From Caton, a village above Bourget du Lac, follow the D42 to the Sentier Botanique car park (630m), the starting point of our hike. Before getting kitted out, take a moment to admire the view of Chambéry-Aix-les-Bains airport and its surroundings.
(S/E) The path, marked in red, is well signposted and starts a little higher up on the right-hand side of the road.
The first section winds its way through dense vegetation and joins the road just before the Côtes car park (885m). This first section, which takes about an hour, can be done by car, thus shortening the total circuit.
(1) take the road on the right. Near the car park, a sign shows the routes available on Mont du Chat. A damaged stele relating to Pierre Allègre can be seen in the bend in the road.
Then continue a little further on the right along a path that quickly leads to the Fontaine des Côtes (1068m), the junction with the return route.
(2) Turn right onto the Sentier de la Dent du Chat to reach the Carrefour des Quatre Chemins at the foot of the Dent.
(3) The latter can be reached in 10 minutes via a path equipped with cables and ladders to reach a small platform at the top of La Dent du Chat at 1,390 metres. From this viewpoint, you can admire the region around Lake Bourget to the east and the Rhône Valley to the west.
Descend via the same route to the Carrefour des Quatre Chemins.
(3) Continue along the Sentier des Crêtes trail, marked in yellow, towards Molard Noir, which can be reached in 20 minutes. Some steep sections are secured with cables.
(4) Once you reach Molard Noir, at an altitude of 1,452 metres, you will see the Dent du Chat below you to the north, which looks very small, and the Chat transmitter to the south. Two orientation tables allow you to identify the surrounding landscape to the east and west.
For the descent, follow the ridge path to a fork (signposted Route du Relais (1,400 metres)), which allows you to pass to the right towards the Chat transmitter.
(5) Continue left to rejoin the road, which you follow downhill for a few hundred metres.
(6) Leave the road and take a path on the left, which is a little less well marked than the one you took on the way up, which will take you to the Fontaine des Côtes.
(2) Return to the Sentier Botanique car park (S/E) via the same path as on the way up.