Circular Combes starting from Saint-Jean-de-Côle

Start from the Place du Château, in front of the Tourist Office, on the corner of Allée Mondot de la Marthonie.

(S/E) Cross the square towards the river. Cross the old cobbled bridge and take the street on the left which leads up to the junction between the Rd 707 and the Rd 98. At the junction of these two roads, head towards Villars, opposite the lane coming from the bridge.

(1) At the next junction, take the road on the left which runs alongside the river towards Neuville. At the entrance to the hamlet of Neuville, take the first path on the right, towards the “lavoir”. Pass the turn-off to the lavoir and follow the same path as it climbs gently. At the next crossroads, take the first road on the left, then turn right, uphill.

Yellow markings

(2) After a wide bend, with a detached house visible to the right of the road, take the stony path on the left which climbs through meadows. At the edge of the woods, take the left-hand path at the junction, signposted towards Saint-Pierre-de-Côle. The route runs alongside a pidgeon hunting hut in the forest and climbs up to the crest of the hill. On leaving the forest, the path descends behind a farm; continue across the meadow, along the edge of a wood, to the road.

No signposting

(3) Ignore the signposting (to the left) and take the road on the right, then at the next junction, turn left and head uphill towards La Bénéchie. After the hamlet, ignore the road branching off to the right and continue uphill for about a hundred metres until you reach a path (on the right at the bend) which follows a power line.

Yellow markings

(4) At the top of the hill, at the crossroads, take the grassy path on the right – marked in yellow – towards a pine forest. Then continue along the road which follows on from the path.

(5) At the entrance to the hamlet of La Boine, turn left onto a stony path signposted towards Saint-Martin-de-Fressengeas. In the middle of the forest, at a junction not shown on the map, continue along the path on the right until you reach the road. Follow it to the right for about 200 metres.

Red and white markings

(6) At the junction with the signposted hiking trail, take the path on the right between the woods and fields. At the next junction, continue along the road following the path, towards “Mazelier”. Cross the hamlet, turning left at the junction in the village. Continue along the same road until you reach the RD98, after a steep descent.

(1) From there, return to Saint-Jean-de-Côle via the same route as on the way out. Cross the junction diagonally with care to rejoin the lane leading to the bridge, then cross the Côle to return to the castle square (S/E).

This walk follows various^PR® trails marked in yellow, then the^GR® 361.
No significant difficulty, apart from a few short climbs on minor roads or well-maintained paths.
At the Neuville wash house, fed by a spring, there are picnic tables

The village of Saint-Jean-de-Côle, one of the most beautiful villages in France, with its church, castle, priory and cobbled bridge, not to mention the half-timbered houses on Rue du Fond du Bourg.
Two restored wash houses along the route, at the junction of the Neuville road and the D98 (1) and in the hamlet of Neuville.
Beautiful views over the Côle valley and the valleys you pass through.