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Red and white GR®509 markings and specific signs bearing the symbol J
(S) From the motorhome area, turn left onto Rue Le Crétet and head towards the Saint-Renobert church. At the signpost, continue right onto the D18 to cross the village of Bellefontaine. Pass the town hall and primary school, then continue to the La Chaumière restaurant.
(1) Continue straight ahead (south-west) on the one-way street. Continue until you reach the signpost for "Le Crêtet". Continue for about 20 metres, then, in the bend to the right, turn left onto the grassy path that leads you to the D18.
(2) Cross it carefully and continue straight ahead on the grassy path called Les Pichonniers. Continue through the woods, heading south-west until you reach the crossroads at an elevation of 984 metres.
(3) Keep straight ahead through the woods and continue until you reach the intersection with Route des Chalettes.
(4) Follow it to the right (north-west), then, at the fork, turn left and, after a wide bend, head south. Continue to the farm at a place called En Jean-Pierre.
(5) Enter the woods after the farm, then continue until you reach Route des Frasses, in a hairpin bend.
(6) Turn left onto the slightly uphill road and follow it until you see the sign for "Les Chalettes".
(7) Continue straight ahead towards Morez. Go down the road to the fork in front of house no. 4.
(8) Take the middle road (straight ahead) to continue downhill to the intersection with Rue de la Creuse, at a place called Sur le Puits on the heights of Morez.
(9) Turn left and follow the road downhill until you reach the intersection with Avenue Louis Paget. Continue right until you reach the hairpin bend.
(10) Keep left (south) towards Les Roches Brûlées. Begin a steady climb until you reach the fork at the top of the hill, located upstream from a left-hand bend.
(11) At the signpost indicating the direction of the viewpoint, turn right towards Ferme Paget. Leave the woods and cross vast pastures until you reach the signpost "Ferme Paget".
(12) Head south towards Les Rousses, then quickly turn left at the signpost for "Combe de Trélace" (here, a sign indicates that the road is closed to pedestrians, sledges, etc. Strange for a hiking trail!). Continue climbing on the GR®509 and stay on the forest road through the woods until you reach the signpost at an altitude of 1169 metres.
(13) Leave the forest road and turn right towards Gros Crétet. Continue climbing until you reach the crossroads, where a sign indicates the capercaillie biotope reserve.
(14) Continue climbing south-east, then south-west on an unmarked but obvious path for about 600 metres (ignoring a path branching off to the right). You will reach the summit of Gros Crétet (1,300 m), a small peak topped by an antenna.
(15) From the summit antenna next to the geodetic marker, descend along the road on Gros Crêtet, heading south-east, then, after a left-hand bend, continue north-east until you reach the intersection with the GR®5.
(16) Keep right (south-west) towards Les Rousses/Loge à Ponard. Ignore the path signposted Belvédère de la Roche Blanche and descend to the crossroads with a PR® leading to a quarry.
(17) Stay on the forest path opposite, heading south-west, until you come to a wide forest track.
(18) Turn left, then quickly right, and continue to the Loge à Ponard (refuge).
(19) Cross the clearing heading southwest, then continue downhill until you reach the signpost "Les Rousses en bas" on Route de Trélace.
(20) Continue left, pass a picnic area, and continue on Route de Trélace until you reach the stop sign. Cross Route des Rousses d'Amont carefully and continue straight ahead on Route des Rousses en Bas until you reach the first intersection with Rue du Prechavin.
(21) Turn right towards La Fruitière. Pass the La Fruitière restaurant and continue to the L'Orée des Pistes holiday residence.
(22) Turn left onto the path blocked by a large rock, then continue left as soon as you reach Rue du Prechavin. Continue until you arrive in front of the Fromagerie des Rousses.
(23) Turn left to cross the centre of Les Rousses, heading south. (Refreshments available in the street). Pass the town hall and continue to the tourist office at the southern end of the Rue Pasteur car park.
(24) Opposite the tourist office, turn right towards Fort des Rousses. Cross the N5 carefully , then follow it on the right until you reach "Les Rousses Centre" at the square, before the sports shop. Turn left and go up the small dirt road that leads to the ski jump. Continue right towards the Porte de France, admiring the Fort des Rousses site on your left. Continue to the crossroads near the Cluedo car park.
(25) At the signpost, continue straight ahead on the GR® trail, leaving the path leading to Rue des Entrepreneurs on your right, and descend towards the Bief de la Chaille. Continue to the crossroads with the road at Le Sagy Haut.
(26) Cross the tarmac road and follow the small stony path opposite towards Prémanon, which descends towards the Bief de la Chaille watercourse. Continue straight ahead, heading south-east, ignoring the side paths at the Bonzon and Sous le Saut crossroads, until you reach the footbridge crossroads.
(27) Ignore the footbridge and take the path on the left that climbs up towards the Bief de la Chaille. On the way, you can make a round trip via the yellow-marked path to get closer to the waterfall. Then, rejoin the GR® and continue to the right until you reach the signpost for "Bief de la Chaille".
(28) At the Bief de la Chaille crossroads, turn right and walk past the youth hostel. Continue for about 500 m until you reach a small road.
(29) Go down the small road on the right that crosses the Bief de la Chaille. At the next bend, go straight ahead (south-west) onto the Chemin du Bagon. Follow the path uphill to arrive in front of the Gîte La Grenotte, where you can find a place to camp with the owner's permission (E).
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