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Parking at the Buisson car park. The access road is located between the village of Champcueil and the village of Loutteville. Pass the IME buildings and turn left to find the car park at the edge of the forest.
Blue markings except for a short section between (3). On two sections, between (1) and (2) and very briefly between (3) and (4), you will also find red and white markings forthe GR®11. In the eastern loop, there are some old yellow markings in places, as well as small coloured circles or arrows, which are actually markers for rock climbing routes. The simplest and safest option is therefore to stick to the blue markings.
In the following description, reference is sometimes made to forest plot numbers painted on trees. There are information boards and maps of the forest and its trails at regular intervals.
(S/E) At the information sign, take the forest lane heading south. At the crossroads (signpost), take the Chemin du Fourneau opposite, which climbs uphill. At a flat section after a wide bend to the left, turn right: signpost, follow "Tour du Buisson". After about 100 metres (forest plot no. 43), turn left: be careful, the path is narrow and you can only see the fork at the last moment. Continue straight ahead for about 400 m, then turn left at the T-junction. Descend through the woods until you reach more open ground. Opposite a forest barrier, turn left onto the wide path that climbs between two old sandstone quarries. You will reach the Tour du Buisson, which you can climb to the top via an internal staircase.
(1) Take the Chemin des Platières (sign on a forest gate), i.e. turn right when facing the tower or left when leaving it. Walk between two pretty hedges, ignore a path coming from the left and reach the Platière du Télégraphe (sign). Cross the clearing and walk along an old sandstone quarry on your right. Pass a pond on your left, then an information sign.
(2) At the next junction, leave theGR®11straight ahead and turn left. Stay on the main path that winds between the rocks and ignore the paths branching off to the right or left. The path turns left, widens and begins a steep descent. The slope levels out and, after a right-hand bend, you come to a small road.
(3) Take the cycle path on the right that runs alongside the road. At the end of this path, cross the road (take care) and head for a car park. Continue in the same direction to the opposite end of the car park, opposite a restaurant. Then turn left and go past the forest barrier: signposted "Sentier des Ducs". Go straight ahead and take the path that branches off to the right of the picnic tables. From here, the path winds its way between the rocks, alternating between short ascents and descents. You will cross several other paths or simple tracks, and it is difficult to provide a precise description: pay attention and follow the blue markings carefully.
After going around some high climbing rocks on the right, turn right and descend under the pine trees. At the bottom of the descent, with a rock that looks like a menhir on the right, turn left.
(4) In the middle of a rocky area, look for a three-trunked birch tree in the middle of the trail: to the left of the birch tree, there is a rock with a blue marker and, to the right, another rock with two markers (see photo). Do not continue straight ahead (as the double markers might suggest) but turn right at a sharp angle and descend into the undergrowth. At the end of the path, you will see a small clearing (plot no. 1): do not go there, but turn left at a sharp angle and stay in the undergrowth. Cross an area with small rocks and descend to the right towards a car park (plot no. 2). Go up the car park on the left.
(5) At the end of the car park, turn left onto a path that starts at the foot of a large oak tree on your right. At the next fork (large chestnut tree with five trunks), take the path on the right and turn right immediately afterwards onto a path through the ferns. Cross a wide sandy path and continue straight ahead. The path winds between the rocks (follow the blue markings carefully) and climbs under the pine trees. You will reach a small peak with a small twisted chestnut tree at the edge of the path and a few rocks on the right (there is little view due to the vegetation). Continue and descend between the rocks. You will reach a crossroads in a chestnut grove (plot no. 12).
(6) Turn left. At the next fork, leave a bridle path on your left and take the path on the right. Cross a perpendicular path and begin a short descent. You will reach a crossroads with a sandstone marker in the middle.
(7) Leave the blue-marked trail on your left and continue straight ahead. The trail narrows; keep to the right and follow a fence on your right. You will reach some houses and come out onto a small road in Loutteville. Turn left onto the cycle path that runs alongside the road. Pass a sign for "Forêt Départementale des Grands Avaux" and then, just behind two small rocks on the right, you will come back to the point where you joined this road on the way out.
(3) Take the path that starts to the right of the information sign and follow the blue markings. Immediately cross a path and continue along a path under tall pine trees. At the next crossroads, turn right. Cross a path and continue straight ahead. Go slightly uphill and then downhill. At a crossroads where you can see houses in the distance, turn left. Climb for about 100 metres, then descend through the ferns.
(8) At the next crossroads (plots no. 34 and no. 26), turn right. At the next two forks, take the left-hand path. At a crossroads with a bench, keep left to return to the car park where you started (S/E).
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Difficult 
Easy 
