Comfort: Pont des Pierres, Valserine and walking trails

Confort combines river scenery and the history of bridges and transport with designated hiking and cycling routes. If you choose the village as your destination, you can include both scenic spots and specific information on distances, duration and elevation gain in your plans.

Bridges and construction history

The Pont des Pierres connects Montanges and Confort and crosses the Valserine at a height of 80 metres. It was built in 1910 for the tram link between Bellegarde and Chézery. After the bridge was destroyed during the Second World War, it was rebuilt in concrete in 1954. At the time of its construction, it was considered the highest masonry bridge in the world—a historical classification referring to the period when it was built.

The Pont de Confort has a different connection to the river: as a pedestrian bridge, it crosses the Valserine within Confort. The two bridges can therefore be distinguished by their location and function: the Pont des Pierres connects two municipalities, while the Pont de Confort is a pedestrian bridge in the village.

Valserine and Mêlée des eaux

The Valserine flows below Confort. In October 2014, it became the first river to receive the Site Rivières Sauvages award. The awarded section stretches from the source to the Pertes, covers 46 of the river’s total 47.6 kilometres, and has a natural geomorphological functioning along its entire length.

The Mêlée des eaux is where the Valserine and Semine meet. It can be reached via the Sentier de Coz and is a well-known spot among walkers. The Galerie du Pont des Pierres lies within the municipality of Montanges, on the border with Confort. It is part of the Réserve naturelle régionale de la galerie du Pont des Pierres (FR9300066) and the Natura 2000 site Galerie à chauves-souris du Pont des Pierres (FR8201648). The gallery is currently closed to the public for safety and quiet reasons. Please check before visiting whether this restriction is still in effect.

Hiking and route profiles

A variety of outings on foot, horseback and by bicycle are available in Confort. The village is also on the Way of St James to Santiago de Compostela. Two routes with different published distance and time details may be of interest to hikers.

The Voie du Tram is listed as a 19-kilometre out-and-back route, taking 6 hours 30 minutes, with 1,118 metres of ascent. Along the route, information panels tell the story of the tramway. The moderately difficult La vallée de la Valserine circular hike passes through Confort and is listed as 17 kilometres, taking 5 hours 30 minutes, with 252 metres of ascent. Compared with the Voie du Tram, this loop has a shorter listed duration and distance, as well as less ascent; the two profiles therefore offer different timeframes for planning.

Cycling around Confort

The climb to Col de Menthières from Confort is 9 kilometres long, with 578 metres of elevation gain and an average gradient of 6.2 percent. It follows a country road towards the pass. The distance, elevation gain and average gradient provide specific figures to help you assess this route profile.

The section of the Voie du Tram between Lancrans and Confort has modules installed specifically for mountain bikes. This information refers to that section; it does not describe the climb to Col de Menthières.

A notable person from Confort

The story of a notable person is also connected with Confort: Sœur Rosalie Rendu was born here in 1786 and beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003. Alongside the history of the Pont des Pierres, her biography adds a historical perspective to the scenic and sporting themes.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Genis-Pouilly, Chevillard, Montrevel-En-Bresse, Bâgé-La-Ville, Chavannes-Sur-Suran, Montréal-La-Cluse, Buellas, Prévessin-Moëns

For the main travel guide: Ain.