Circular of the Aubépin around the Coise valleys

Coming from Sainte-Catherine, park in the cemetery car park on Rue d'Harcourt at the entrance to L'Aubépin. Return to the corner of the cemetery.

(S/E) At the sign for "L'Aubépin Cimetière", head towards the centre of the village via Rue d'Harcourt. Cross Place Jeanne d'Arc and, at the crossroads, Route de l'Indépendance. On an unmarked path, take Rue des Anciens Combattants opposite. At the end of the street, opposite the church square, turn right onto Chemin de la Tune and continue to a fork 250 metres further on.

(1) Keep left onto Chemin des Plaines. In the hamlet, turn right, then left onto Route D97. After 400 m, in its right-hand bend, leave it to follow Chemin des Pins Pénéons on the left. You will come to Route D601 and rejoin the marked route. Opposite, pass at the foot of a reservoir, then, in front of the entrance to Château de Lafay, turn left and you will come to a fork.

(2) At the "Château de Lafay" sign, turn right towards the Ancien Stade de Larajasse and immediately turn right onto Chemin du Pont de Rocaille, which runs alongside the castle wall. Go around the back of the castle, taking a wide right turn. Cross the bridge over Le Rosson. After the emergency services centre, turn right onto the D97, La Route des Grands Sapins.

(3) At the sign for "Larajasse. Ancien Stade," continue straight ahead until you reach an intersection in front of the war memorial.

(4) At the sign for "Larajasse. L'École", continue along the D97 opposite. In front of the town hall, ignore the Route du Marronnier on the left and continue along the D97, Route du Petit Bois, on the right. Walk along the left-hand side of the church until you reach an intersection.

(5) At the sign for "Larajasse. L'Église" (Larajasse. The Church), continue straight ahead on the D97 towards Bois de Bellardin. After 50 metres, at the right-hand bend, leave the D97 and take the road straight ahead (east). Cross the D97 and continue straight ahead. Ignore the side roads, go down a small valley and join the small Route de Bellardin.

(6) At the sign for "Bois de Bellardin," follow the road to the left towards Château de Vaudragon. Immediately ignore a path on the right and continue to Route D97. Take it to the left for 100 m and note a yellow-marked path on the right (elevation 613).

(7) (On the IGN map,this section is not yet marked as a signposted trail). Follow this path downhill into the Bois de Bellardin. After 150 m, ignore the path on the right, then 500 m further on, ignore the path on the left and continue straight ahead.

(8) Cross the footbridge over the Coise and climb up the opposite slope to reach Route D2. Turn left onto it and immediately take the path on the left in front of a farm.

(9) At the "Château de Vaudragon" sign, head towards Chazette. Descend towards an intersection on the banks of the Coise. Do not cross the river, but follow the path on the right bank. You will come to a path and, opposite, go around the farm. Join the D2, at the fork on the left, go up the Route de Chazette on the right. At the intersection on the hill, ignore Chemin du Granotier on the right and, at the entrance to the hamlet of Chazette, Route des Choules on the left. Continue straight ahead until you reach the intersection at the edge of the village.

(10) At the "Chazette" sign, take the path on the right towards Le Plomb. Cross a stream. Ignore the side paths and cross the Le Coiset stream (elevation 603). Climb the opposite slope, ignoring the access to the farm on the left, and 100 m further on, you will arrive at Chemin des Joinets. Take this path to the left. Ignore the side paths and continue to a crossroads at the edge of the Le Croiset stream.

(11) At the "Le Plomb" sign, turn right towards La Chèvre. Follow the straight path to reach Route de Gimio. Turn left and immediately cross Route D311, leaving the signposted direction towards La Chèvre on your right. Continue straight ahead on Chemin du Prat. At the intersection, take the signposted route opposite on Chemin du Châtaigner, climbing towards Les Granges. Continue to an intersection in this hamlet.

(12) At the "Les Granges" sign, keep left towards La Chênaie. Leave the path on the right between the farm buildings and turn right. At the three-way junction, continue straight ahead uphill. At the three-way junction, take the first path on the right of the house. Ignore the side paths and at the Terron junction, at the edge of a copse, turn right onto the small road, Le Chemin du Mas. Continue along this road until you reach a crossroads in the middle of the greenhouses (elevation 688).

(13) At the "La Chênaie" sign, go down the road on the right towards Gouttenoire. At the fork in Grange Bruyère, turn left and continue on the Gouttenoire path. At the bottom, near a house, keep right before joining the D311 road. Take it in the opposite direction to the left and, 30 m further on, cross it to join the road opposite.

(14) At the "Gouttenoire" sign, follow the direction of Le Quéser. After 50 metres, turn right onto the downhill road, Chemin de l'Orée du Bois. At the intersection, turn left onto Chemin du Moulin Vaudrait. Cross the Potensinet stream and go uphill to reach Route du Tacot. Follow this road for 200 metres to the right until you reach a crossroads.

(15) At the "Le Quéser" sign, ignore the two streets on the left and continue downhill towards La Chèvre. At the intersection, turn right onto Chemin de l'Orée du Bois. Cross the bridge over the Potensinet stream and leave the road on the right to climb the path straight ahead. Cross Route D97 (elevation 618) and continue along the path opposite. You will arrive at Route D311. Take this road to the left for 200 m and you will reach the intersection of a path on the left.

(16) At the "La Chèvre" sign, take this path downhill towards Les Vernières. Cross Route D97, then the Potensinet stream. Immediately after, ignore the path on the left and cross the bridge over Route D600. Join the road, Chemin de la Lardière, in the hamlet of the same name. Turn right at the intersection with a path on the right, located 30 m before a road.

(17) At the "Les Vernières" sign, follow it towards La Rivoire. Cross Route D2, then the bridge over the Coise. Immediately at the fork, take the right-hand branch. In front of a reservoir, ignore the paths on the right and continue to the Route des Balcons de la Coise. Go against the traffic on the left and follow this road for 250 m before turning right onto a barely visible path climbing through the fields. Continue to the hamlet of La Rivoire.

(18) At the "La Rivoire" sign, go down the road to the left. At the fork, leave it and follow the path to the right. Further up, you will reach Chemin des Grandes Bruyères. Take it to the right, pass a path on the right and 20 m further on, on the left, leave the path going in the opposite direction and take the next one before joining a path.

(19) At the "Les Grandes Bruyères" sign, go up to the right towards Croix Galant and reach the Route de St-Pierre. Go down to the right until you reach an intersection at the corner of the first house.

(20) At the "Croix Galant" sign, stay on the road and join the D63. Avoid it by taking a path on the right that joins a road. Take it on the left, walk along the cemetery and join the "L'Aubépin Cimetière" sign (S/E).