Country:
District:
Start at Ménil-Thillot (88). From the centre of the village, on the D486, take the road between the Hôtel des Sapins and the cemetery towards the fitness trail for 1.8 km (blue signposts).
Pass the place called Pont Charreau. Continue, cross a bridge and climb up to the place called Pont Châly. Take the small road on the left that climbs steeply alongside a property (which is heavily fenced off), cross a bridge and you will reach the car park for the fitness trail and its Chalet Tutur.
(S/E) Go back down to Pont de Châly
(1) Take the path (blue sign) that leads to this bridge. Pass a commemorative plaque and go up to a crossroads. Turn right.
(2) 100m further on, when you see a pink house, turn sharply left and follow a small path (marked with a red cross) which climbs steeply and joins a tarmac road. Turn right and you will easily reach the Col (or Piénot) de la Rouauche (671m).
(3) Leave the Route Saint-Guerin de la Rouauche (1) and Impasse Les Essieux (2) and take the third paved road on the left. Follow the signs (green ring visible 100 m away) for 1 km until you reach a three-way junction. On the left (50 m) is a shelter with a superb view. On the right, take the wide path (green ring) which descends to a tarmac road. Turn left (red triangle signpost) and climb up to the Chapelle des Vés (769m).
(4) Excellent panoramic view to the south. Turn left and follow the paved road (red round sign) northeast for about 800 m until you reach a crossroads.
(5) Leave the tarmac and take the path on the left (red disc) which climbs steeply to the Four des Fées, then a viewpoint and the Haut de la Lochère (950m). Turn right (red disc) and descend to a crossroads (elevation 872) marked by a signpost for the ski slopes.
(6) Leave the red circle that heads towards "Frère Joseph" and descend to the left (north-north-west) on the path marked "chemin communal". 50m further on, take the path on the right (less frequented, unmarked), pass a first fence (close it behind you) and descend through the meadows on the grassy path (beware of livestock in summer). At the metal gate, take the hairpin bend to the right (unmarked) which joins a small tarmac road. Follow this road to the right.
(7) After the last house (elevation 799), continue left on a route marked "Croix Rouge" and heading northeast. Cross a first stream and come to a fork (sign for Monument Maurice Philippe).
Continue right (Red Cross) on the gravel road that climbs uphill and stay on it for 1 km until you reach a track perpendicular to it. Turn right and continue for about 100 metres.
(8) Turn left towards the Ferme du Frénat du Haut. Follow this wide path (not signposted) for 600m until you reach the Passe du Sécheneux (918m).
(9) Ahead of you, below, the Ferme du Frénat du Haut awaits your visit. Otherwise, go through the gate on the left and take the path (Chevalet Bleu) which leads up a short but steep climb (without entering the forest) to the orientation table at the Tête des Champs (997m), the highest point of the route.
From there, head south-west to reach the tiny Chapelle de la Salette (926m).
(10) In the distance to the west, you can see the Chapelle de Pitié, our next stop. Still following the Chevalet Bleu, descend the hillside between two piles of rocks and rejoin a wide path that leads to a small paved road. Turn left onto this road and follow it to the intersection with another paved road at the Carrefour de la Bouloie (738m).
(11) Take the hairpin bend to the left and, 600m further on, at the Carrefour de la Besse, go straight ahead onto the wide dirt track. 100m further on, follow the small path on the right (Chevalet Bleu) which climbs up to a small crossroads. Leave the climbing rock on your left and follow the path on the right that descends to a viewpoint and the sculpted rocks of Beaudevé. Continue along the path that leads to the Chapelle de Pitié (697m).
(12) Behind the chapel, take the small path on the left (Chevalet Bleu) which descends and widens (sporting route). After several hairpin bends, you will reach the car park where you started (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
