Discover Marchamp: quarry history and nature

In Marchamp, themes from widely separated periods of time come together: the Carrière de Cerin tells the story of limestone quarrying, fossils point to a tropical lagoon from around 145 million years ago, and the Tourbière de Cerin is a wetland with remarkable animal and plant species. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between these different highlights: the themed trail focuses on the development of the Cerin site, while the viewpoint and museum offer further points of interest.

Carrière de Cerin: from limestone to lagoon

The Carrière de Cerin is located in the commune of Marchamp and within the Espace naturel Sensible “Carrière, tourbière et combe de Cerin à Ambléon”. In the 19th century, the quarry was worked for its lithographic limestone. This history of use offers a concrete way to explore the site's past: the focus here is on quarrying the stone, not just the natural landscape.

Fossils from the Carrière de Cerin open a window onto a much more distant past. They helped establish that a tropical lagoon existed here around 145 million years ago. Two different timescales therefore meet at Cerin: the quarry's 19th-century history and the lagoon's geological past. Visitors interested in how the site came to be can connect these two themes during their visit, without reducing them to a single chapter of history.

Themed trail and museum in Cerin

The “Sur les traces des carriers” trail leads visitors through the development of the Cerin site, from the lagoon to the quarry, with interactive panels and reading tables. Information along the route brings together the site's two distinct stories. The trail starts at the museum in the hamlet of Cerin, in the commune of Marchamp; visitors can park there.

The Musée Paléoécologique de Cerin-Marchamp presents the results of excavations renowned worldwide, including fossils of exceptional quality. The museum is independently accessible by wheelchair. If this accessibility is important for your plans, confirm the information again before travelling. The museum and themed trail offer different ways to explore the site: the museum focuses on excavation finds and fossils, while the trail explains the site's development along a route.

Tourbière de Cerin and viewpoint

At L'oeil de la tourbière, the water forms a circular depression. It is 40 metres in diameter and 2.5 to 3.2 metres deep. An orientation board and explanatory information are available at the viewpoint there. The Tourbière de Cerin is home to numerous remarkable animal and plant species, including several protected species. Please note the clear visitor rule: entering the Tourbière de Cerin is prohibited.

To choose what to focus on, it helps to distinguish between the options available on site: the themed trail relates the quarry and lagoon history, the museum displays excavation finds, and the viewpoint provides orientation and information about the peat bog. If you want to include the wetland landscape, take the access ban into account from the outset and plan your visit around the viewpoint.

Practical information for your trip

The “Sur les traces des carriers” trail is about 2 kilometres long and takes approximately 1 hour. These figures provide an approximate guide to the distance and duration; trail conditions may vary. Check access information before you arrive. If you plan to visit the museum and walk the themed trail on the same trip, it is also useful to keep their different focuses in mind: the route explores how the site changed, while the museum presents the results of renowned excavations.

The information about independent wheelchair access applies to the Musée Paléoécologique de Cerin-Marchamp. We recommend reconfirming accessibility before travelling. This keeps your practical decision specific to the facility concerned. The visitor rule for the peat bog applies regardless: entering is prohibited, and the orientation board and explanatory information are located at the viewpoint.

Discover more destinations: Cessy, Mantenay-Montlin, Artemare, Tramoyes, Hotonnes, Bellignat, Saint-Nizier-Le-Bouchoux, Corbonod.

For the regional travel overview: Ain.