The Red and the Black

Mont Rouge, large car park near Kosmos (former hotel).

(S/E) With your back to the Kosmos, head for the hedge opposite and turn left. Pass marker 32 and you will soon reach marker 31. Turn right and you will immediately come to a fork. Turn right (Picon signpost!). Follow the narrow, winding path, taking care not to enter any properties. Pass an old pump (for Picon?) and you will arrive near a chapel. Turn right and join the road.

(1) Cross it and follow it to the right for about 50 metres to reach marker 47. Then take the path on the left. 150 metres further down, turn right onto the path that passes between the horse paddocks. Reach a T-junction and turn right towards the mill. Arrive at the car park.

(2) Walk along the car park at the edge of the field until you reach the edge of a wood. Then take the path on the left and stay on the edge until you reach a small road (after a nice descent).

(3) You will see a gate opposite (slightly to the left). Go through it and turn left (grassy path) to follow the road (observation post). The path turns right and joins a T-junction (gate on the left). Turn right and follow the path through the woods. After two gates, you will reach a small road (post 41).

(4) Follow it to the left. Pass marker 60 (you can then leave the tarmac and walk a few metres along the left-hand side of the road before rejoining it). After the lodge (on the left), set off again on a good path. At the barrier, turn left and follow the path at the edge of the woods until you reach another barrier (this section is sometimes very wet!) and marker 62.

(5) Go through the barrier and turn right. Ignore a road on the left (marker 59) and continue to a crossroads (marker 58). Continue straight ahead on the path between the fields and continue to another crossroads (marker 93). Continue straight ahead to reach the D 223.

(6) Follow it a few metres to the right before turning left onto a path (towards the military cemetery).
At the fork (marker 94), just after the cemetery, turn left. A little further on, join the^GR® 128. Follow it straight ahead to descend through the Bois Noir (some passages may be wet). Reach a barrier (lift your feet and lower your head!).

(7) After the barrier, leave the^GR® and turn right. Ignore the two paths on the left (marker 3 at the second) and you will reach a T-junction. Turn right and you will reach another T-junction (marker 2). Turn right towards the fishing ponds and stay on the small road (ignore the path opposite). Just before the car park, turn left (barrier) and follow the path uphill, staying close to the edge on the right. Pass to the right of the buildings and, at the top, you will reach a T-junction (marker 99).

(8) Take the path on the right and you will soon reach a barrier. Go through it and turn sharply left to join the D 318. Follow it for a few metres on the left (in the wrong direction) then leave it and turn opposite into Rue du Mont Noir. After about 100 metres, turn right (Impasse 3582), first onto tarmac, then down a path. You will reach a T-junction (marker 95).

(9) Turn left and join Rue du Mont Noir. Follow it to the right for a few metres. At the fork, go straight ahead (Impasse 3303) onto a path to reach a crossroads (marker 96). Then turn right. 300 metres further on, at the crossroads (marker 4), turn left onto the^GRP®. This path is quite difficult and, in places, it is better to go to the right, overlooking the fields. Pass a few buildings (on the right), cross a road on the left and reach a crossroads (marker 3).

(10) Turn right onto the small road until you reach a T-junction (marker 6). Turn right and, immediately at the fork, take the right path opposite. 250 metres further on, at the crossroads (marker 7), turn right. You will soon reach a grassy path that turns left at a right angle and leads to a barrier at marker 8 (this area is often very wet).

(11) Go through the gate and turn right. You will immediately come to another gate on the right. Go through it and follow the stream (this corresponds to a sharp right-hand bend: be careful, it's not obvious!). You will come to a small road. Follow it a few metres to the right, then turn left (post 9) into Langedreef. Walk along the ponds (on the left) and reach a crossroads at the edge of a small wood (post 10). Turn left, then immediately right onto a beautiful uphill path. You will reach a road and the first shops in Mont Noir.

(12) Turn left. After 100 metres, turn right into the car park (barrier). Turn left to go behind the buildings, then turn left to exit the car park (new barrier) and join the road (see practical information). Follow the road a few metres to the right and immediately turn right onto the path (marker 12). The path turns right at a right angle. Reach marker 63 (where the tarmac ends).

(13) Turn left. A series of platforms and steps will take you to a T-junction (marker 62).

(14) Pass close to the source of the Douve. 50 metres further on, turn right. Stay on this good path. Pass a barrier (on the right) with marker 61, then cross the vineyard and join the road at a chapel. Cross the main road and follow it on the right (footpath) for about 200 metres until you reach a path on the left.

(15) Take this path down towards the woods and marker 38. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead to reach the bottom of the valley. Then turn left where a staircase takes you up to a T-junction. Turn right and go through the gate. Continue on the^GR® until you reach a fork (marker 65). Then turn right onto the wooden walkway. Shortly after the walkway, you will reach a fork. Turn left onto the GR^®. Follow it, staying as close as possible to the fence on the left (it is fairly well marked). Just after a gate, you will reach a path that branches off to the right (Speelzone).

(16) Follow this path (leaving the^GR®) and you will reach a barrier. Cross it to reach a main path (marker 24). Turn left and you will arrive near a small road (marker 11). Just before the road, turn right at the edge. About 50 metres further on, you will find a barrier on the left. Go through it and turn right onto the small road. When the road turns left (marker 26), take the path on the right with the GRP^®. After 200 metres, turn right onto a very wide path (see practical information), then after another 200 metres turn left to reach a wide path (marker 25).

(17) Turn left. You will reach a large grassy plain (on the left), then a small building, also on the left.

(18) Immediately afterwards, leave the main path and take the track on the right. You will soon reach a fork and turn left onto some old floorboards. You will then find yourself facing a superb staircase that you will have to struggle to climb (a good hundred very high steps and a steep slope!). Go to the top and find a good path.
There, take five to curse the creator of the route, before turning right. Stay on this path (flat!), pass marker 35 and arrive near the road (marker 36).

(19) Then take the path on the left through the undergrowth (towards 34) which leads back to Kosmos (S/E).

Make sure you wear suitable footwear, especially in wet weather. Walking poles can also be a great help.

During the week, the Mont Noir car park is free and can therefore be used as a starting point.

You can also reach point (17) by using the numerous paths that cross the grassy plain. With the OpenStreetMap hiking app (World) and map, it's quite easy.