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Drive to the top of the Puy-Saint-Vincent resort and park.
(S/E) The road continues but is closed to traffic. Take the wide path that starts behind the last buildings. After 300 metres, you will pass under the first chairlift (La Bergerie). Continue along this wide path, which is accessible to vehicles (even pushchairs). After another 300 metres, you will see the arrival point of a chairlift on your left and pass under the Crête des Bans chairlift, then under the Prés chairlift. Continue on to reach a clearing.
(1) Leave this main path on the left, where a signpost indicates Lac des Hermes 25 min. Take this path and after 200 m you will come to a crossroads.
(2) A signpost indicates Lac des Hermes 20 min. Continue to the right and you will come to another crossroads.
(3) You will see another signpost for Lac des Hermes 10 min. Turn right and stop at the lake. There is a sign indicating an altitude of 1926 m.
(From here, for young hikers, there are well-marked trails back).
Leave the lake on your right and take the path that goes around it, then take the second path on the left (the one furthest to the left is off-limits; it is a mountain bike descent). You will quickly reach a path that climbs towards the pass. Take it. You will reach the Col de Pré Rouge.
In August 2016, construction work, snow cannons and water reserves disrupted the path. Climb to the right on the ridge line. The area is wide, so you can take wide turns. You will pass under an old, very rusty ski lift, whose cables are beginning to be removed. When you arrive, you will have a beautiful view.
(4) A little further on, there is an old orientation table. There are no longer any signs, but the view remains!
Another 300 metres and you will see the descent path below you on your right. Look for it without cutting too much. Follow it to the right, it winds gently through the mountain pastures, passes under the Rocher Noir chairlift (post indicating altitude 2160m), next to the snow cannon basin, and arrives at the upper station of the Bergerie chairlift (which operates on certain days in summer). Take the wide path downhill on your right (shared with mountain bikes), pass in front of La Bergerie, turn right under the chairlift, continue for another 300m and you will reach a crossroads.
(5) Turn left. Another wide track (towards the Balme track), pass under the chairlift again, you will reach a wide track which you follow downhill for 150m, cross this 'Clot d'Aval' track, which you leave by taking the Balme direction opposite (no path marked on IGN, but clearly visible on aerial views, it is a ski link).
(6) Leave this link at the edge of the woods by taking a path that descends to your right. It is well marked and leads you to the Technical Services buildings. Take the path that winds in front of these buildings, then take the big right turn and you will reach the car park at the start (S/E).
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