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Park your car in Vaucluse just before the town hall, on the grassy area next to the fountain. The yellow and blue markings are of very average quality.
Next to the fountain is the small municipal museum. Just push open the door to discover an apple press, a fire pump and an old hearse.
(S/E) Head towards the town hall, towards the sign for the Circuits pédestres du Doubs (Doubs walking trails). At the corner, don't miss an antique wooden statue in its niche. Go down the path that runs alongside the town hall, which quickly becomes grassy. When you cross a stream, continue along it, keeping to the left.
(1) At a place called Le Bief de Vau, on the small tarmac road, turn right, then immediately left at the fork towards Rosureux until you reach the nearby farm building.
(2) Then go down to the left along the grassy path that runs alongside the pasture. Continue straight ahead when you come to a slightly stony path coming from the right. You will walk alongside peaceful pastures and beautiful fir trees growing in the hollows of the dolines.
(3) You will come to a fork in the road; take the lower path on the left. At the departmental road 39, at a place called Le Moulin du Milieu, continue to the left. The road is a little tarmac, but it is quiet and you will soon see the beautiful rocks of the Baron's viewpoint.
(4) At the junction for Battenans, drive back and forth to the middle of the old bridge for a view of the Dessoubre and the cliffs. Return to the D39 and continue right, passing under the superb Baron rocks, until you reach the Moulin du Bas.
(5) At the restaurant sign, turn left onto the path that leads to the Baron's viewpoint via a small trail that descends to the left at the second bend.
(6) Continue climbing until you reach a meadow. Follow the edge of the meadow to find a path through a gap in the trees. At the first houses in the village, turn left, then quickly right into Rue de Cour.
(7) Turn right onto Rue de la Chaiserie. The road becomes stony at the last house and 300 metres further on, leave it and climb left onto the forest path. There are no more signposts, but continue quietly to the end, enjoying the views of Cour-Saint-Maurice.
(8) At the end, you will see a fork in the road with a small hunting cabin above. Go straight ahead until you reach the small paved road. Go up to the right to the cabin and continue on the gravel road to the left. At the top, at the hunting car park, continue along the gravel road, remembering to turn around to enjoy the view of the mountains surrounding the valley.
(9) When you see a farm in the distance on your left, at the junction of two fences, look for the ladder that allows you to enter the pasture on the right. Go down along the barbed wire fence. Do not go all the way to the gate and another ladder. About 30 metres before, look to your left and you will see another ladder in the fence opposite, which will take you into a second pasture. Continue downhill, following the fence, and a final ladder will give you access to the unprotected viewpoint over the cliffs and the Cul de Vau valley. Then return to the road by the same route and turn right until you reach the first house in Droitefontaine.
(10) Turn left onto the departmental road 343, passing the wooden cross. The road is paved for a short while, but it is peaceful and offers a superb 180° view of the entire valley. Leave a small road on your right.
(11) Before entering the woods, at the forest signs "Belleherbe 13 and 14", turn left into the field (towards Boucle 62) and follow the edge of the field. Three hundred metres further down, look for the path on the right that enters the woods. The signposts disappear, but the path is easy to follow despite the fallen leaves.
(12) You will arrive at a viewpoint overlooking Vaucluse and its priory (unprotected). You will reach a gravel road on a bend, but continue downhill on the path on the right. A little further down, you will find the gravel path again, which you will follow downhill to the right until you reach the departmental road 464. Cross it and continue downhill on the forest path opposite. There are more beautiful views of Vaucluse and the valley.
(13) You will reach the departmental road 310 and descend to the left towards Vaucluse despite the yellow and blue cross. You will arrive opposite the town hall and your car (S/E).
The route includes cliff-side paths and unsecured viewpoints. The paths are rocky and slippery in places. Good walking shoes are essential and walking sticks are recommended.
Visorando member
Easy 
