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Start from the village of Font d'Urle near the restaurant "Les Dryades" at the end of the village (plenty of parking available).
(S) Follow the road to the right when facing the restaurant, then further along the bend to the right, take the path straight ahead, climbing behind the houses; it is marked red and white and is theGR®93. Follow these markings until you reach “Paturage et refuge Tubanet”. Continue uphill along theGR®93path, which climbs through the meadow; there are sometimes several possible paths, but always head for the shepherd’s hut and pass to the left of it. Continue to the Pas de l’Infernet.
(1) Continue uphill, skirting the summit to the right. Then begin the descent, still following theGR®93, passing through the Pas de la Ferrière and heading right towards the Pierre de l'Ours.
Near the Pas de la Ferrière, you can see clearings in the forest on the lower slopes of Mount Malatra, where you can make out the observation huts used for deer rutting in October.
At first, the forest lies below, then gradually draws nearer until it is right beside you. Follow the edge of the forest, then turn right onto a steep descent and admire the vast Ambel meadow on your left. You’ll reach a junction of two paths on the right.
(2) Take the slightly ascending path on the far right (north-north-east, leaving the track to the Tubanet refuge). Continue to follow the correct track on level ground through the undergrowth, ignoring the paths joining from the left or right. You will notice signs on the trees to the left prohibiting access during the deer rutting season. Pass a barrier with a car park.
(3) At a crossroads of tracks ahead, take the one on the left leading to the Malatra clearing. You’ll notice a very old sign for “Malatra” high up on a tree on the right. At the clearing, admire the meadow and the imposing fountain structure (unfortunately without water!) – the picnic tables are a welcome sight at times.
Return to the track you came along and ignore the stony track branching off to the left; instead, take a path opposite (which looks like an old, abandoned track now overgrown with vegetation). Shortly afterwards, you’ll join and continue along a main track coming in from the right.
(4) “Carrefour de la Carrière” junction with a track coming from the right to the left, which you ignore to continue straight on. This track leads, further on with a right-hand bend, to the Col de La Rama. A very steep path branches off to the left, but follow the track to the right until you reach a major junction with a steep path climbing to the left, a flat track to the left, a stony path descending straight ahead and a flat track to the right.
(5) Follow the very stony path descending straight ahead into the forest. You will notice the “Sapin bronzé” and a stone engraving from 1666 along the way. This path leads to a main road, which you follow to the right for a good kilometre until a sharp left-hand bend towards the water pumping station.
(6) Before the bridge, look out for the information about the “Grotte du Brudour” on the right at the start of a path. Follow this path along the left bank of the stream to admire the immense cave and the resurgence. Return to the bridge and cross it via the road on the right. Follow the road for 50 metres, then take a path on the right that climbs and passes above the cave on the right. Pass beneath the “Combe” ski lift on the right.
(7) Cut across and ignore a track coming from right to left and continue straight on. Pass beneath the “Cairn” ski lift on the right, then under a wooden footbridge and finally beneath the “Sharp Limestone Pavement” ski lift on the left.
(8) Cut across and ignore a track running from right to left and continue straight on along the grassy path climbing up the valley. Follow the valley, then halfway up the slope at a crossroads, veer slightly to take the path on the left. You will reach the village road; follow it to the right and then to the left to return to the starting point (E).
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