The Creux de l'Oulette and the Montpeloux organs pipes

Start: Parking spot around the church (a parking lot is also signposted towards the cemetery).

Waymarkers : __Yellow waymarkers but in opposite direction than the one described (see practical information)

(S/E) From behind the church, take right along Rue du Pontet towards the cemetery. Before the cemetery, turn right onto Chemin de la Bichelonne. As you reach Bichelone lane, at a small iron cross, turn right onto the path and keep walking South.

(1) Further on, cross the D256 and follow a grassy path straight ahead. Quickly come to a stone cross, the Croix de Fangody (information board), and continue along the grassy path further to the left. Cross the road (D256) again and continue on the grassy path opposite. Just before the same road (D256), ignore a track on the left, and follow the road to the left to enter Le Mont hamlet.

(2) Take the left-hand street through the hamlet. At the end of the road, carry onto the path. Ignore a path to the left at a skidding area and then, at a bend to the left of the path, ignore a trailhead to the right. The path goes uphill now becoming steeper along an undergrowth path and, as the waymarkers being in the opposite direction, the mobile app is useful or you can also regularly check the markings looking backwards. Reach a path junction with a signpost indicating Creux de l'Oulette.

(3) For a detour, turn right here and descend to the stream, walking through a rocky path. Then, retrace your steps to the signpost.

(3) Continue uphill to the right, and come to a path perpendicular which you follow to the right to soon find a signpost indicating the Creux de l'Oulette and the waterfall.

(4) Take a detour here towards the waterfall, reaching its foot. Then, retrace your steps to the signpost.

(4) Continue to the right, climbing over large boulders. At a junction, turn right onto a path uphill which is easy to miss (Yellow cross straight ahead). Come to a flat area and a fence and follow it to the right.

Reach a larger path, at a signpost pointing towards the waterfall, where you turn left. At a signpost indicating 'Cascade direct route' to the left, continue straight ahead, turning right onto a track some 50 m further on (straight ahead, notice the Yellow cross). Follow the wide path to the right, then ignore the path to the right. Shortly afterwards, ignore a left-hand hairpin bend (signposted Pierre Posée).

(5) Just after this, as you reach a hut, turn left onto a forest track, leaving the wide path behind. The path narrows down into a footpath, then widens again. Ignore a track on the left and reach the D257.

(6) Cross the road and continue along the path opposite. At a Y-junction, turn left and reach the road at Montpeloux.

(7) Follow this road to the left (South), until there is a junction with a path to the right, at a signpost indicating Volcan de Montpeloux. Follow this path until you reach a grassy car park.

(8) For a detour, follow the signs to Volcan de Montpeloux, following the ramp and then the concrete path to the right. Arrive at a wooden building with a few information panels, then continue right along a wide path, lined up with information boards about the geology and history of the site, and as you reach the pond, facing the basaltic cirque, arrive at the stage-belvedere. Climb the steps to the left, for another view of the whole site and more information panel. Then, retrace your steps back to the grassy car park.

(8) Turn right and follow the path in the same direction Northward. Further on, pay close attention to the tiny resurgence of water about 200 m, in the middle of the path, which seems to be bringing tiny gold nuggets to the surface! Reach and follow the road to the left to join a junction with the D139.

(9) Take the track opposite, which descends to the left. Further on, it becomes paved and joins a road. Follow this road for about 300 m.

(10) Turn right onto a small road towards Bostfranchet. In front of a ruin, take the left-hand path, then, at the fork in the road, follow the right-hand path. You'll come to the edge of the Ance river.

(11) Ignore the bridge and continue along the eastern path along the riverbank. Further on, the path diverges from the river (at a pretty site, a short detour in the meadow is possible). Ignore a path on the left and another further on just before joining the D256.

(12) Follow it to the left into Merlonne. Just past the farm, at the crossroads, turn sharply right, then immediately left. Join a road, follow it to the left to enter the village of Saillant. Arrive at the circular fountain, notice the Sully lime tree, and return to the church and parking area (S/E).

Start & parking: Park in one of the spaces available around the church (a parking lot is also signposted towards the cemetery). The Visorando mobile app or GPS app is useful in some sections.

Waymarkers: Yellow waymarkers but located in the opposite direction than the one described (see practical information)
If you prefer to walk downhill rather than up, or if you prefer to follow a signpost, then take this walk in the opposite direction to the one described here. This is a well-marked walk by the Conseil Général, and the walk waymarker "Le Creux de l'Oulette" is on the south side of the church.

Terrain: The Creux de l'Oulette, the Volcan de Montpeloux (volcano) and the Anse riverside are very beautiful sites. They are joined by forest tracks which, in this logging region, are often in poor condition, at least muddy, but also sometimes very cluttered. Please take care.

Photo album here
Beautiful waterfall and impressive rocky chaos of the Creux de l'Oulette (Oulette is the name of the stream).
The Volcan de Montpeloux site is impressive, though not at all natural. Plenty of information on site about the site's geology and history. A festival is held there in August, info ici
The Ance is a pretty river, soothing at the end of a hike along forest paths that are sometimes devastated, as is often the case in the region.