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Saint-Martin-sous-Montaigu: hikers' car park.
(S/E) Leave the village by following Rue du Clos de Montaigu northwards. After 100 m, turn left at the Champ de Tir fork. Pass the shed and ignore the path on the right before turning left a little further up, leaving the lane that goes straight into the vineyard. Soon keep to the right to continue the climb and reach the Croix de Theu, clearly visible on its rocky promontory.
(1) Ignore the lane that climbs to the right along the vineyard and continue along the path, which will soon turn south-west. Continue straight ahead and take the passage between two small rocks. Follow the botanical trail through the grove before reaching the steep cliffs of Château Beau. Turn right onto the ridge path, which soon descends northwards and joins a cross path after a short steep section.
(2) Turn left towards the west and quickly bear right, leaving a path that branches off to the left.
Stay on the path, which immediately turns west. A little further on, ignore a lane on the left and you will reach a road near the fortified farm of Blaisy. Do not take the road, but turn completely left onto a dirt track to reach the "Château Beau" crossroads.
(3) Cross the road and take the lane almost opposite. Keep to the right to leave the lane and follow a wide path between vineyards and copses. Further down, continue straight ahead through a passage between the barriers and reach the D124 at the bottom of the descent.
(4) Turn left before immediately turning right onto another road and after 50 metres you will reach the "Prés aux Moines" fork. Turn right and continue along a path to the south at the edge of the vineyards. The path will turn right a little further on and join a cross path near the water treatment basins.
(5) Turn left towards the woods and shortly afterwards ignore a path branching off to the right. Turn left at the next intersection and follow this path along the edge of the woods. Further on, keep to the right, leaving the bridge over the Ruisseau du Frachet on your left, and you will soon reach an intersection at a place called "Mère Louison".
(6) Turn left and walk along the Orbize for about a hundred metres before reaching a road. Follow this road until you come to a farm track on the right.
(7) Turn right onto this lane, which will soon run alongside the Orbize again before coming to a dead end. Turn left and then immediately right. Continue straight ahead in a north-easterly direction until you reach Chemin des Prés au Regain.
(8) Take this street on the left and turn left again after 100 metres at an EDF cabinet. Follow the lane which, after a few right and left turns between the gardens, joins a narrow street. Turn right and then immediately left at the corner of the stone wall to join another street after a short passage between the houses. Turn right and head for Place des Tilleuls.
(9) Head to the right and take an alley between the houses at No. 10. After a few zigzags, you will reach a higher point at the corner of an isolated house. Turn left just after the building and you will soon reach a four-way crossroads near the wash house.
(10) Turn right onto a path that climbs up to the vineyard. Continue north-east along this hillside path until you reach the car park (S/E).
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