Among the natural areas of Southern Bugey, the Lavours marsh is the only one with national nature reserve status, the highest level of protection for natural sites in France. It was created by a decree of 22 March 1984 and, according to Wikipedia, covers about 474 hectares between Culoz-Béon, Ceyzérieu, Flaxieu and Pollieu, at the foot of the Grand Colombier. The village of Lavours, which gives it its name, is next door.
The reserve is managed by the Entente interdépartementale Rhône-Alpes pour la démoustication (EID), a public body based in Chindrieux, in the Savoie department. According to Wikipedia, it is also part of a Natura 2000 site, a ZNIEFF (an officially inventoried area of ecological interest) and, since 22 March 2024, the “Lac du Bourget – Marais de Chautagne et de Lavours” Ramsar site, a wetland of international importance.
The boardwalk trail
This is the main way to explore the marsh. According to the reserve’s official website:
- the trail is free and open access;
- it is open every day of the year, except during floods;
- the reserve suggests allowing about 1 hour 30 minutes for the visit;
- there are parking spaces for people with reduced mobility at the start of the trail, and a picnic area near the car park.
The website displays accessibility symbols for independent disabled visitors and for visually impaired visitors.
What is not published
The official website does not give the length of the trail. Secondary sources quote figures that do not agree with one another; we are not using any of them until the reserve’s managers confirm one.
As of 9 November 2026, an image on the reserve’s home page also mentioned a “partial closure”, without saying which section or for how long. The exact address of the car park is not given either. It is best to phone the reserve before you come, especially when water levels are high.
The Maison du marais
The reserve’s visitor centre is in the hamlet of Aignoz, in Ceyzérieu. It is closed, and the official website announces that it will reopen in spring 2027. Our Maison du marais de Lavours directory listing will be updated when it reopens.
Each year the reserve publishes a programme of its guided activities and events as a PDF. Contact details given: +33 4 79 87 90 39 (04 79 87 90 39 from within France), maisondumarais@reserve-lavours.com.
Reserve rules
The “Réglementation” (regulations) page of the official website, checked on 9 November 2026, lists the following bans:
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Dogs | Banned, even on a lead, including on the boardwalk trail |
| Picking plants | Banned |
| Camping and wild camping | Camping banned |
| Fires | Banned |
| Angling | Banned |
| Motor vehicles | Banned |
| Litter | Dropping litter banned |
| Swimming | Not covered by the published regulations |
| Bicycles and drones | Not covered by the published regulations |
These rules stem from the site’s status as a national nature reserve: activities are regulated to protect the soils, habitats and species. The ban on dogs is the strictest in the area and also applies to animals kept on a lead.
Getting to the marsh
The Lavours marsh is one of the points of interest on the official ViaRhôna cycle route stage from Seyssel to Belley via Chanaz (our page on the ViaRhôna between Culoz and Belley is in French only for now). The published regulations say nothing about bicycles in the reserve: check with the managers before taking a bike onto the trail.
Nearby, our directory lists, among others, the Ferme du marais in Ceyzérieu, a restaurant run on a family farm.