The Pilat is the last high ground before the Rhône, a rounded massif of granite and forest that rises abruptly from the river valley to its highest point, the Crêt de la Perdrix, at about fourteen hundred metres. It is a regional nature park, a place of beech and fir woods, heather moors and open pastures, and it feels more remote than its position, between Lyon and Saint-Étienne, would suggest.
This viewpoint, above Pélussin, looks out across the valley to the Alps, and on a clear day, particularly in winter or after rain, Mont Blanc stands on the horizon, small and white, well over a hundred kilometres away. Closer, the Rhône winds through its valley, with factories and vineyards along its banks, and the scale of the view makes the whole region feel miniature. The best conditions are early in the morning, when the air is cold and clear, and after a storm has cleaned the dust from the sky.
The Pilat has its own history. In a high side valley stands the Charterhouse of Sainte-Croix-en-Jarez, a Carthusian monastery founded in the thirteenth century, which after the Revolution was sold off and gradually turned into a village, with the monks' cells becoming houses. Pélussin, a small hill town, has an old centre and a few good bakeries, and the Pilat's slopes produce a number of local specialities, from cheese to chestnuts, and a white wine called Condrieu on the Rhône side.
The roads here are twisting, climbing and descending between forest and field, with a good surface and fine views. Cyclists are everywhere on summer weekends, and the wind on the high ridges can be strong, so a loaded bike needs a firm grip. Mist can drift up from the valley and cut visibility to a few metres, and in winter the upper roads can be icy.
The nearest large town for fuel is Saint-Chamond, around twelve kilometres away, though Pélussin has stations too. Carry a layer, because the temperature at the top is often ten degrees below the valley.