Mont Thou and Mont Verdun Loop (Monts d'Or)

The Mont Thou and Mont Verdun loop explores the Monts d'Or, a range of wooded hills just north of Lyon in the Rhone department, in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France. The loop of about 10 to 12 km begins at the parking at Col du Mont Verdun in Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or, or alternatively from the village of Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d'Or. Drivers can use the car park at the col, while those without a car can take a TCL bus from Gare de Vaise or Lyon Saint-Paul to the Monts d'Or villages; timetables should be checked at tcl.fr. No permit is required. The climb totals about 350 m, with Mont Verdun reaching 626 m, which puts the walk in the moderate class at roughly 3 to 4 hours. The surface is a mix of forest tracks, rocky ridge paths and stretches of road or lane near the villages. Exposure is low, though some ridge sections are open to wind, and the forest provides good shade for much of the route, which is welcome in summer, although the loop can still feel hot. Landmarks include the wooded ridge, clearings with viewpoints over Lyon and, on clear days, the Alps, and the quarry-stone villages of the Monts d'Or. Walkers who need to cut the loop short can descend toward the villages at several points, which makes a convenient turn-around or bail-out option. Water sources are limited, so about 1.5 l per person should be carried; cafes and bakeries are found in the villages, but not on the ridge. There are no refuge huts, and shelter is limited to the forest. Trails are waymarked but junctions are numerous, so a map such as the IGN trail map of the Monts d'Or or a GPS app is useful. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, while summer afternoons are hot and exposed on the ridge sections.