Natrou Grand Circular Route

Markings: Three horizontal lines

(S/E) Starting from the fitness trail car park, follow the blue markers with three lines on the right. At the end of the path, take the path leading to the fitness trail (for a bit of exercise!) almost directly opposite.

(1) Walk along the western side of the fitness trail, following these markers and those of the GR®5 (white and red) for around 3 km. After a flat section, descend very steeply to the bottom of the valley (caution: it’s slippery in wet weather) to reach the crossroads.

(2) Take the path on your right (blue marker with three stripes) and climb very gradually northwards towards the junction of the Route Forestière du Bois Domanial de Natrou and the Forêt Communale de Saizerais. On this section, the main path can quickly become impassable after heavy rain. A small track to the side allows you to avoid the wettest areas.

(3) Once you reach the forest road, take it to your left for about 1.5 km, until you reach the junction. Carry on straight ahead (leaving the GR®5 trail) following the blue markers with three stripes. Follow a straight stretch of path bordered by the forest for 1,500 metres.

(4) At the end of this straight stretch, at the junction, stay on the forest track which turns left and begins another straight stretch of about 700 metres.

(5) You’ll come to another crossroads; take the signposted path on your left, which leads, 500 metres further on, to the top of a cultivated plateau known as the Haut de Sohet.

(6) Head down the farm track to the three-way junction.

(7) Take the path straight ahead that descends towards the Moselle (blue sign with three stripes).

(8) When you reach the Liverdun–Villey Saint-Étienne road, follow it to the left for 300 metres, then cross over and take the greenway running parallel to the road towards Liverdun.

(9) After about 500 metres, you’ll return to the roadside and enter the forest on your left at a place called Le Saut du Cerf. Follow a slightly steep path carved into the rock for 50 metres, then join a lovely forest track that takes you back up towards Liverdun.

(10) On the outskirts of the town, take the track on your left, leaving the path linking up with the circular village loop (marked with a single-barred Bordeaux sign) on your right. Continue straight on until you reach the lawn. Cross it to the right and return to the car park (S/E).

Markings: 3 horizontal lines indicate you are on the long 10 km route (the one described here); 2 lines indicate the medium 7.6 km route; 1 line indicates the short 5.6 km route.

After the (2): a few hundred metres before the junction with the forest track, an oak-leaf sign with two lines pointing to the left allows you to potentially shorten this walk by almost 3 km, or even return more quickly to the starting point (single-line oak-leaf sign at the start of Haut de Sohet). These alternative routes are described on the Liverdun website, where you can also download the GPX files.

- Views over the Moselle.