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Parking is available at the town hall in Valoreille. Upon arrival, you will already discover a superb view of the Dessoubre valley. Yellow and blue markings are sparse, if not almost non-existent.
(S/E) Set off past the town hall and, at the first intersection, turn right down into the valley along this small, peaceful tarmac road. Shortly after the last house, at the fork, take the right-hand downhill path. At the hairpin bend, continue downhill to the left, staying on the same downhill path.
(1) After passing a small clearing on your left, at the fork in the hiking trails, in the hairpin bend, turn right onto this nicely graveled path. Shortly after, at the next bend, leave a path on your right. You will pass some ruins and the path will become grassy. You will come to a gate, which you should open (and close) to enter the pasture. Once again, there are beautiful views of the Dessoubre mountains.
Follow this field path, which quickly turns 90° to the right. You can see tractor tracks. Head towards the right-hand corner of the pasture, following the tree hedge. Go through the gate and follow the fence on your right.
(2) At the end, go through the metal gate to enter the third pasture, beautifully named La Corne au Loup. Walk diagonally downhill for about a hundred metres until you reach a marker post. Then cross the field straight across to the opposite edge. Walk along the edge on the right. Shortly before the end of the meadow, look for an opening in the edge and a small wooden ladder. Take the forest path on the left, which descends into a small wild valley overlooking a stream.
(3) Three hundred metres further down, guided by the sound of water, turn right (no path) and walk 50 metres upstream along a second stream to discover a waterfall and its small rocky cirque. Return to the path and continue downhill.
(4) You will soon arrive at the Auberge de Moricemaison. At the signpost, look for the log staircase on the right that climbs up the wooded hillside (towards Les Cernières - Vauclusotte). At the foot of a pylon, join a grassy path on the right. It quickly becomes stony and leads to pastures.
(5) A little further up, you will see a cow shelter on your right. You can enter this pasture for a picnic break and enjoy the superb view of the valley and its cliffs. Join a gravel road at right angles and turn left. At the tarmac road, turn right. At the next fork (hairpin bend), go down to the left.
(6) Pass in front of Vauclusotte Church and the town hall, then turn right uphill. Stop in front of the house next to the town hall to admire its carved door and window frames. At the fountain, leave the village on the right. Leave a gravel path on your left. Turn around for a view of the Reculée de Vau on your left.
(7) When this small tarmac road turns left towards a farm, continue straight ahead up the stony road, entering a pasture and following the hedge of trees on your right. Continue straight ahead, despite the yellow and blue cross, entering a second pasture and this time following the edge of the woods on your left.
(8) About 50 metres before a gate and the entrance to the forest, a few metres before a large oak tree on the right, look for a small gap in the edge of the forest and the forest path that branches off to the left, running alongside the fence. In the pasture, walk along the edge of the woods for about 100 metres to find the start of a new forest path that climbs into the woods on the right. Go through the fence via a small gate, closed with a chain. Turn around for a last look at the Dessoubre valley. A little further up, join a gravel path that you climb to the left, passing under some beautiful rocks.
(9) When you see a pasture, leave the path climbing to the right. Cross this strip of meadow widthwise and, at the gravel road, head right to the departmental road, then right again.
(10) When you see Valoreille, turn left onto the small tarmac road with new views of the valley. Continue to a metal shed, then climb up to the right into the woods. Stay on this well-graveled path, leaving the paths on your left and crossing a beautiful fir forest.
(11) Join a small tarmac road at a signpost. Go up to the left towards the Montaigu viewpoint.
(12) At the viewpoint, with views stretching from the Lomont wind turbines to the Montbéliard region, facing the valley, turn right onto the Côtard ridge path, following the tree hedge. When you come to a copse, go around it for a few metres, squeezing through the small path on the right to continue following the barbed wire fence.
(13) Descend about thirty steps down the rocks to reach a small patch of meadow (opposite five wind turbines). Head left for about sixty steps to find a marked path on the right that leads back into the woods. You will soon come to a fence, which you cross via a chicane, and find a small gravel road that you take to the right to reach a tarmac road.
(14) Head downhill to the right, passing the beautiful Saint-Ligier fountain dating from 1721, topped by its bishop and a view of the ruins of the Château de Châtillon-sous-Maîche.
(15) At the first houses in Valoreille, descend to the right, then left at the drinking fountain, right into Rue des Prés and finally right into Clos du Planchet to return to the car park (S/E).
The route includes cliff paths and unsecured viewpoints. The paths are rocky and slippery in places. Sturdy footwear is essential and walking sticks are recommended.
super hike
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