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Saint-Vincent car park in Cerdon.
(S/E) From the car park, turn right onto Rue de la Gare, then right again (Rue des Terreaux) and join the main street (Rue du 12 Juillet 1944 - fountain at the crossroads). Turn left until you reach the next crossroads (another fountain). Take the street on the right (Rue du Maquis - departmental road 11B), keep to the right, leaving Rue de la Cuivrerie on your left, and continue until you reach a signpost indicating the direction of "Le drapeau".
(1) At the signpost, take the path that leads to the departmental road 1084, formerly the national road 84. Cross the road with caution. Continue along the path, then take the path furthest to the right, through the vineyards to thefirst bend, then to a path (altitude 442) which you will immediately leave by turning right (signpost). Continue to the next bend.
(2) Leave the path and take the trail in front of you. Look for a red horizontal mark and a yellow vertical mark on the rock. Climb up until you reach the flag and the ridge.
(3) Three easy climbing steps to reach the ridge. Old yellow and green markings will guide you along the ridge. This is a slightly tricky 300m section where you will need to be very careful. The route then becomes easier, through the woods, to reach a signpost at Crêt du Jour. But first, you will need to either follow the paths leading to the vineyards, descend through the vineyards, or do a bit of both. The important thing is to reach the signpost.
(4) At this signpost (the directions indicated do not apply to this route), the aim is to find an old path not shown on the current IGN map, which climbs through woods to reach the hamlet of Sur Flamont. There are no existing landmarks. First, cross a field, then head through the undergrowth in a north-easterly direction (maximum 200 m between the signpost and the path) to reach the old path.
Once on the path, there is an 80 m climb before a change of direction.
(5) At this point, there are no physical landmarks, but the path is clearly marked enough that you know not to continue straight ahead, but to turn right to reach a house in the hamlet of Sur Flamont. From the house, a path leads you to a tarmac road (altitude 563).
(6) Continue along the road on the right until you reach a signpost marked "Cerdon 35 mins", which you will need to go around to read! You have now reached theGR®® de Pays trail.
(7) Just before the signpost, look for the path that branches off to the left, below the road. This steep path will take you to the Maquis de l'Ain war memorial located on the edge of the D1084 road.
(8) Take care on the few metres you will be walking along this road.
Do not be surprised if the route indicated (GPS survey) does not correspond to that on the IGN map.
To the left of the monument and graves, there is an uphill path, which you may find a little long, that crosses the Cugnat valley to reach an isolated house in a place called Le Prélet. Shortly before this, two signposts will help you find your way, because once you leave the woods, there is no longer a path, just a vague trail.
(9) At the house, continue slightly to the left to reach a gate giving access to a path on the left.
(10) At the Labalme signpost, do not cross the stream on your left as the IGN map suggests, but continue on the path straight ahead. This will take you to the village of Labalme.
Cross the village via Rue de Bessiat. At the junction with Rue de la Mairie (cross), continue straight on until you reach the D1084 road, which you should cross again with caution to take Rue du Molard opposite you. Leave this road at the first metal gate you come to, which gives access to a field that you should cross towards two posts at the edge of the woods (north-east).
(11) At the edge of the field, there is a passageway that allows you to climb over the fence and find yourself on a path descending to the right. Reach a viewpoint offering a view of Cerdon and the surrounding hills.
(12) Near the viewpoint, take care to stay on the paths as there are a few holes in the ground (see section: Practical information).
Take the path away from the cliff and join a track that passes near a park with animals that are more or less wild but harmless. Continue along the track.
(13) At the sign, turn left onto the path that ends, downhill, on the D11 road in the Dinant valley. Cross the road and continue along an uphill path.
(14) As you approach a fence, continue on the path on your left along the fence and, a little further on, go around a field on the right, contrary to the IGN map which indicates a detour on the left. Here too, there is a difference between the GPS survey and the map. The route continues along a path leading tothe GR®® from the Ain Valley to the Cerdon region.
(15) Turning left, the route continues on the GRP®®.
(16) Leave theGRP®® by turning left to reach the Church of Saint-Alban, which is being restored by volunteers from an association.
At the end of the rock, you may be able to see the Cula waterfall.
Retrace your steps to a signpost and turn left to return to Cerdon.
(17) Turn left to begin the descent to Cerdon. The path crosses vineyards. Continue to the first houses. Turn right, then left, and cross the bridge over the Veyron. Take thefirst street on the right, then right again, then left at thesecond street and finally right to reach the Saint-Vincent car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
