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Start at the sign indicating the entrance to the village of La Chaudière. Park in the car park on the left before the entrance to the village.
(S/E) Enter the village via the main street. Cross the village and continue along the street, which becomes a trail. At the crossroads, take the trail on the left maintained by the ONF towards Valcourte. This follows the Vallon de la Coulance halfway up the slope and joins the top of a more grassy area.
At Valcourte, do not look for a path on the right as indicated on the map (it no longer exists) and continue following the bottom of the slope, above the grassy area. You will reach a clearly visible three-way junction.
(1) Take the smallest path on the left. After going around the hillock, the path begins a fairly steep climb towards the Col de la Baume.
(2) At the crossroads below the pass, keep right. The path continues along a ledge and crosses two small valleys.
(3) At the ridge, leave the trail on your left and continue downhill towards the chapel until you reach the next crossroads.
(4) Turn right until you reach the Chapelle des Sadous.
(5) From the chapel, return to the previous crossroads.
(4) Once back, continue along the path on the right, cross the valley and reach the next ridge.
(6) Be careful at the crossroads: take the path on the left that goes uphill and ignore the descent on the right (you can continue downhill for a few metres to enjoy a view of the valley, the chapel and the Col de la Chaudière).
Just after the crossroads, ignore a path on the right and follow the path uphill towards the summit of Col Faraud. Almost at the pass, ignore a less visible path on the left and continue along the path through the grassland. You will reach the woods on a flat section.
(7) At the crossroads, continue right on a straight path and start a steep climb. At the edge of the woods, the path turns left and reaches the summit of Montagne de Faraud.
(8) From the summit, return by the same route to the flat area at the previous crossroads.
(7) Turn right and join the crossroads at the Col de Faraud.
(9) Keep to the right (almost opposite). The trail then turns right and continues up a gentle slope to a fork in the ridge.
(10) Take the second track on the left. This descends gradually and joins the Col de la Baume (sign explaining the Grotte des Sadoux).
(11) Continue along the track opposite. Above the village of La Chaudière, turn right onto the path leading down to the firefighting water reserve (DFCI, flexible tarpaulin), cross the track and continue along this path opposite, which leads to the entrance to the village (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
Local authority
Moderate 
