Discovering the ponds of the Double Forest

Parking is available in the large car park in front of the church and town hall in Saint-Jean-d'Ataux.

(S/E) From the sign near the church, walk past the town hall. At the fork, keep left on Route de la Siboutie. Continue for about 750 m on this small road until you reach the DFCI firebreak junction.

(1) Turn right onto the VC5 and follow the unpaved path (castine).

(2) Just before reaching the tarmac road, turn left onto the small grassy path which then leads to a tarmac road and take it on the left. You will arrive at the charming hamlet of Puy de Siorac.

(3) Before the S-bend, take the small dirt track on the left. View of a pretty little meadow nestled in the forest. ''You can take a short break at the Puy de Siorac fountain (private) on the right.'' Then continue straight on along the dirt track, which leads to a Y-junction.

(4) Turn left at the right-angle bend, cross a stream and follow the grassy path which then leads to another path at a place called Les Planches. Turn right onto Chemin de la Servantie and cross a small bridge. Continue on the right until you reach the D709.

(5) Take care when crossing the road and continue straight ahead for 200 m. At the crossroads, turn right onto the path towards the hamlet of La Veyssière.

(6) Just before you get there, turn left onto the small path. Continue straight ahead at the three-way junction, leaving the path on your left. After the hill that crosses the pine forest, turn right at the three-way junction. On the long straight stretch, continue along this path, leaving the path on your right. After a few hundred metres, continue straight ahead towards Le Grand Claud, leaving the D.F.C.I. track on your left.

(7) At the fork, turn right. Further on, there is a lovely view of the private Méraud pond.

(8) Then turn right towards Le Bleuil. Walk alongside another private pond. Continue straight ahead, passing the first path on the right and the next path on the left. View on the right of the Étang Privé du Bleuil. At the tarmac road, continue straight ahead. View on the right of a private pond before arriving at the hamlet of Le Bleuil, which you cross.

(9) Turn left, heading north, onto the small grassy path 150 m before the D709. Walk alongside a large meadow on the left, then take the path that leads to the right. Continue straight ahead, passing a small path on the left, and continue along the tarmac road to Banoux until you reach the D709.

(10) Cross carefully and take the Route du Petit Pont opposite. Cross the Beauronne and follow the tarmac road through the hamlet of Marroux-Bas. At the end of the Route du Petit Pont, you will see the covered well of Billebeau. Turn right and continue for about 100 metres.

(11) Then leave the tarmac road and turn left onto Chemin des Anciennes Vignes, which runs alongside a large meadow with a pretty view of a private pond. At the end, turn right onto Chemin de l'Impasse des Verrières, then rejoin the tarmac road. Turn left to return tothe start/finish point.

This hike can be done on foot, by mountain bike or on horseback.

The village and its church.

The Double Forest.

The Puy de Siorac fountain
This fountain, which was once public, was sold in 1956. The mayor at the time sold almost all of the fountains in the municipality to finance the cemetery wall.