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Departure from the car park of the Saint-François-de-Salles cross-country skiing site. To get there, take the D62 from the D912, either from Lescheraines or from the Col de Plainpais. Reach the hamlet of La Magne: the road leading to the cross-country ski area is located at the entrance to the hamlet when coming from the Col de Plainpais, and at the exit when coming from Lescheraines via the church of Saint-François-de-Salles.
Signposts are located at the main intersections.
Without signposts
(S/E) Head north and take a stony track marked as access to the Creusates circular. You will immediately arrive at the cross-country skiing site. Turn left and leave a building on your right. Follow a wide grassy path straight ahead, passing the ticket office and then a wooden barrier.
Green signpost Croix des Bergers
(1) At the crossroads (signposted "La Carrière"), ignore the tarmac road on the left and take the track running parallel to it, roughly opposite. Stay on this pleasant forest track and ignore all the side tracks (including those signposted Tourbière des Creusates or Croix des Bergers).
(2) At the "Sous la Piste" signpost, turn right onto the track and pass a biathlon shooting range. Follow the track through the forest to a crossroads in open terrain.
Signposted Libellule - Circular des Creusates
(3) Go straight ahead, cross a wooden fence and pass between the chalets. Leave the last chalet on your left and a small pond behind you and continue to the next signpost. Note the beautiful view of the bog on your left.
(4) Turn left towards the Croix des Bergers. Descend slightly then climb back up between two fences (passages may be very wet). Pass a chicane and follow a trail marked with wooden posts in the middle of a meadow. Take a footbridge without a railing and continue across the meadow.
No markings
(5) At the "Sous la Croix" signpost, cross a fence using a chicane or a metal ladder (your choice). Follow a trail that passes between two spruce trees. Climb up, descend slightly and climb back up to the cross, which is monumental and clearly visible.
(6) Retrace your steps back to the "Sous la Croix" signpost.
Signpost Libellule - Circular des Creusates
(5) Turn right and continue around the bog in an anti-clockwise direction. Pass a chalet on your right and continue along a wide path. After a hairpin bend to the left, climb slightly to reach a wide track ("Sous la Clairière" signpost).
(7) Follow the track to the left and descend gently. Pass the "belvedere" (bench; beautiful view of the bog and chalets), ignore a path on the right and continue downhill along the track.
No markings
(8) At the "La Croisée" signpost, turn left towards the refuges. About thirty metres further on, at the foot of a cross-country ski trail sign, take a path downhill on the right. Immediately turn right again (signpost "Le Grand Crêté") towards the Saint-François car park. Wind your way through the undergrowth and you will quickly rejoin the track at the start of the hike at the signpost "Sous la Piste".
(2) Follow the trail to the right and, taking the same route as on the way up, return to the Saint-François car park (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
Difficult 
