Country:
City:
Car park at Moulin Grillet, about 1 km from the centre of the village of Cléron: at the fountain, take Rue du Pater and park 150 m past Moulin Grillet
(S/E) Walk up the small tarmac road to the Château du Pater farm, then continue uphill for a further 200 metres to the right to find the start of this short walk, marked by a signpost for Castel Saint-Denis. Walk up this sunken path. You will soon reach a stony track which you follow to the right. Three hundred metres after this stony track becomes straight, look out for a nature trail on the right that descends the hillside (a small post with a dragonfly on it, I think).
(1) Follow this superb mule track downwards, with views of the ledges and the bottom of the Ravin de Valbois gorge. Walk alongside a dry stone wall. The path becomes a narrow track winding through the grass and joins, at the bottom of the hillside, a wider path, continuing the ascent to the left.
(2) This path enters the woods, soon blocked by a log barrier which you can easily cross via a small step. Soon, you’ll come to a fork at the foot of a post bearing a bird (the black woodpecker); take the path on the left through lovely green undergrowth, dotted in mid-spring with the white spots of wild garlic flowers. You’ll arrive at a charming little rocky cirque. At the foot of the rock, head right.
(3) Immediately after the rocks, there is a fork; continue climbing to the left via a small staircase carved into the rock. You will cross some barbed wire via a zigzag path and head right. You’ll reach a lovely stony path; take it to the left. 200 metres further on, look out for a sign on the left and the path leading you to the edge of the cliffs (take care) and a magnificent viewpoint over Castel Saint-Denis, the Rocher de Colonne and the Cléron valley. A lovely clearing, ideal for a picnic break. Leave the viewpoint via the path that runs along the cliffs. Return to the gravel road and follow the signposting. Directly in front of you, on a tree, are some signs. Turn left onto the gravel road. You’ll soon reach a fork (and another viewpoint). Turn right to soon reach the ruins of Castel Saint-Denis
(4) At the castle, there are new views over the entire valley and the Val de Cléron, as well as Mont Poupet. Walk past the Porte aux Ânes and continue to the foot of the keep, which is currently under renovation and therefore off-limits. Then head down the steps on the right. At the foot of the stairs, take a short detour to the left for a view of the keep from below, without going any further than the recently concreted steps.
Return to the foot of the previous staircase and continue straight on along the ramparts. You’ll pass the Porte aux Ânes and head down along the walls, taking the VTT28 route and following the very clear signposting along a lovely path, flanked by beautiful tall trees, creating a magnificent play of light and shade on this hillside. You’ll rejoin the sunken path from the start, which you’ll follow down to return to your car park (start/finish).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
