The start is at the car park on Place Sy-Vieuxville in Saint-Cergue.
Yellow markings (hiking) along the entire route, sometimes supplemented by pink markings (hiking + snowshoes).
(S/E) Leave the car park via the lower exit (roundabout) and turn right towards Nyon. Take the second street on the right and follow it to a car park at the start of the “Balade de Beatrix”.
(1) Follow the path south-eastwards (passing several signs and information boards for the Balade de Beatrix) until you reach a meadow. Take the path uphill through the middle of the meadow, passing a shelter and picnic table, and continue through the forest until you reach a tarmac road.
(2) Follow this road to the left until you reach a shed, then take the path on the right (yellow markings).
(3) After passing a few large chalets, turn right onto a path that heads back into the woods. You’ll come out onto a track; follow it to the start of a wide path, marked by a large pink sign indicating “la Dole/Le Vuarne”.
(4) Follow this path westwards and climb gently up to a tarmac road. Turn left onto it for a few metres until you reach a four-way junction.
(5) Take thefirst path on the left (south). At the junction, turn left and, at the next junction (elevation 1338), turn right. Climb a fairly steep slope to the Barillette restaurant.
(6) Follow the tarmac road and pass the radio and television transmission masts.
(7) At the junction with another tarmac road, take the grassy path opposite (west). As the path descends, you can already see the Chalet des Apprentis on a hillock opposite. Follow the path that goes round the other side of the wall to reach it.
(8) Turn left onto the path and head for the Col de Porte (wooden cross), passing beneath the Col de Porte hut.
(9) Turn left and go round a few rocks. The yellow-marked path splits in two: take the path on the right (the path on the left runs closer to the cliff) to reach the other side. The path climbs gently towards La Dôle (keep an eye out for the large white aviation radar dome). From the flat summit, on a clear day, admire Mont Blanc and the Alps, as well as the whole of Lake Geneva.
(10) After the summit, follow the path south-south-west along the ridge. Descend slightly to a junction with a sign for “Chalet de la Dôle”.
(11) Then turn left (south) and go round a valley (beautiful views of the slopes of La Dôle, where you may spot a few chamois). Return to the meadows around the Chalet de la Dôle via a slightly steeper descent.
(12) Continue north-north-east and return to the mountain pasture and the Chalet des Apprentis.
(8) Go round the Chalet des Apprentis on the right, cross the low wall (steps), then descend along a steep track to reach a valley.
(13) At the junction, follow the “le chemin des crêtes”, continue north and descend the valley. The first section is stony, then you’ll find a grassy path through the pastures leading to a farm.
(14) Head east along a tarmac road down to a junction you passed on the way there.
(5) Turn left (north-north-east) onto the path leading down. Cross the tarmac road and continue north-north-east to the Refuge de la Barillette.
(15) Continue north on a road, then turn right onto a track (follow the yellow signs for Saint-Cergue). Join a road again, follow it eastwards and pass a campsite.
(16) At the crossroads, continue eastwards along a small road, keeping parallel to the main road. This will take you to the car park (S/E).