Guignard Belvedere, Mont Pilat
Drive or hike 30 minutes south of Saint-Étienne into the Parc Naturel Régional du Pilat and you reach the Crêt de la Perdrix plateau, where the Guignard belvedere delivers a jaw-dropping 360-degree sweep over the Loire plain, the Alps and, on clear days, Mont Blanc itself.
The View From the Top
At 1,432 metres, the Crêt de la Perdrix is the highest point of the Pilat massif. The belvedere platform sits just below the summit and frames Saint-Étienne's urban sprawl against the silver ribbon of the Loire river to the north — a surprisingly beautiful juxtaposition.
In winter the plateau is dusted with snow and cross-country ski tracks appear; in summer it is carpeted with bilberry bushes and wild gentians. Sunsets here turn the entire valley amber and rose.
Getting There and Combining the Trip
From Saint-Étienne take the D8 towards Burdigne and follow signs to Crêt de la Perdrix; there is a car park at around 1,350 m from which it is a gentle 15-minute walk to the belvedere. Cyclists tackle the ascent from Pélussin or Saint-Chamond on well-marked roads.
Combine the visit with a stop at the Ferme de la Jasserie, a mountain inn just below the summit that serves hearty lentil soup and local charcuterie boards — it is open most weekends from spring to autumn.
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