FR-01 Lake Genin – Gravel 40 km, elevation gain 900 m, 4 passes
Author description
Author : Philippe Chazottier
Course : completed on 17 August 2025
Departure : Apremont au sud d’Oyonnax. Parking en bord de route 500 m avant l’entrée sud du village.
Tourist information
The Oyonnax forest and the surrounding area Lake Genin sont surnommés « le petit Canada » : havre de fraîcheur l’été et confronté au surtourisme, certains accusent les « fléaux sociaux », l’hiver y est particulièrement rude le gel prenant les eaux du lac; le patinage y est même possible ainsi que la plongée sous glace !
Le Lake Genin has the distinctive feature of being privately owned. However, an inn and a campsite run by the owners allow visitors to enjoy it to the full without any apparent restrictions on access.
There is a large car park next to it, but I would advise avoiding it as it gets very busy on sunny days.
A 20-minute drive from Apremont, the site of Dinoplagne allows you to see the largest dinosaur footprint site known to date.
Technical specifications
Suitable for cycling at 98%, the route is mostly on roads and does not present any major difficulties. During my trip, I abandoned the idea of reaching Golet de Roche-Taillée (FR-01-0914b) and Collet de Châtel (FR-01-0760) because of the rough forest tracks.
4 collars
| 1 – Golet Brandeu | 880 m | EN-01-0880 |
| 2 – Golet des Amboutillieux | 960 m | EN-01-0960 |
| 3 – The Basset Corridor | 995 m | EN-01-0995a |
| 4 – Sentier Pass | 979 m | EN-01-0979a |
Keywords : Genin, Apremont, Oyonnax, Centcols
Openrunner link, interactive map, profile, track : https://www.openrunner.com/route-details/23068650
This itinerary is provided for information only. The author accepts no liability, nor that of the Club des Cent Cols, for any imponderables due to the cyclist himself, the equipment used or anything to do with the road, tracks and paths, their surroundings or other users.
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