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Starting point and access: Châteaux d'Allinges car park.
- Access by car from Mâcheron on the D12.
- Terminus of the N bus line from Place des Arts in Thonon-les-Bains.
Yellow markings
Directional signs are present at major intersections
(S/E) Turn your back on the châteaux and follow the Chemin des Grands Clôts (tarmac road) towards Les Ouardes and La Maladière. Ignore a small lane on the left. At Les Crêtés, ignore a small lane on the right and take the path that branches off to the right just after Les Ouardes and La Maladière. Enter the woods.
(1) At the intersection, continue straight ahead and climb into the woods. Leave the woods, pass by the foot of a reservoir and turn left onto the path. At the T-junction, turn right onto a stony path. Enter the woods again and, when you reach a meadow on the left, turn right.
Yellow markings (dashes on trees) + Blue (circles on the ground)
(2) At the Ouardes crossroads, follow the middle path towards La Maladière, exactly in line with the directional sign (south-west). The path is not very well marked: follow the dense markings in this area and cross the forest plots from No. 39 to No. 32 (red numbers on a white background).
(3) There are two options here:
Yellow markings (dashes on trees) + Blue (circles on the ground)
If you want to avoid the steep paths to and from the cave, continue straight on to the Maladière viewpoint and rejoin the main route from (5).
White cross markings on a blue and red background
Otherwise, turn right and descend a paved path (retaining walls). Climb back up a series of short switchbacks, pass a steep slope equipped with a chain and emerge at the entrance to the Grotte aux Loups.
(4) Facing the entrance to the cave, continue left uphill on a narrow, steep path equipped with a chain (caution). After the last section of chain, turn right and reach the Maladière viewpoint (panoramic view of Lake Geneva, rock engraved with a cross).
Yellow markings (dashes on trees) + Blue markings (circles on the ground)
(5) With your back to the lake, descend to the left (north-east) towards Allinges. Ignore the path on your left that you took to reach the cave and descend a steep slope.
(3) Ignore the path to the cave on your left, continue straight ahead and descend the faint path you took on the way up (follow the markings carefully).
(2) At the Ouardes crossroads, take the first path on the left (west-northwest). After about 250 m, at a fork (not shown on the map), turn right and descend gently. Further on, the path becomes steeper and very stony. When a path joins from the left, continue straight ahead for about 50 metres.
Yellow markings
(6) At the fenced-in field on the left, take the path that climbs to the right. At the next junction, climb a steep slope on the right. On a flat section, you will reach an intersection that you took at the start of the hike.
(1) Then turn left. At Les Crêtés, ignore the lane immediately on the left and take the same path you came on to return to the Châteaux d'Allinges car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
