Circular walk in the Forest of Saint-Léger starting from Cirey-lès-Pontailler

Head to Cirey-lès-Pontailler and park near the washhouse on Place des Lavandiers.

(S/E) Opposite the washhouse, head towards the street branching off to the right towards the junction of the Chemin des Moissons and Rue du Bois. At this junction, turn right onto Rue du Bois and continue along the road until you reach a Fork in the road.

(1) Stay on the main path, veering to the right. At the next junction, turn right again onto the grassy path. Once at the end, take the path on the left, almost directly opposite you, and follow it to a T-junction. Turn left, heading towards Le Bas des Combes, until you reach the junction before the ditch.

(2) Go straight on along the grassy path which descends towards a ditch (elevation 202), which you can cross in a single step with the help of a stake. Once you’ve crossed the ditch, head straight on for about twenty metres to rejoin the path; once on it, continue to your left through Le Bas des Combes: this path doesn’t appear on the map but it does exist. Follow it to the junction with a tarmac road.

(3) Turn right and, at the first junction (elevation 206), carry on straight ahead towards Tellecey. A little further along this road, a sign will point you to a remarkable tree on the left. Take the time to go and see it, then return to the road and continue to a four-way junction (elevation 220).

(4) Turn right towards Tellecey and continue for about 1.5 km until you reach a Fork in the road.

(5) Leave the road and turn right onto the white track with a grassy strip down the middle: there is a sign indicating “Route de la source”. Follow this route to the point with an altitude of 231, with a section of woodland numbered 19 and 31 on your right.

(6) Cross the small ditch to reach the entrance to the 19-31 section of woodland, then keep to the left and take the path on the left. At the next junction, continue straight on and carry on until you reach the crossroads at the edge of the woodland.

(7) Turn left onto a stony, unpaved track and follow it to the village of Cirey-lès-Pontailler, which you’ll reach via Rue du Tertre. Continue to Rue de la Liberté (D25) and turn right to reach Place des Lavandiers (S/E).

(S/E) Pump-fed washhouse. There is no natural spring, but the water that flowed in the washerwomen’s building was first pumped in from outside.