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In Sayat, park in a small gravel car park near the cemetery. There are many different markings on this route. Only the most relevant ones on certain sections will be mentioned in the description.
(S/E) Set off along the road heading north, skirting the cemetery, and continue to a roundabout. Go straight ahead along a short tarmac section and continue along the grass to reach a road (the D15) and follow it straight ahead. Take care before the bend; it is better to keep to the right-hand side.
(1) After about 150 metres, take a path on the right. About 50 metres further on, follow a path on the left for a short round trip to a cave (more of a covered shelter). Access it via a path that goes around the ruins of a hut.
Back on the path, continue to the left. Ignore the access to a field on the left, then a path on the right, and arrive at a crossroads.
(2) Go straight ahead for a round trip to another small natural cave: ignore a path on the right at a signpost, then ignore a path on the left. About 50 metres further on, after passing to the right of a rocky outcrop, you will see a small cave on the left of the path. Turn back to the third intersection.
(2) Continue to the right. Keep going straight ahead until you reach a crossroads with several paths, with two posts on the right supporting various signposts. Continue straight ahead towards Malauzat (no signposts). Cross the D796 (take care) and continue straight ahead through a residential area until you reach a small roundabout.
(3) Continue straight ahead (towards Volvic, road sign) in the village of Malauzat. Continue straight ahead until you reach the town hall (Volvic stone cross on the left). Turn right to pass in front of the town hall. Shortly afterwards, you will see a fountain on the Place de la Cruchale on your right, then a yellow sign indicating "19th-century castle, private property".
Continue straight ahead to pass in front of the castle and continue to the next crossroads, with Rue de Tureau branching off to the right. Turn left onto a small road. At a glass recycling bin, take the path on the right. Ignore a path on the right just after this and continue straight ahead towards the Plateau de Lachaud.
(4) When you reach the "Plateau de Lachaud" signpost, continue straight ahead, passing to the left of a yellow sign for "Églantiers et pruneliers" (rose hips and blackthorns). Continue straight ahead until you reach some houses and continue along the small road. After passing a house with a turret, follow the path to the left of the antenna.
(5) At the crossroads, at the signpost, follow the signs for Châteaugay, straight ahead. A few metres further on, you will see a dry stone shelter in the meadow on the left. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead, following the yellow disc signs to enter Châteaugay.
At the crossroads with Rue Saint-Vincent, continue straight ahead, following the yellow discs. After passing a storm basin on your right, you will come to a crossroads at the "Chemin de la Boule" signpost. Ignore the directions given and take the second street on the left, which soon curves sharply to the right.
(6) You will come to a roundabout; turn right onto Rue du Nord. Further on, cross Rue de la Crouzette and continue in the same direction. At the next crossroads, ignore the street signposted on the left and descend slightly to the right towards a municipal information sign.
Pass this sign and continue straight ahead, ignoring the streets on the right, to reach the cellars (cellars on the left, crosses and other cellars also on the right side of the street). At the next intersection, find the "Quartier des caves" sign and continue straight ahead towards the Coteaux de Châteaugay. Still walking alongside the cellars on your left, pass a very worn information sign.
(7) Go up to the left for a round trip to the orientation table. At the Bellevue signpost, go left onto the lawn to find the orientation table. Then go back down the same way.
(7) Turn left, following the red and whiteGR®® markings. Pass in front of a beautiful wooden door topped with a small Bacchus statue and continue along this path to the Coteau de Châteaugay marker. Turn right towards Pompignat, onto the path lined with vineyards.
Be careful, about 200 metres further on, take a very small path that descends to the right, between vineyards. You will come to a wide path and follow it to the left.
(8) At a small sign for the "sur les pas des vignerons" (in the footsteps of the winegrowers) route (marked in reverse), turn right onto a small road. At the crossroads, continue along the path opposite. As this path turns right, follow a grassy path to the left and, a few metres further on, at a T-junction with another grassy path, turn right.
(9) At the next intersection, take the path on the left for a round trip to some more rustic cellars. Ignore the path on the right and, when the path ends, continue along a footpath past a few cellars, some more maintained than others, on the left. An opening in the door of the last cellar allows you to see inside. Retrace your steps.
(9) Continue straight ahead on the grassy path to reach a wider path and continue to the left. Ignore a path that branches off to the left, returning towards Châteaugay with the château in sight. A few metres before a bridge over a stream, turn right onto Rue des Vignots.
At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead uphill. At the end of the street, turn left, then immediately left again onto Rue des Caves.
(10) About 80 metres further on, look out for the steps on the right-hand side of the street. Go up, passing in front of a cellar chimney, and continue along the path that leads to a street. Keep to the right to quickly reach a T-junction (sign for "Rue de l'Amandière" on the wall on the right), with the signpost "Le Chalard" on the left.
Continue left, following the red and whiteGR®® markings (follow these markings until otherwise indicated in Blanzat) to quickly reach the "Rue du Chalard" sign at a fork in the road and turn left towards Parc Jay.
At the next signpost, continue towards Parc Jay, turn left and then left again to follow Rue du Château, passing under a stone archway. The entrance to the castle courtyard is on the left.
Continue along the street, passing to the right of the chapel and under another stone archway. Continue straight ahead, passing a large cross and the Fontaine de Bacchus fountain.
(11). Further on, note the church below on the left, then note a beautiful cross on the right of the street, and another gate in the old ramparts on the left. Continue straight ahead. Further on, a small park topped by a cross on the left offers another view of the valley to the east.
At the end of this street, cross the D402 carefully and continue along the small road opposite. You will arrive at the first houses of the hamlet of Les Mauvaises.
(12) Cross this hamlet, ignoring all the streets on the right. At a small roundabout, take the first street on the right, then at the fork, keep left onto Rue du Puy Robert. You will arrive at a crossroads at the "Les Mauvaises" signpost.
(13) Continue to follow theGR®® and the direction of Plateau de Bade. Follow this wide path to the signpost marked "Plateau de Bade". Continue towards Blanzat. You will come to a T-junction, facing a vineyard and a cherry orchard on your left.
(14) Turn left. The path then makes a first turn left then right and descends steeply to reach the first houses of Blanzat.
(15) Leave theGR®® at Rue Saint-Esprit. Follow this street to the left to reach a square with a fountain and the Place Ballofy signpost. Continue towards Le Bédat to reach Place de la Poste, near the church.
Follow the main street to the right for a few metres, then turn right again, passing in front of the "La Colombe" building. Follow the street as it curves to the right, then turn left towards the cemetery, following the blue markings. Walk along the cemetery, then continue along this street which runs alongside a small stream. Further on, it turns into a path. Ignore a private path on the right.
(16) At the next two forks in the path, go right (blue markings). At a "Balade des vignerons" signpost on the right-hand side of the path, leave the blue markings and follow the path on the left.
(17) You will arrive at the D762 at another "Balade des vignerons" signpost. Cross carefully and continue along the street opposite (Rue de Saint-André). After a right-hand bend in the street, at the T-junction, turn right onto Rue des Chassangs. At another T-junction, turn right to reach the car park near the cemetery (S/E).
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