The Batier Trail starting from Fixin

Park in the car park at the Fixin Village Hall.

(S/E) Join the Felix Batier trail by taking the so-called ‘discovery trail’ which climbs up the Fixin valley towards the spot known as ‘Les 100 Marches’. Just before the climbing site, you’ll reach the junction with the Batier trail.

(1) Turn left here and follow the yellow markings. Begin a steep climb. At the top, cross an open section before entering a new wooded section that ends on a stony path.

(2) Follow this path to the edge of the plateau and descend into the Combe de Brochon. This steep descent ends in a path that veers to the right, finishing at the bottom of the valley.

(3) Here there are two options:
- left: easy route,
- to the right, the difficult section.
Take the difficult section. Climb straight back up the other side of the valley via a fairly steep path. At the end of the path, you’ll reach a small vertical rock face; climb it via easy scrambling, using good handholds and footholds.
At the top, still following the yellow markings, continue along an almost level path. You’ll reach a junction with a dirt track running perpendicular to the path.

(4) Cross it and continue along the path, which passes through areas that are sometimes wooded, sometimes cleared. Turn off in a wide curve to the right and follow the yellow markings, which indicate a change of direction.

.(5) Turn left and descend slightly over rocky ground. Join the path that descends a valley to the vineyards. Please note: do not enter the vineyards, as they are fenced off.
At the end of the descent, turn right and follow the path uphill to reach another junction.

(6) Leave the Batier path and turn left onto a path that descends back down to the vineyards. Reach the edge of the forest to find a wide track.

(7) Turn left onto it and follow it to its end, where it becomes a tarmac road at Combe aux Moines.

(8) Follow this road down towards two water points and take a path through the vineyards leading to the first houses in Brochon. Turn onto Rue du Rapitot, then left onto Rue du Tilleul. Continue to the junction with Rue de Lavaut.

(9) Turn left onto it and follow it to a water point. Keep to the right and head up through the vineyards. At the top of the hill, you’ll reach the edge of the forest; continue along this road to the right. Then head downhill to return to the car park at the Salle des Fêtes in Fixin (S/E).

A good pair of hiking boots is recommended.
The route can be tackled as a trail run, as apart from the steep sections (ascents and descents in the valleys), the rest can be covered in trail running style.

If you have time.
You can reach the Fixin climbing area by continuing along the discovery trail to these cliffs. Follow the path to the right that runs alongside them to watch the climbers when there are any, until you reach the first major scree slope that descends into the valley (Sentier Batier), and then resume the climb opposite this descent.