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In the village of Font de l'Arbre, on the D68, park near the Restaurant des Dômes.
(S/E) Take the D68 eastwards for a few metres and turn right at the first street on the right, Rue de la Combe, at the yellow directional signs (you will follow these yellow markings intermittently throughout the route. From this point, follow it to the basalt columns). Ignore a street on the right. Further on, at the intersection, ignore the street on the right and the path on the left. At the next intersection, turn left. The street turns into a path.
(1) At the intersection, near a curious stone house (it looks like the top of a church), turn right. At the crossroads with a road, continue straight on Rue de la Cote Folle. At the next crossroads, you will see a beautiful fountain-wash house opposite, slightly to your left. Head towards this fountain. Walk along its right-hand side, then continue along the road opposite, veering slightly to the right.
(2) At the crossroads with a larger road, turn right. Then take the first road on the left (information sign for the Puy de Dôme train, slightly below on your right), which immediately turns into a path, the Chemin du Château Fort. Continue to a crossroads marked with yellow directional signs.
(3) Continue climbing on the left to reach the summit of Puy de Montrodeix. Discover the beautiful basalt columns to the east of the water pumping station. Descend to the crossroads.
Leaving the yellow markings behind for a moment, continue along the path that descends straight towards the electrical substation. You will come to a small road; follow it to the left. Notice the beautiful fountain and wash house on your left. Shortly afterwards, cross the D942 with caution, walk a few metres to the right and take the small road on the left (to the right of the restaurant). Immediately afterwards, you will see a fountain on your left. Shortly afterwards, at a fork marked by another fountain, continue to the left.
(4) At two beautiful stones, turn right onto a path marked with a yellow mountain bike sign (note a very old truck carcass, finally in harmony with nature, a few metres further on your right). Continue on this path until you reach the D68. Follow this road to the left, on the right-hand side, which is wider. At the first intersection, at the cave where precious stones are cut, turn right towards the Panoramique des Dômes car park (train). At the following intersections, continue straight ahead, leaving the station on your right. You will pass several signs indicating the timetables for trains leaving for the summit of Puy de Dôme.
(5) Cross the railway line, watching out for trains, then continue straight ahead. At the T-junction, turn right. Turn right about 500 m further on, then take the first path on the left.
(6) At the next crossroads, turn right and then take the first path on the left, following a fence (which may only be temporary). The path narrows and becomes winding. It then veers to the right and widens.
(7) Ignore a path on the right and then, at the fork just after, continue to the right. Ignore another path on the left a few metres further on. About 100 m further on, ignore another path on the left. You will come to a small road and follow it to the right.
(8) Cross a larger road, the D90, and continue on the path opposite. At the intersection, continue straight ahead and, shortly afterwards, at a beautiful stone cross on your left, ignore a path on the left and continue on the road, following the yellow disc markings. Cross the D942 (caution! busy road) and continue opposite.
(9) At the intersection, you will see a beautiful fountain and wash house a few metres ahead on your left. Head towards this fountain, walk along it on your left and continue along the street opposite. Ignore a street on your left and continue straight ahead. The street turns into a path. Ignore a path on the right and then a path on the left and you will come to a crossroads marked by yellow signposts saying "le Cheix, 738m".
(10) Turn left and continue along this path until you reach a small road. Continue along the path opposite and, after about 200m, cross the D768 (take care!) and continue along the path opposite, which begins a steep descent. Note the paving of this beautiful path through the woods, which is an ancient Roman road.
(11) At the first intersection, leave the descent and the yellow markings to climb to the right onto a narrower path. Further on, ignore a path on the right and continue to the left, following the sign for "À la découverte des ambiances forestières" (Discovering forest environments).
(12) At the next intersection, you will find more wooden directional signs. Ignore the path on the right and continue straight ahead towards Chamalière via Le Bey. Further on, at an intersection near a bench, turn right.
(13) Ignore a path that descends to the left (not shown on the map) and continue straight ahead. The path continues to descend in a series of bends. Much further on, ignore a path on the left and shortly afterwards you will come to a wide path with yellow directional signs for "Puy de Chateix, 566m".
(14) Turn right towards Font de l'Arbre. Continue along this beautiful path that connects Chamalière to Puy de Dôme, the Chemin des Crêtes. Despite its name, it does not follow any ridges but stays on a south-facing slope, giving it a pleasant Mediterranean feel.
(15) At the next crossroads, ignore the path on the left and then on the right and continue straight ahead.
(16) Ignore the path on the right again (towards Route du Paradis) at the yellow directional signs and continue straight ahead (towards Route de Montrodeix). Further on, you will come to a road; follow it to the left.
(17) Take the first street on the right. Further on, at the crossroads, you will see a fountain. Continue straight ahead, ignoring all the streets on the right or left, until you reach the D68. Follow this road to the right for about 100 metres to find the Restaurant des Dômes (S/E).
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