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Departure from the free car park opposite 12 Avenue Georges Clemenceau in Mont-Dore.
(S/E) Walk back down to the Café du Sancy located at the car park exit. Turn left onto Rue Duchatel and continue straight ahead until you reach the bend formed by Avenue de la Libération.
(1) Take Chemin des Milles-Gouttes, which will take you along the ridge through the forest. The entrance to the path is between the two buildings outside the bend in Avenue de la Libération and is signposted.
(2) At the T-junction, turn right and continue for a few dozen metres, then take the path that climbs up to the left. Follow the path as it winds its way up to the funicular station.
(3) Continue along the paved road on the right until you reach the Salon du Capucin (ignore all the turnoffs on the sides).
(4) In front of the Mont-Dore Aventures building, continue along the paved road on the left towards the Pic du Capucin. The road soon turns into a dirt track. Stay on the main track and ignore all the side tracks.
(5) In front of the house at the foot of Pic du Capucin, leave it on your left and take theGR®30(red and white markings) on your right (south-south-east). Climb up and follow the ridge, continuing to climb.
(6) Turn left (south) and climb up the open terrain. Follow several switchbacks to reach the summit of Puy de Cliergue. Continue south along the ridge to the summit of Tour Carrée.
(7) Then take the path on the left (east-south-east) and climb up to the Col de Courre.
Continue straight ahead (signposted Boucle du Sancy; green markings). Be careful, the path is steep and, in summer, there are many hikers on this section.
(8) Leave the cable car station on your left, some distance away (toilets and water are available here). Continue straight ahead (south-east) and climb the stairs to reach the summit of Sancy (orientation table).
(9) Descend on the other side (east-southeast) to the Col de la Cabane.
(10) Take the wide dirt track opposite (east), which descends. Pass under a ski lift line.
(11) Leave this wide dirt track and take theGR®4(red and white markings) on the right (east). The path is relatively flat at first, then becomes steeper and more rugged. Pass the Pic Intermédiaire and go around it on the left. Join the Puy des Crebasses.
(12) Continue north on theGR®4(red and white markings; ignore the path that branches off to the right). Descend to the Col de Cuzeau.
(13) Climb back up, north-north-west, to reach the Roc de Cuzeau.
(14) Then turn 180° and follow a few switchbacks downhill. Continue along the ridge (north-northwest).
(15) When theGR®4turns right, continue straight ahead on the ridge. At a fork (elevation 1327), take the left path downhill. Descend to the foot of the Grande Cascade using the steel staircase on the side of the cliff.
(16) Take the footbridge and turn left onto the path. Follow a few hairpin bends and descend through the forest. You will come out onto a tarmac road (Route de Besse).
(17) Cross the road and take a sharp right onto a gently sloping path that passes behind the houses.
(18) Turn left onto a path (not shown on the map) that winds down through the trees. Continue to the thermal baths and then, on the left, the car park where you started (S/E).
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