Park in Givonne near the Étrier Ardennais equestrian centre.
Note: the Route Forestière de la Piste Cavalière taken at the start of the route is known locally as the Route Forestière de l’Hermitage.
This route uses many forest roads. For simplicity, these roads will be marked RF in the description.
(S/E) Head north along a path that runs alongside the archery range.
(1) After a gate and the ditch marking the boundary of the state-owned forest, turn right onto the Hermitage Forest Road until you reach the Lazareth Forest Road.
(2) Turn left, ignore the first major track on the left and, following the forest road, continue to the RF du Pommier.
(3) Turn right onto it and follow for about 200m until you reach a mountain bike track that branches off to the right just at the bottom of a small valley.
Follow the MTB track up to the RF du Douaire (tarmac)
(4) Turn left and continue to the second path on the right (signposted ‘Le Bois du Douaire’)
(5) Turn right to descend to the bottom of the Givonne stream valley. (Note: between (5 and 6), the most clearly marked path curves to the right. Do not turn right but keep going straight on)
(6) Turn left along the stream, then further on cross a ford at the confluence of the Givonne and the Belle Fontaine stream. Join the Route du Douaire at an old quarry. (There is an information board here).
(7) Head left, then take the first path leading uphill to the right. The path climbs, changes direction and overlooks a small valley. At the top of the valley, keep to the right and follow a path not shown on the map to join the RF du Pain de Sucre.
(8) Turn left and then immediately right onto the first forest track.
Go past the first cross-path to reach, at the bottom of the Ruisseau des Dix Frères valley, a second well-marked path (MTB track in the opposite direction).
(9) Head up to the right at the bottom of the valley, following the MTB track to the RF du Douaire.
(10) Turn left, pass by a pond before joining the Chemin du Bouillonnais, the old railway line between Sedan and Bouillon.
(11) Turn left at the hairpin bend, pass a small pond and continue along the "Bouillonnais" until you reach another junction with a mountain bike track.
(12) Turn right to join a wide forest track bordering plots 272 and 273.
At the end of this lane, turn left (MTB track no. 7) then take the first path on the right to continue following MTB track no. 7. Cross the start of a small valley and head down towards the route of the old Bouillonnais railway line.
(13) Turn left, cross the valley via the bridge (barely visible from above) of the old railway line, then turn immediately left onto a very narrow path.
Go under the bridge and descend to a stony track. Turn left, pass a isolated house, then follow the Hatrelle stream at a distance along its left bank to Olly.
As you approach Olly, where you join theGR® 14, head right, pass in front of the castle, cross the stream and reach the RF du Lazareth on the left before the D129.
(14) Turn left onto the Route du Lazareth. Cross the bridge over the Givonne. After the bridge, continue straight on up an ascending path and join the Route Forestière. Follow this road for 1 km until the first forest road on the right (RF du Petit Terme).
(15) Head down the RF du Petit Terme to the first path on the left (the start is slightly set back from the path, beyond an area used for storing wood).
At the end of the track, turn right onto a stony path and, 50m further on, keep as far to the right as possible to join a small path leading to the bottom of a small valley (Ruisseau des Fraichis). This path, used by mountain bikers, runs along the bottom of the valley on the right bank of the stream and, after crossing the stream, leads to the end of a fitness trail.
(16) Start by taking a flight of steps, then, keeping in the same direction, follow the ditch that marks the boundary of the national forest until you reach the path you took at the start (first gate).
(1) Turn right to reach the Étrier Ardennais area and the car park (S/E).