Country:
District:
Markings: signposts with sticker no. 5 on a green background (Jura Höhenweg).
(S) From your campsite, return to the Ballaigues-Vaud tarmac road and head north-east, then quickly go around the sports area on your left, following the direction of Pré Benoit. Continue to the signpost at La Fourche.
(1) Turn right (northeast), continuing towards Pré Benoit. Across the beautiful Jura pastures, continue climbing until you reach the signpost at La Fourche, in a place called Les Prés Durand.
(2) Turn right (north-east) and continue to the intersection at the Le Grain de Blé Foundation in La Bessonne.
(3) Turn left and continue to the signpost at the crossroads. Follow the signs to Saint Croix in the north-east. The path starts from the La Bessonne car park. Walk along the edge of the woods to the fork.
(4) Turn left (north-east) and head into the woods. At the intersection, turn right onto La Languetine path and stay on this path until you reach the cattle grid in front of a farm.
(5) Continue for a few metres, then go through the gate before the bend and continue across the field (remember to close the gate behind you!). Walk along the edge of the woods on your right, heading north-east, and continue to the signpost in front of the Chalet du Ski Club d'Orbe.
(6) Follow the direction of knoll, taking the path that leaves to the left of the chalet. Continue until you arrive in front of a building protected by anti-tank obstacles.
(7) Walk along the barriers to the right of the building, which face north-east, and continue in this direction until you reach the fork.
(8) Turn right and continue to the turnstile in a dry stone wall. Here, you can walk along the left side of the stone wall and arrive directly at (11), avoiding the Chalet du Knoll.
(9) Go through the turnstile and continue straight ahead (northeast). Keep going in this direction until you reach the Chalet du Knoll, which offers views of the canton of Vaud, the Alps, Haute-Savoie and three lakes: Lake Geneva, Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Morat. (Refreshments available).
(10) Turn left in front of the chalet, following the direction of Vol de l'Aiguillon, and climb the path that leads to the highest point of the stage, with a breathtaking view!
(11) Carefully descend a rocky slope to the south-east and continue north through the woods to the Chalet de Grange-Neuve. (Refreshments available).
(12) At the signpost in front of the chalet, follow the direction of Col de l'Aiguillon/Saint Croix. Keep heading north-east and continue until you reach a tarmac road at a cattle grid.
Continue north-east until you reach the signpost near a house with solar panels.
(13) Turn left (north) in front of the house, cross the path, heading north-west, to reach the signpost on a tarmac road. Continue left (west/north-west), pass the entrance to the Aiguilles de Baulmes climbing site, and continue to the signpost at the fork.
(14) Turn right towards the Col de l'Aiguillon. Pass the signpost for Sur le Tour and follow the direction of Aiguilles de Baulmes before reaching the anti-tank obstacles. If you are prone to vertigo, you can continue straight ahead and arrive directly at (22).
(15) Leave the tarmac road and turn right onto the path through the woods towards Sainte-Croix. You will soon come out of the woods and follow a wide, stony path uphill to the north-east. Stay on this path, keeping to the same direction, until you reach the Chalet des Aiguilles.
(16) Pass it, heading north-east, and continue to the Crête des Aiguilles de Baulmes, which offers a bird's eye view from the top of the steep, jagged cliffs.
(17) Carefully follow the Aiguilles de Baulmes ridge path. Walk along the ridge until you reach the sign indicating the path to the Cave Noire cave.
(18) You can take a short trip to the Cave Noire cave, which is accessible with caution and a torch. To get there, follow the slightly exposed but wired path that descends through a breach in the cliff from the altitude of 1432 (beacon). Be very careful!
(19) From the cave, carefully retrace your steps to find the Crête path.
(18) Leave the ridge path and follow a trail to the left, beginning a steep descent through the woods towards the north-west. Descend to the signpost at the intersection with a wide stony path.
(20) Continue descending north-west to the signpost opposite a house, at the start of the Sainte-Croix fitness trail.
(21) Continue straight ahead (north-west) on the tarmac road La Gittaz, following the signs for Saint-Croix. Continue to the fork near the La Gittaz restaurant.
(22) Turn left, following the signs for L'Auberson. Stay on the La Gittaz-Dessous path until you reach the signpost at the viewpoint.
(23) Turn right (north-east) at the fork, following the signs for Sainte-Croix/Gite rurale Mont des Cerfs. Pass the wind farm and the access road to the Gîte rurale Mont des Cerfs, and continue through the woods until you reach the signpost below the Calme et Vue lodge.
(24) Turn right, heading northeast towards Sainte-Croix. Cross Chemin de la Grangette-Bellevue and pass to the left of the house to reach the signpost on Avenue de Neuchâtel.
(25) Turn right, following the signs for Sainte-Croix. Pass a petrol station, then cross carefully at the pedestrian crossing to reach Rue de France (barrier). Stay on Rue de France until you reach the junction with Rue de la Gare.
(26) Turn right onto Rue de la Gare, pass the station car park and continue to the intersection with Rue de la Peatland (where you can buy refreshments in a supermarket).
(27) Turn left, pass the Migros - Sainte-Croix supermarket, and continue north/north-east on Rue de la Peatland until you reach a bank in the middle of a crossroads.
(28) Pass to the left of this building and, at the signpost, follow the direction of Les Praises on Rue du Collège. At the intersection, first turn right then left and continue along Rue de l'Observatoire, then pass to the left of the house with green shutters and continue along Place du Temple, which is an extension of the central street. At the end of this street, turn right onto Rue du Cochet, leaving the signpost for vignette no. 5 behind you for the time being. Continue to the end of this street until you reach a crossroads in front of a yellow house. Turn left (north-east) onto Chemin de la Dryade and quickly turn left in front of the transformer. Go up the path to arrive in front of the Le Bivouac scout hut, where you can set up camp for the night. (E)
Visorando member
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Moderate 
Association / Club / Walk leader
