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Visitor car park at the château in Montferrand-le-Château, in front of the school in the old village, on the street of the same name. Yellow-blue markings and some sections without markings.
(S/E) When leaving the car park, turn left. At the sign (castle visitor car park), turn right until you reach the edge of the woods and the dead-end street, Rue des Ruines. Take the gravel path on the right that climbs up to the keep. You will come to a wooden barrier and, on the right, a telecommunications antenna. Shortly afterwards, the path turns left.
You are now at the ruins. The castle had a breathtaking view of the village and the Doubs valley. You will also have a view of the Chapel of Notre-Dame du Mont on the opposite bank.
(1) Pass in front of the keep and you will come to a small passage between two walls forming a fairly high step, which you descend. With extreme caution, you can climb the left-hand wall to reach an unsecured viewpoint over the village. After the step, take the rocky path on the right that runs along the cliff and borders the precipice on small passages. You must tread carefully and attentively, as the rocky outcrops could cause you to trip. Sturdy footwear is essential and the use of walking sticks is recommended.
(2) You will reach another uphill path. Stay on the ridge line, ignoring the paths that descend perpendicularly. From time to time, you will discover unsecured viewpoints over the Doubs valley and the Jura mountains, always taking the same precautions. You will cross the typical forest that crowns our limestone mountains around Besançon, accompanied by the scent of boxwood.
(3) As the trail begins its descent towards Rancenay, you will enjoy beautiful unobstructed views, particularly at the Double Écluse, where a small space near a metal pole fixed in the rock offers an ideal picnic spot with a magnificent 180° view of the Côte de Planoise, the village of Rancenay, its church and the Larnod and Busy mountains. At a small marker, the trail turns left and descends at a right angle for 100 metres, joining another wider path below.
(4) Turn right to reach Rancenay. Before leaving the woods, you will pass a picnic table. Walk past the town hall and, at the stop sign, turn right down Rue Principale and then left at the next fork into Rue de l'Église.
(5) When you see the church in the distance, turn left onto the stony path. Be careful! Just before the end of this path, look for the signpost indicating that you should turn right down a narrow path. If you go too far, you will come up against a dry stone wall. If this happens, turn back about 50 metres.
(6) At the bottom, walk along a fence and, when you see the pasture, the path turns to the left. The path runs alongside a field. You can enter it for a view of the river. You will come to a wider stony path which you take to the left to reach Rancenay.
(7) Head left towards the village centre via Rue Principale. Pass the calvary and turn right onto the path you came in on, passing the town hall again. You will find yourself back on the ridge. Walk back along this beautiful ridge in the opposite direction (N.B. Ignore the side paths that descend perpendicularly to the right).
(2) When the path forks, descend to the right, rejoining the marked path you left earlier, and continue to the left to Montferrand and the castle car park (S/E).
The route includes cliff-top paths and unsecured viewpoints.
Visorando member
Moderate 
