From Monteil to the Bois des Sapées

Park in the car park at Marlhes church.

(S/E) From the church square, head up Rue de l’Abreuvoir. Further on, cross the Route de Saint-Genest and take Rue de la Red Cross, which is slightly to the right opposite. This turns into a track after the houses. Stay on the main track.

(1) Turn right at the fir tree nursery (cross). Stay on the main path; the others lead into animal enclosures.
Leave Les Montagnes on your right and join the access road to the hamlet.

(2) Head downhill, turning left towards La Forie. Continue to the right at the first junction, then turn left immediately. Cross the bridge in front of the house.

(3) Follow the path which climbs up to the left. Be careful, there are streams. Turn right at the T-junction and you’ll arrive in Monteil.

(4) Carry on to the right along the Route du Monteil and head down towards La Faye.

(5) At the junction, take the second road on the right towards La Grange. Pass La Grange (on your right).

(6) Turn onto the track on the right at the cross, just after the hamlet. Stay on the main track. At the junction with the road (D501), continue to the right to enter Marlhes.

(7) Turn left onto Rue de l’Orme and carry on straight ahead. Turn left at the junction with Rue de l’Aubépine, pass Écotay and continue in the same direction. Start the climb, leaving Les Granges on your left, and at the cross, keep to the right towards Suc de Rondet.

(8) Turn right onto the path. At the junction with the Route du Guenard (D501), head up the road to the left for a good hundred metres and rejoin the path on the other side.

(9) Please note: on the right there is a path leading down to the small lake (Lac des Sapées), but it does not appear on the IGN map. Ignore it and follow the path climbing opposite, entering the forest. Turn left at the next fork.

(10) At the signpost, turn right towards Marlhes and Maison de l’Eau. Stay on the main forest track by continuing straight ahead; please note that, once again, many forest tracks do not appear on the IGN map.

(11) Turn right at the signpost for Maison de l’Eau, following the edge of the forest. Be careful not to take the path leading to the forest lodge, which is further towards the centre.
Follow the yellow and white markings along the edge of the forest and ignore the paths on the left. Cross through the forest and turn left at the next fork (elevation 920). The path descends towards a stream.

(12) Walk past the Maison de l’Eau (Maison du Parc/de la Réserve) and join the Route des Forêts.
At the junction with the Route de Marlhette, turn right.

(13) After two bends, at the cross, turn slightly right onto the path. Walk past La Lune and continue along the Chemin des Templiers until you reach the Route de Riotord (D501), which you should cross carefully to reach the point at (S/E).

(S/E) possible from Marlhes – easier to park on the Place de l’Église.
Very wet path with streams occasionally crossing the path.
Watch out for forestry work.
Black ice possible, particularly in the forest in winter.

Maison de l’Eau.
Marlhes village centre: wash house, church