Along the old tramway from Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye to La Trappe

Description

Park your vehicle on the D27 by the northern entrance to the village of Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye at the foot of the cliff.

(D/A) Go south on the D27 and leave the village on your left hand side.

(1) At the fork, turn right on the D27C and cross the stream. Follow the rising road straight ahead, ignoring two roads on the left.
The road bends left, ignore a road to the right and then another on the left before arriving at the junction at spot height 434. Follow the track that climbs steeply to the right, reach an intersection and follow it for 20 meters to the right to take a trail immediately on the left. Walk past the buildings to the right and continue straight up to an intersection at spot height 489.

(2) Go left and cross the roads to follow the trail to the left. On the ledge, a path with cross yours, which you follow right and pass a farm to your left. After the farm, follow the left-hand trail towards the houses and the Chapelle de La Jayère. Follow the trail straight after the chapel and then, at the T junction, turn right to join the road.

(3) Follow the road (D20B) left until the crossroads at spot height 493 and then follow the D27 which descends slightly to the right.
Ignore the D27A which parts left and reach next path that descends sharply left, the Chemin du Pont de Fer.

(4) Descend on this path and after a right-hand curve, take the grassy trail to the left.
After about 300 metres, ignore a trail rising to the left and take the one on the right.
The smooth profile of the trail and the wall to the left indicate that you've reached the old tramway. Follow it to the Dionay cemetery, located to the right and take the road that rises left towards the village.

(5) Turn right to cross the village, ignore the road going off to the left and take the one that descends to the right. Walk closely past the buildings on your right and, when you have passed these, follow the grassy trail to the left (in fact, it's a continuation of the old track). Go past a house on your right and reach a road at spot height 522.

(6) Follow the road to the right and on the bend, take the right-hand track along the road. After 150m, cross the road before the house and take the track to the left. The track curves left then right before crossing the tunnel. Continue on the track to get to a road on a bend. Leave the path that carries on opposite and take the road up to the left.
Follow this road which then turns into a path until it meets a wide track that crosses your path at spot height 633.

(7) Turn right and get to a road (D20), following it for 50 meters to the left. Take the right-hand trail and follow it through forest to join another trail at spot height 641.

(8) Follow the trail for 150 meters towards the left to reach an intersection. Take the trail at right angles to the left. This trail follows the D20 on the other side of the metal rail. At the end of the rail, follow the steep trail to the right which leads to the site of the Abbaye de la Trappe.

(9) Go back on the same path in the opposite direction. Walk along the road behind the rail and take the forest trail. At the end of this trail, you'll get to an intersection of paths. Turn 90 degrees right and walk for 150 metres to reach the crossroads taken on the outward leg.

(8) Ignore the path on the right and continue straight up to a major intersection of trails and roads.

(10). Cross the road and take the trail almost opposite that goes alongside the forest on your right-hand side. Ignore a path going off right and then another parting to the left and continue almost in a straight line.
When you reach a path coming from the left, our path goes off to the right. Walk between the grasslands and at spot height 553, continue straight along the edge of the fields. Be alert, you arrive at the top of a quarry and walk around it descending steeply to the left to get to a crossroads at the Cul de Perrette.

(11) Follow the road opposite which rises slightly and then descends until you reach a cabin with a pylon. Descend to the left, ignore a road on your left and reach the Chapelle de Saint-Jean le Fromental. Continue, ignoring the roads to your left and right until you reach a fork.

(12) Take the tarmac path to the left. This will give way to a dirt path and then turns back into a road alongside the Barreton farm located to the left. Ignore a road going left and, after 50 meters, follow the road almost at 90 degrees to the right.

Walk past the Ferme de l'Enclos, located on your left at spot height 441 and continue until you reach a playing field opposite. The path goes left, and when it curves to the right take the path on the bend which leads to the abbey buildings. Cross two porches with the abbey to your right and reach an esplanade. You can visit the site (church, museum).
Retrace your steps, cross the Place de l'Abbeye and then turn right on the Grand Rue to join the D27. Then walk for about 50 metres to the right to return to the start point (D/A).