The Pilat Regional Natural Park

Discovering the Pilat Regional Natural Park

Here, nature has a wide variety of biological diversity, with Mediterranean species living alongside neighbouring mountain species. This gently sloping mountain is home to small and intimate villages, and the source of many tales and legends.

The area's inhabitants are unaffected and welcoming, and they make the best of their terroir. You're sure to be pleasantly surprised by their Rigotte de Condrieu, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and Saint-Joseph wines, and their apples and farmhouse meat products, all of which are produced in harmony with nature.

The numerous trails offer sporting enthusiasts the cool shade of their beech groves after the burning sun of the wine-growing terraces along La Côtière Rhodanienne. By visiting the Maison du Parc du Pilat in Pélussin, or the many interpretive trails concerning the Pilat Regional Natural Park, you'll be able to train your eyes to identify this wealth of abundance.

A nature day at the Pilat Regional Natural Park

• 9h - Leave Lyon
• 9.30 am - 10 am - When you get to Pélussin, enter the museum area of Maison du Parc du Pilat, where you can find out about the history, heritage and nature throughout the territory thanks to numerous modules and visual aids, prior to embarking on a 1½ hour tour of the village via the "Pélussin en balade" trail.
• Next stop, head for La Ferme du Pilat to buy local farmhouse products (don't forget to check their opening days beforehand). Once your basket is full, you can find a spot for a delicious picnic, or have lunch in one of the restaurants in Pélussin (don't hesitate to enquire at the Maison du Parc du Pilat for advice).
• After lunch, what better than a stroll along Priel trail, which begins at Maison du Parc du Pilat, where you'll be given all the information you need to make sure you don’t miss any of the panoramic views, such as the uninterrupted view over the Rhône Valley, lower Dauphiné regions and the Alps. The trail will then bring you back to your starting point and you'll be able to head back to Lyon, to ponder the delights of your day immersed in nature.
• 18h - Back to Lyon

Further informations on the website of Pilat Tourism.