carpeted with narcissus and poet's daffodils — a protected species here, so leave them as you find them.
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