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In the village of Saint-Sandoux, park in one of the available spaces on Place des Forts, near the ruined keep, close to the church. Look out for the Balirando hiking sign for “Le Puy de Saint-Sandoux”, which this route description follows in full and in the same direction.
Yellow markings, lines and smallPR®® arrows, throughout the route
(S/E) With your back to the Balirando sign, leave the keep on your left and a beautiful house on your right. Pass the small church forecourt on the left, then the road to Saint-Saturnin on the right (old Michelin sign) and, at the junction just after, keep right onto Rue des Barquets. Pass the school fountain, leave a street on your left and, at the Notre-Dame de Bon Secours Chapel and the old fountain of the same name, continue straight ahead along Rue des Barquets. Ignore the side streets until you reach the four-way junction, opposite a mission cross, and turn right.
(1) At the next junction, turn left onto Chemin de la Coide. At the crossroads, continue along the dirt track opposite. Ignore the side tracks and you will come out onto the D28 (relatively quiet).
(2) Follow it carefully to the left for about 200 m (do not take the first path on the left), then take the path leading off to the left. Just before reaching the road, turn onto the track on the left. Walk uphill, turning around from time to time to enjoy the views over the Monne valley, Randol Abbey (impossible to miss, modern and completely out of place in the landscape), the Montagne de la Serre and the Puy de Dôme.
(3) At the T-junction, turn right, then take the first grassy path on the left. You’ll reach another T-junction, near an aerial (not yet shown on the IGN map).
(4) Take the track on the left, continue to the next T-junction and take the path on the right.
(5) At the four-way junction, turn left. At the T-junction, turn right, follow this path as it bends left, ignoring a field path on the right. You’ll reach a junction with a small road.
(6) Follow it to the left (normally closed to vehicles) until you reach the entrance to the hamlet of Pressat (no entry sign, very eerie atmosphere, do not linger).
(7) Turn left onto the path that climbs alongside the first farm building. Be careful, further up, not to miss the start of a footpath on the right. This immediately crosses a track and continues straight ahead. You’ll arrive at a paragliding launch pad; continue on to reach another viewpoint with a cross (contrary to what the IGN map indicates, there is no orientation table, but there is an information panel about the puy and the forts of Saint-Sandoux).
(8) Head back down via the small track (used only by paragliders and in a state of natural decay). Further on, as the landscape becomes wilder, with a steep slope and scree, pay close attention to the markings.
(9) Leave the road and take a path on the right, heading downwards and ignoring a few tracks on the left, until you reach a four-way junction. Continue straight ahead.
(10) At the Fork in the road, on reaching the village of Saint-Sandoux, turn right. At the four-way junction, near the old Saint-Roch Fountain, continue straight on along Rue de la Moutardière until you reach Place de la Mairie. Head right to the circular fountain, then walk a few metres to the left before immediately turning right and passing under an archway. You will come out opposite a church door (closed); go round the church to the left and turn right onto the street to immediately reach Place des Forts (S/E).
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