La Haute Maison, starting from Villefranche

Park in the car park near the bakery opposite Villefranche Town Hall.

(S/E) Head due south to reach the D943. Cross with care and head left for 200 m, then take Rue de Chantereine on the right-hand side. Walk through the Chanteraine neighbourhood and ignore a street on the right.

(1) At the end of the tarmac road, continue along a track. Ignore a track leading uphill on the left and follow the Chantereine stream on your right.

(2) You’ll come out onto a road; cross it and follow it to the right. Cross the stream and, at the three-way junction ahead, turn left.

(3) At the^first junction, carry on straight ahead. Ignore a road on the right and pass through the hamlet of Les Dorins. Continue straight ahead, slightly uphill, then pass through the hamlet of Les Dreux. You will then begin a gentle descent and carry on to the next junction.

(4) Turn right onto the path leading uphill. At the top, carry on along a small road and pass through the hamlet of Les Giroux. You’ll reach the foot of a water tower, near the D16.

(5) Turn right onto the path and walk alongside the fields. You’ll reach a junction in the hamlet of Haute Maison.

(6) Turn left onto the road, passing through the hamlet. Shortly afterwards, continue through the Bois des Liards until you reach a road. Cross it and head right to reach the hamlet of Les Boudins.

(7) Carry on straight ahead and, at the end of the road, continue along the wide track. Pass the hamlet of La Bissorterie on your left and enter the Bois des Liards again. On leaving the woods, ignore the turnings to the left and then to the right to reach a wider track.

(8) Turn left onto it and continue a little further through the woodland for about a hundred metres. On leaving the woodland, continue along the edge of the Plaine des Liards until you come out onto the D18.

(9) Cross the road with great care and head off to the right, keeping well to the left-hand verge. Continue straight on until you reach the junction. Cross to the right with great care, then to the left, keeping well to the right-hand verge. Ignore the next road on the left leading to the hamlet of Saint-Phal. Continue until you reach a wooden archway on your right.

(10) Cross to the left with great care, then head right, keeping well to the left-hand verge. As soon as the road bends to the right, carry on straight ahead to rejoin it a little further up on the right. Ignore this road. Carry on for 20 m. Cross again with care and head straight ahead along the Ruelle de l’Église until you come out onto the D943.

(11) Cross the road and head right, ignoring the Ruelle du Puits on the left immediately afterwards. Begin a gentle descent, then take the next path leading uphill on the left. At the very top, opposite the town hall, head right for 50 m, then turn right as you go downhill to return to the starting point. (S/E)