Le tour des fermes au départ de Ricey Haut

The walk starts at the Sainte-Claire Chapel (also known as Saint-Clair). You can park before the entrance to the path that runs past the chapel.

(S/E) Head towards the chapel and walk past it.

(1) Keep left at the three-way junction that appears just after the chapel. Further on, ignore the path on the left and carry straight on to the Quatre Arbres farm.

(2) Turn left and, at the wayside cross, carry on straight ahead along the gently ascending path, ignoring the track on the right.

(3) Take the path on the right and go round the Reignière hillside.

(4) At the junction, turn right and follow the path, which descends gradually, towards the Reignière farm.

(5) Ignore the crossing over the Laignes and continue along the path to the left until you reach the Ruisseau du Val Dupuis.

(6) Cross the ford or, if it is under water, head into the woods on the left; a few metres further on, you will find a small stone bridge on the right spanning the stream (the stones may be slippery). You’ll soon rejoin the path you left earlier; reach a small road and head right towards the bridge over the Laignes. Cross the D953 carefully and take the path opposite leading to the Chazée farm.

(7) Go round the farm on the left and enter a small wood. The path soon leads to La Cadolle, another old farm.

(8) Continue straight on, ignoring the access road coming from the D953. The next farm, called La Grelée, is already visible a little further up.

(9) Take a clearly visible path heading left towards the high-voltage power line and reach a junction (elevation 224 on the map).

(10) Turn right and continue through the woods towards an area of old quarries: the IGN route is incorrect but the OSM route is correct. You’ll come to a recently restored hut, which must have been a shelter for the quarry workers; it’s an open shelter that appears to be available for use in bad weather.

Then head towards the high-voltage power lines and immediately turn right through the forest, continuing in a straight line whilst ignoring the access tracks leading into it, to reach the Ferme du Levant.

(11) Walk straight past the farm, then turn right to reach the Ferme de la Roche: the vehicle access is blocked by a barrier that is easily crossed by pedestrians.

(12) Go round the farm on the right; the path descends steeply towards the D953 (take care when crossing this road). Follow it to the right to join the road on the left, which leads to the hamlet of Le Vannage. Cross the hamlet and head back up to the left towards the hamlet.

(13) Before reaching the last houses, a well-marked path on the left leads, following the contour line and through woodland, to the junction you passed on the way out near the Chapelle Saint-Clair.

(1) Continue to the left, pass the chapel again and return to the starting point (S/E).

Attention au passage en forêt si une chasse est annoncée.