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Park in the small car park on the right-hand side of the D991 road, 1 km after leaving Lelex at a place called Le Moulin des Moines (which is actually a Gîte de France) on the left-hand side of the road.
(S/E) Continue on the D991 towards the south-west. Pass the place called Niaizet and stay on the D991 until you reach the car park on the left.
(1) Turn left onto the Sentier des Trente-Deux Contours, which enters a magnificent forest where the slope becomes increasingly steep. Climb up the switchbacks and continue climbing until you reach a crossroads shortly before the place called Derrière Thoiry.
(2) Turn left and follow the signs for Crêt de la Neige and the yellow markings. You will reach the junction ofthe GR®509and the GTJ (Grande Traversée du Jura).
(3) Follow theGR® on the left (red and white markings) and you will soon reach the Sur Thoiry crossroads.
(4) Leave theGR® for a variant that branches off to the right and climbs a hill (elevation 1680). Descend by making a wide loop to the right.
(5) Turn left at an acute angle and continue on the path to the north.
(6) At a three-way junction (pond), turn left and head for the Chalet de Curson (a large, long chalet with a herd of cows in summer). Continue north and climb. Join theGR® you left earlier and reach the summit of the Crêt de la Neige.
(7) Continue along the path to the small blue turnstile where the signposts indicate the various directions. Go through the turnstile and descend towards Lelex. Reach the crossroads below the Grand Crêt (panoramic view).
(8) Follow the path downhill to the left, which is still the GR®.
(9) At the fork, descend to the left with the GR®. At a T-junction, turn right and head towards the Refuge de la Loge.
(10) Continue straight ahead on the path that winds between the chairlift and gondola lift pylons. After a large bend under the gondola lift line, you will reach the Refuge de Ratou.
(11) Take the path that descends to the left. At a right-hand bend, you will reach a crossroads with several paths.
(12) Leave theGR® and take the path opposite. When you leave the woods, you will come to a car park on the D991.
(13) Take the road on the left (south-west) to return to the starting point further on (S/E).
It is best to do this route in dry weather, as the stones can be quite slippery
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