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Start from the Aiguilhe bypass car park.
(S/E) From the car park, head towards Chemin de la Borne. It passes under the arches of the Pont Tordu d’Aiguilhe.
(1) Follow the right bank of the Borne to the left. Walk past the allotments and then under the hospital bridge. You will arrive near the area at the foot of the Rocher d’Aiguilhe.
(2) Head to the campsite entrance and take the path at the foot of the trees to the left of the entrance. Walk along the campsite fence. After the tennis courts, go round a house on the left to reach the banks of the Borne. Then pass under one of the arches of the Pont Neuf.
(3) Walk along the rear façades of the Le Puy urban authority buildings. Pass under the Estrouilhas bridge.
(4) Enter the Massot sports complex. Inside, continue along the banks of the Borne. At the far end of the complex, turn left to exit through the turnstile gate. Follow the road to the right towards the village of Espaly.
(5) When you reach a junction, take Rue Antoine de Sénectaire straight ahead. Then take the uphill Rue de Saint-Bourbon. At the fountain, turn right onto the road that climbs, then follow the signs for “Sanctuaire de Saint-Joseph”. Walk up to the esplanade at the foot of the monumental statue of Saint Joseph (panoramic view of the town of Le Puy-en-Velay, Mont-Denise and the town of Vals-près-le-Puy).
(6) Head back down, taking Rue Jean Bourbon, until you reach the junction with Avenue du Paradis and Rue Auguste Souchon.
(5) Turn right onto Rue Auguste Souchon, then turn left onto Rue Chemin des Combes, the entrance to which is marked by a no-entry sign. Walk past the state nursery school.
(7) Continue along the road to join the D590 linking Le Puy to Espaly. Cross it to take the road opposite which goes uphill (Chemin de l’Arche). Pass under one of the arches of the railway viaduct and, immediately afterwards, turn left towards the entrance to a house along a tarmac path. Pass the first bend, then a second, and continue straight up the hill until you reach the D589 via a few steps. Cross this road and continue up the hill opposite on Avenue Jean Moulin (following the sign for “Stade d’Espaly”). The road climbs.
(8) Cross the playground to the left, passing between the upper and lower tennis courts. When you see the entrance to the “Le Clos de Compostelle” housing estate, turn right onto Rue de Compostelle, which climbs steeply.
At the first bend on Rue de Compostelle, leave the road and follow a path that turns sharply right and climbs up a flight of steps. Near a bench, rejoin the road you have just left. Turn right and continue climbing along this road.
After the entrance to the Fontanille factory, at the bend, turn left onto the wide path. Continue straight on and you will reach the Croix de Pouvignac.
(9) Pass to the right of the cross; at the next bend, ignore the sign on the left indicating “Access to the Sentier des Chibottes” and continue climbing along the main dirt track. Walk past a farm building. Immediately after, turn left towards the viewpoint over the Dolaizon valley (following the sign for “Access to the shepherd's huts, panorama and picnic area 20m away”).
(10) After enjoying the view, follow the direction indicated by the sign “Vals via Chemin de Poulignac – Tour des Chibottes”. The path descends gradually along the hillside. When you reach another sign, turn left following the direction indicated: “Mairie de Vals – Chemin de Saint-Jacques”. The path climbs again then turns right under a low stone wall, passing through a grove of trees.
At the next junction, follow the sign for “Retour Le Puy – Vals”. Walk past a farm shed, then a house, before reaching the Croix de Pouvignac, which you passed earlier.
(9) At this junction, turn right onto the road signposted “Haut Dolaizon Vals” (near the “No vehicles over 19 tonnes” sign). At the next junction, head downhill to the right, following the road. At the bottom of the street “Chemin de la Sermone haute”, look to the left and, after No. 41 and beneath the sign “3 pedestrian crossings”, take the path leading down the stairs. At the end of the path, cross the road and take the path opposite, at the foot of a wall topped by a cross. The path descends and ends at the entrance to the Foyer Saint-Dominique near Vals Town Hall.
(11) In front of the town hall, turn right onto Avenue Charles Massot, then turn left through a turnstile gate into the Stade André Reynaud.
(12) Walk along the left-hand side of the football pitch, then exit the stadium via a turnstile onto Rue du Val Fleuri. At the end of the street, turn left onto Rue Léon et Jeanne Coudeyrette, then continue along its extension, Rue des Jardins. Turn left to cross the river, walk past the Interconsular building and reach Boulevard du Président Bertrand.
Turn left, then immediately right (towards Place Michelet Breuil) onto Avenue André Soulier. Continue straight ahead.
(13) When you reach the Jardin Henri Vinay, enter the park and exit via Avenue du Général de Gaulle. Cross Place du Breuil, passing close to the fountain of the same name.
Cross Boulevard du Breuil and follow it to the right. Then turn left onto Rue Crozatier. Next, turn right onto Rue Chaussade. Turn left and take Rue du Général Lafayette, which climbs uphill. Pass in front of Collège Lafayette. Ignore Rue du Petit Vienne, which descends steeply, and just after the building, take Rue de Vienne, which also descends. Then turn left onto Chemin de Saint-Sébastien, then left onto Chemin de la Pinède to reach the Super U roundabout near the petrol station. Go under the Super U bridge to follow the banks of the Borne and reach the Pont tordu.
(1) Turn left and head for the Aiguilhe bypass car park (S/E).
A fantastic, beautiful hike – I highly recommend it
Visorando member
Difficult 
Easy 
