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(S/E) Leave the car park heading north-east towards the hill (sign: Châtonnay). Turn left at the church, pass the cemetery and continue to a stop sign. Continue straight ahead. Follow the small road until you pass a memorial to a plane crash on your right, then a pond (Étang Egron) on your left.
(1) Once you have passed the pond, take the first forest path on the right. Very soon, at a fork, take the left-hand branch. Continue heading east, passing several ponds. At the last one, you will come out of the woods.
(2) A little further on, at a crossroads, turn left. You will come to another pond on your right. Once you have passed this pond, before the picnic table on the left, take the path on the right, which is not very visible at first, that runs alongside the pond. At the end of the pond, ignore the path that branches off to the right.
(3) Almost immediately, you will come to a complex crossroads. Ignore the path that climbs diagonally to the left and take the slightly hidden path opposite that continues into the valley. You will see yellow markings. Continue along this path. After crossing the mill stream, it will lead you to the village of Saint-Christophe. At a fork, leave the yellow markings and take the no-entry road opposite (Rue de la Montagne) to reach the D502.
(4) Turn left and then right at the crossroads (towards Châtonnay Centre and Tramolé). Pass the cemetery and then take the first street on the right (towards Tramolé/Culin). At the stop sign, continue straight ahead towards "La Tour du Calvaire". At the fork, turn left (sign: Père Berthier - 475m) and then left again onto the dead-end road (except for pedestrians).
(5) Climb the stairs to the clock tower. Enjoy the view, especially of the Grande Sure. Leave the tower by taking the steep path to the left of the cross. Return to the original path and turn right, following a pebble wall. Be careful not to go past the very steep path on the left, which is made up of wooden steps. This will take you directly to the centre of Châtonnay. When you reach Rue des Tisserands, turn right to join the D502. Turn left and continue for a few dozen metres.
(6) Take the first street on the right, Rue Ferrachet. When it turns right, take the narrow pedestrian passage opposite. When you reach Impasse du Moulin, turn left towards the mill (de la Niverdière). Follow the path that climbs up to the right.
Your path, which climbs quite steeply, leads to a small road. Turn right, then pass a small road on the right that leads to a dog kennel.
(7) You will see the sign for "Nivernière - 520m". Follow the path on the right which descends into a charming little valley and continue to the end. You will pass some ponds on your left. At the third pond, when the road turns to the right, continue straight ahead.
(8) You are at the sign for "Basses Combes - 430m". Take the small road on the left, which climbs steeply. When the slope levels out, you will come to a fork; take the left branch (yellow markings) and you will arrive at a group of houses, the hamlet of Hautes Combes.
(9) Follow the yellow markings to the right (if you are as lucky as I was, you will see rabbits running in all directions...). Follow this small road for a good while, always following the yellow markings.
(10) You will arrive at the sign for "Aquermone Nord - 505m". Turn right towards the Chapelle Saint-Hugon. Your path crosses a farmyard. As you pass, admire the hundred-year-old oak tree of Saint-Hugon. When your small road turns to the right, turn left. You will pass a small pond before reaching the chapel and the spring of Saint-Hugon.
(11) Take the time to read the sign summarising the history of this very modern chapel. Leave the chapel and continue on your way. Pass two paths on your left before reaching a complex crossroads.
(12) At the crossroads of dirt tracks, take the second track on your left (it branches off at about 90°). Quite soon, your path is blocked by a metal barrier. Take the path that branches off to the right. It is narrow and sometimes muddy... It leads to a small road, which you take on the right.
(13) At the sign for "Maison Cazeneuve - 480m", continue straight ahead and pass between two ponds (the one on the right is adorned with a magnificent weeping willow). Continue along this small road, which will take you back to your starting point (S/E).
Very good route, well described and marked. Lots of beautiful undergrowth (best enjoyed during the summer heat) and a few viewpoints. A great time.
Visorando Member
Easy 
