From the Grotte de l’Enragé to the Plateau de la Roche Lezan

Update by the author on 24/09/2024:
- minor corrections to the route
- corrections to the ‘Practical Information’ section.
- corrections to the ‘Description’ section ((2) and (3))

From Molinges, follow the Route de Marignat (RD63E1). The starting point is just after the second bridge, about a hundred metres from the buildings that used to house the old Marignat Mill: there are a few parking spaces available at the side of the road.

(S/E) Follow the road, keeping the Bienne on your left, until you reach the sign marking the entrance to the village of Molinges.

(1) Take a path on the right, which runs mainly through the woodland alongside a field, which you will go round.

(2) At a clearly visible junction, carry on straight ahead, then do the same at the second junction you come to a little further on: these two junctions are not shown on the IGN map. Just before a cliff, turn left at the third junction. From this point, finding your way isn’t necessarily straightforward: quite soon, look out for a path on the right – which is fairly visible at the start – for a short but somewhat steep climb.

(3) Immediately after reaching the top of the climb, take another path on the right: after a short descent, followed by another section with a slight incline, you’ll reach the Grotte de l’Enragé in no time:
see the ‘Practical Information’ section for further details.

(4) Retrace your steps back to the previous junction.

(3) Turn right, then, not far on, turn left. A little further on, at another fork, take the path on the right, heading uphill. Follow it for a short while until you reach a junction where a^GR®® de Pays trail (yellow and red markings) runs.

(5) Continue to the left, following the path uphill, and ignore two paths on the left. You’ll reach a junction after a series of two close-together hairpin bends.

(6) Follow the path on the right, heading uphill: the route winds through a series of bends. Ignore the path branching off to the left and continue until you reach a track; follow this track to the left for a short distance, until you reach the nearby junction.

(7) Continue along the path on the right, marked in yellow, and follow it for a short while. You’ll come to a fork marked by a signpost.

(8) Turn right onto the path towards the Pas de l’Âne and follow it for a good distance, through some lovely meadows, until you reach another fork.

(9) Head down to the right, towards Molinges. Along the way, turn right at both junctions you come to, following the markings. You’ll join the^GR®® de Pays route (marked in yellow and red).

(10) Carry on almost straight ahead, ignoring the tempting turn-off leading towards the field. About 50 metres further on, take a path to the right and, shortly afterwards, turn right at the junction with another path: the path straight ahead is a dead end.
Shortly afterwards, you’ll reach the area with the waterfalls. Weather permitting, you’ll see the first waterfall on your right, with the Grotte de l’Enragé in the background; continuing to the left, the path leads to a second, rather pretty waterfall.

(11) Retrace your steps back to^{the GR®®} de Pays, then continue to the right until you reach the junction with the departmental road, opposite the old Marignat mill. Turn right to return to the starting point (S/E).

The starting point can be viewed on Google Maps: click here.

Please take your rubbish away with you; nature will thank you for it.

Below is a difficulty rating for each section (the route is not uniform):
- Green: fairly easy walking with no significant elevation changes or difficulties.
- Blue: slopes and/or elevation changes are more pronounced on a well-marked route.
- Orange: routes presenting some technical difficulties and/or poor route conditions (markings or visibility of the path).

From (S/E) to (1): Green difficulty
You follow a road with little traffic (but do take care nonetheless).
Yellow-red^GR®® de Pays signposting. No signposts.

From (1) to (3) Blue Difficulty
A fairly easy path with no significant elevation gain is followed for most of the section. After the third junction, the first challenge is to spot the access to the path to follow immediately afterwards; the second is the section that runs along steep slopes for a short distance.
If you miss the junction with the path leading to point (3), you can follow another path on the right a little further on, which joins it.
No signposts or markings.

From (3) to (4): Blue difficulty.
Overall, the route is moderately difficult in places along this section, where finding your way isn’t necessarily straightforward despite this description. If you have trouble finding your way, a GPS may help.
If you miss the junction at point (3) (at the top of the steep climb), you can follow another path just after that, also on the right, which will then bring you back onto the main route.
Please note: access to the interior of the cave is moderately easy.

From (4) to (5): Blue difficulty.
After emerging from the cave, follow a clearly visible path over a few steep sections at times.
No signposts or markings.

From (5) to (6): Blue difficulty.
Follow a relatively wide path
Yellow-Red^GR®® regional markings. A few signposts.

From (6) to (7): Blue difficulty.
The route follows a clearly visible path with fairly varied gradients. This one is called Chemin de Philippe, known as ‘Le Général’
Blue markings after the^first junction. No signposts.

From (7) to (8) Difficulty: Green.
You follow a wide, easy path
Yellow markings + signposts

From (8) to (9): Green difficulty.
The route mainly follows through meadowland on a generally easy path.
Yellow markings + signposts.

From (9) to (10) Blue difficulty.
From this point onwards, the slopes become steeper (please take care as the ground may be slippery, particularly on rocky slabs).
Yellow markings + signposts.

From (10) to (11) Blue difficulty
After the junction on the right, follow a wide path initially. The slight difficulty lies in spotting the path on the right-hand side leading to the waterfalls.
NB: Please note that the water level in the stream varies greatly depending on the season: it may be completely dry, particularly in summer, or flowing heavily after a spell of heavy rain (the flow rate can be equivalent to that of the Bienne at high water).
No signposts or markings.

From (11) to (S/E) Blue difficulty.
There are no further particular difficulties to be encountered until the turning point.
Optionally, you can visit another beautiful waterfall along the way: after rejoining the^GR®® de Pays route, look out for a path on the right which will take you there in about 5 minutes (it is possible to follow this path to return to the starting point, though it may become somewhat difficult to follow afterwards, depending on the growth of the vegetation).
Yellow-red^GR®® de Pays markings

• Marignat Mill: click here to find out more.

• Grotte de l’Enragé: its cave system is one of the largest in France but remains largely unexplored to this day. Via the Grandvaux synclinorium, its waters originate mainly from Lac de l’Abbaye, situated 30 km from here, and more specifically from the Gouffre de la Tanne (to find out more, click here and click here ). Also worth reading is the article in the *Journal du Progrès*.

• Dry grasslands of La Roche Lézan: click here to read the article.