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Parking is available in Vaire-le-Petit, at the top of the village, at the intersection of Rue des Vignes and Rue des Acacias. Yellow-blue markings.
(S/E) Take the gravel path in front of you. You will soon come to a fork; take the left-hand path, which has less gravel and quickly becomes a dirt track leading into the forest. Before you reach the woods, in the small clearing, take a look to your right for a lovely view of the Château de Vaire-le-Grand.
(1) At new forks in the path, which are marked with yellow and blue crosses, follow the signs for the Sentier des Belvédères-Deluz. Stay on this well-marked path, accompanied by the scent of boxwood, passing small stone markers and ignoring any perpendicular paths. At the fork marked by a signpost and Vaire-le-Petit 1 and 15 forest signs, continue straight ahead, passing to the right of a tree bearing the inscription Deluz and the mark 20.
(2) You will arrive at a long stretch of pasture. Go up to the left along the stony path and cross it quickly to continue into the woods on the other side. You will come to a stony path.
(3) Descend to the right. The road becomes tarmac at the first houses of the village of Deluz.
(4) At the sign for Les Sentiers Pédestres à Deluz, take the small path on the right that climbs up to the Chapelle de Montoille.
(5). At the oratory, there is a beautiful view of Mont Souvance and the cross of the Chapel of Notre-Dame d'Aigremont. Descend towards the village by taking the small staircase and crossing the field just opposite the oratory. You will come to a farm track. Turn left and follow the signs for Deluz. Fifty metres further on, turn right down a small path. At the houses, turn left into Rue du Tatre. At the Rue du Tatre signs, turn right this time.
(6) Before the railway bridge, turn left onto Grande Rue. Pass in front of the town hall. Fifty metres before another railway bridge, turn left onto Impasse de Chantermerle, following the signs for "Route des Belvédères, Rochers du Château Loriot". The climb to the Rochers du Château Loriot is extremely steep.
(7) The tarmac lane quickly gives way to a stony path that leaves the village, winding its way through a pasture. Behind you, there are beautiful views of the church and the old paper mills silhouetted against Mont de la Côte au Bœuf and, in front, Montagne de Notre-Dame d'Aigremont, where you can see the chapel and Mont de Souvance. You enter the woods and begin to walk along the cliffs, always with caution. The IGN map quickly points to the Grotte de sous Roche. I think it is poorly located and seems to me to be much higher up. Follow the markings that appear from time to time, avoiding any paths that might lead to the cliff. At a clearing, marked by a small sign saying "Attention Falaise" (Beware of Cliffs), you will find an unsecured viewpoint that you should approach with great caution, overlooking the Grotte de sous Roche, which opens up on the side of the cliff. Do not try to enter it, as this is impossible. However, you can admire its large entrance porch and the view of Mont de Souvance and the meandering Doubs river. Continue climbing this path, which sometimes runs alongside the cliff edge, with rocks protruding from the ground that could cause you to trip: tread carefully and watch your step. You will also discover an unsecured viewpoint (caution) over the Val de Roulans.
(8) At the top, you will come to a crossroads marked by signs. Take the right-hand path towards Laissey and Rochers du Château Loriot, continuing along the cliffs. A hundred metres further on, look out for the small Belvédère sign inviting you to descend to the right towards the Belvédère promontory. The Rochers du Château Loriot dominate the Doubs valley from their height of 491 metres. Return to the signpost.
(8) Turn right towards Vaire-le-Petit. At the small stone marker bearing the Roman numeral IV, a crossroads in the shape of an X, continue straight ahead.
(9) You will arrive at the D426 road. Walk up it for about 50 steps on the left, cross it and head back into the woods along the marked path. At the foot of a tree, there is a fork in the path. Follow the signpost and turn left. Walk alongside beautiful old mossy piles of stone gathered from fields and, at the next fork, turn right (towards Vaire-le-Petit).
(10) As you approach the meadows, turn left. You will come to a gravel path at a right angle, which you take to the right, crossing the meadow via a charming tree-lined path. You will re-enter the woods, coming to a farm track at a right angle, which you follow up to the left. You will once again smell the scent of boxwood.
(11) When the path turns left at a 90° angle (tree marked 20, sign for Vaire-le-Petit No. 1), continue straight ahead along the path, passing forest sign 142, to find the markings a little further on. N.B.: I am not sure I have placed the waypoint exactly (11). The path is framed by the mossy rocks of a superb sinkhole. Continue straight ahead, ignoring the paths branching off to the right and left. At the edge of the woods, with a view of the Doubs valley, turn left, skirting the edge of the woods, and you will soon find the path you started on. Descend to the right to return to the car park (S/E).
Regarding the Château Loriot viewpoint, THVELOTTE informs us, "Access to the viewpoint is prohibited due to the risk of rockfall. However, you can still get close and enjoy the beautiful view of the Doubs and the village of Laissey."
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