Country:
District:
Hunting car park in the middle of the D426, at the green sign for “Belvédère du Château Loriot”. Yellow-blue and white-red markings. Some sections are unmarked.
(S/E) Set off along the lovely forest path ahead of you. Soon, at a fork, continue straight ahead along the left-hand path and stay on it until you reach the cliffs. As you approach the cliffs, the path narrows to a narrow track.
(1) At the signpost, turn left, following the superb jagged ledges towards Laissey.
(2) About a hundred metres further on, look out for the small “Belvédère” sign on the right, slightly off the path, which invites you to descend carefully along a path on the right towards the Rochers du Château Loriot, which overlook the Doubs valley from a height of 491m. You can see the village of Laissey in the distance. Turn back to rejoin the route, which you follow to the right, keeping an eye on the signposts. Caution! At one point, the path leaves the ridge line – which is, incidentally, off-limits, as indicated by a Yellow Cross and Blue Cross – and descends slightly to the left. The open woodland makes for a pleasant walk. The path widens into a forest track.
(3) You’ll reach an X-shaped junction. Head up to the right and, 50 metres further on, leave a path on your left that descends the hillside. You will soon reach a crossroads marked by signposts; continue straight up towards Aigremont. Keep to the right of a Way of the Cross path, which will no doubt feel like your own, as this part of the route is quite a steep climb!
(4) You will soon reach the Chapel of Aigremont (557m), offering fine views to the north over the Val de Roulans and its wind turbines, and to the south over the Jura Mountains and Mont Blanc on a clear day. Climb the moss-covered steps on the right, go round the chapel on the right for the view of the Roche de Souvance, and head back down the pretty ridge path you’ll find at the foot of the large wooden cross. You’ll lose the markings. When you see the first houses, join a wider path and continue downhill.
(5) You’ll arrive at the foot of the castle, which is private property; you’ll only be able to see the tower through the trees. Turn left at the fountain, taking a quick look at the steps of the old farmhouse on the left. At No. 18, turn left onto the short stretch of path and continue straight on for 700m along a tarmac road (the least pleasant part of this walk), which fortunately sees little traffic.
(6) One hundred metres past the last craft workshop, look out for the signpost indicating a left turn into the field. Then turn right to re-enter the forest. The path becomes a track between woodland and pasture and joins the end of a small tarmac road, a junction for walking routes. Continue straight on towards Sainte-Anne, a pretty little bronze statue.
At the foot of Sainte-Anne and the Virgin Mary, there is a fork. Continue uphill along the right-hand path, returning to the X-shaped junction.
(3) Take the right-hand path; you’ll surely be happy to walk along this superb cliff-top path once more. You’ll come to the signpost marked “Route des Belvédères”;
(1) Descend to the left towards Deluz, continuing along the ledges (the descent is very steep).
(7) At the second “Attention Falaises” sign, you’ll find the Grotte de sous Roche and an unguarded, wild viewpoint over the valley. Be extremely careful. Do not attempt to reach the cave – it’s impossible! Continue on to the pastures, enjoying the view of the old forges overlooked by the Roche Blanche. At the entrance to the pasture, there is a signpost. Walk down for about a hundred metres and, after passing between two small juniper thickets, the path forks. Leave the marked trail and the descent, heading horizontally along the path on the right.
(8) Head towards the Frétille housing estate. Climb up to the far right along the footpath to reach the cul-de-sac at Rue des Genévriers. At the next junction, turn right up Rue de Frétille. Before No. 26, climb up to the right into the narrow lane running alongside the low wall of the house, which quickly becomes a forest track. Follow an old moss-covered stone wall on your right and arrive at an X-shaped junction. Continue straight up the slope, taking the left-hand path, passing at the foot of a large metal tripod supporting a game feeder. The path becomes a track which, a little further up, joins a wider path that you continue to climb, soon leaving a somewhat overgrown path on your left. Reach the marked starting trail, which you will follow down to the left to quickly find your car (S/E).
Regarding the Château Loriot viewpoint, THVELOTTE informs us, “Access to the viewpoint is prohibited due to the risk of rockfall. However, you can still get close and enjoy the lovely view of the Doubs and the village of Laissey.”
Visorando member
Easy 
