Two summits above Saint-Cyr

Mont Cindre rises to 460 m and Mont Thou to 609 m. Both are summits of the Monts d'Or, the small massif that closes off Lyon to the north-west. The first has a hermitage unique in the region. The second gives a panorama from the city all the way to Mont Blanc.

The highest point of the massif is Mont Verdun, at 626 m, according to the Lyon tourist office. At 609 m, Mont Thou sits just below it. Effet Lodge lies at the foot of these slopes, at 51 route de Lyon, Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or.

The hermitage: what you can visit

You can only see the hermitage on a guided tour, booked in advance. Behind a 17th-century chapel, the last hermit, Émile Damidot, known as Frère François, built a rock garden stone by stone between 1878 and 1910.

The chapel holds frescoes by Louis Touchagues dated 1952. Since 2011, an association has kept the site alive and runs tours and events (montcindre.com). The hermitage reopened to the public after two years of closure for major restoration work.

  • Individual tours: Saturday and Sunday afternoons, plus Wednesday afternoons during school holidays, from April to the end of October.
  • Start times: 2.30pm, 3.45pm and 5pm. Duration: 45 minutes. Arrive 5 minutes early.
  • Prices: €8 per adult. €4 for ages 6 to 18, students, jobseekers and disabled visitors. Free for under-6s.
  • Booking: required, through the Lyon tourist office for weekend tours. Free cancellation up to 72 hours before.
  • Groups: 10 to 30 people, on weekdays, all year round, on request at info@montcindre.fr (€7 per adult).
  • Good to know: lots of stairs, so the tour is not recommended for people with reduced mobility. Dogs are not allowed.

Times and prices are those published by the Lyon tourist office and the association's website in October 2026. Out of season, only groups can visit.

Monts d'Or hike: the waymarked Mont Cindre loop

The nature walk "L'homme et le paysage" (Man and landscape), published by the Métropole de Lyon, is a 7.5 km loop. Allow 2 hours and 220 m of ascent. It starts at the summit, reaches the Ermitage chapel and follows the path of the old Saint-Cyr quarries.

  • Start: the car park at the summit, in Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or. A sign marks the trail.
  • Distance: 7.5 km loop.
  • Stated time: 2 hours.
  • Ascent: 220 m.
  • Difficulty: moderate.
  • Waymarking: posts showing the name and altitude of each junction, then yellow marks between the posts.

The route alternates between woodland and tarmac stretches. It passes many cabornes, dry-stone huts that the route sheet describes as traces of human activity on these slopes. Hedges and flower meadows have kept a rich flora: the sheet counts 28 species of wild orchid in the Mont d'Or, along with the French rose and the cross gentian, two protected species.

On the map, the hermitage is marked at 458 m and the summit at 460 m. The "Hameau du Mont Thou" junction also appears on the network, at 440 m. The full route sheet can be downloaded from the Métropole de Lyon website.

Mont Thou: the view as far as Mont Blanc

From the top of Mont Thou, at 609 m, the view stretches from the Lyon conurbation to the summit of Mont Blanc. The tourist office lists the Part-Dieu towers, the Fourvière basilica, the Saône and Rhône plain, the Bugey, the Pilat massif and the Alps.

The tourist office describes the climb in its Monts d'Or cycling route: the chemin des Rivières, "steep and shady", then a final push to the summit. None of the official sources we checked publishes a walking route with figures for Mont Thou. So we give no distance or walking time.

Practical tips before you set off

Book the hermitage before you go up, wear good shoes and pick a clear day to enjoy the view. The loop alternates between paths and roads, and some waymarked paths cross private land.

  • Stay on the waymarked paths: the Métropole points out that these trails are sometimes private.
  • Leave the dog at home if you are visiting the hermitage: dogs are not allowed.
  • Without a car, the tourist office suggests bus 20 from Vaise station to place de la République in Saint-Cyr, then about 20 minutes' uphill walk to the hermitage.
  • Leave time for the view: Mont Thou is best enjoyed on a clear day.

For more ideas in the massif and along the Saône, see our page on walks around Lyon or our article on Île Barbe.

Stay at Effet Lodge, at the foot of the Monts d'Or

Effet Lodge is a guest house and gîte in Saint-Cyr-au-Mont-d'Or, 8 km from the centre of Lyon, at the foot of the Monts d'Or. You go hiking in the morning and come back for a swim in the afternoon.

  • Our guest rooms with pool: 5 air-conditioned rooms, private shower room, terrace access.
  • The gîte for 6 people: 115 m², air-conditioned, 3 bedrooms with bathroom, private entrance.
  • Solar-heated 15 × 4 m pool, from spring to September depending on the weather.
  • Homemade breakfast: pastries, fresh bread, homemade jams.
  • 4 private parking spaces, and the "Les Ormes" bus stop (lines 20 and 71) a few metres away.

Frequently asked questions

How high are Mont Cindre and Mont Thou?

Mont Cindre rises to 460 m according to the Métropole de Lyon map. Mont Thou reaches 609 m according to the tourist office. Mont Verdun, at 626 m, is the highest point of the Monts d'Or.

Can you visit the hermitage without booking?

No. The hermitage can only be seen on a guided tour, booked in advance, at weekends and on Wednesdays in the school holidays from April to the end of October. Groups of 10 or more can come on weekdays all year round.

How long does the Mont Cindre loop take?

The Métropole de Lyon gives 2 hours for the "L'homme et le paysage" loop: 7.5 km and 220 m of ascent, starting from the car park at the summit.