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Park at the top of the village of Olloix, in a small car park near the cemetery, chapel and picnic area.
(S/E) Take the path marked with a sign for "Gorges de la Monne" and marked in blue to the river.
(1) At the fork, go down to the left. Further on, the path turns left, then takes a sharp right turn and approaches the Monne.
(2) Find a staircase on your left and descend towards the river. At the bottom, cross the footbridge and turn right to follow the Monne. The blue markings disappear. Follow the Monne as closely as possible. Be careful! The path is difficult and can be slippery in wet weather. In some places, a rope helps you cross tricky sections. So be careful until you reach the Pont de Riberolles bridge.
(3) Here you will find the red and white markings ofthe GR®30. Do not cross the bridge, but climb up to the left via a fairly steep path. At the top, you may encounter a herd of small cows (Holstein breed, reared for the production of Saint-Nectaire cheese). Be careful! When leaving the pasture, if there are cows present, you will need to pass under the electric fence, which is a single, barely visible wire. Continue along the wider path to the road, then turn left.
(4) About 300 metres further on, take the path on the left, following theGR® markings and another yellow marking. A sign lying on the embankment indicates "Dolmen". Further on, on your right, you will see the dolmen in question, the Allée Couverte de la Grotte, standing on a small rocky plateau.
(5) Return to the path and follow it to the right. At the next two forks, bear right, going around the covered passage site to reach a road.
(6) Follow this road to the left for about a hundred metres. Then take the path on the right.
(7) At the fork, continue to the right.
(8) At the next fork, leave theGR®30, which branches off to the left, and continue to the right. This section of the route is marked in yellow until Cournols. Join a road and follow it to the left to enter the village of Cournols. At the entrance to the village, on your left, you will see a fish pond. Continue along this road to cross the village.
(9) At the edge of the village, at the town hall (on your left), turn right onto the road, following the sign for "GR® à 300m, Dolmen". Ignore a path on the right. The next path on the right is the one you took on the way there, towards the dolmen.
(4) Continue straight ahead and retrace your steps, following the same route as on the way there to the Pont de Riberolles bridge, following the red and white markings ofthe GR®30. Please note: do not forget to go under the electric fence to enter the grazing area. Take care on the steep path down into the gorges.
(3) Cross the Monne river via the Pont de Riberolles bridge and climb up the opposite bank, continuing to follow theGR® markings.
(10) Just after the wooden barrier (direction signs), leave theGR® trail, which branches off to the right, and follow the path on the left towards Saint-Sandoux.
(11) About 600m further on, take the path marked Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle via Arnerna (a sort of blue shell with yellow rays) and a red B4 marker on the left. This path leads you about 1.7km to the end of the plateau. The IGN map indicates "Archaeological remains", but I found no explanation on the site. However, the natural site is very pleasant, with large expanses of lawns and rocky outcrops. About halfway along, you will pass a cattle grid. Further on, at a stepladder that allows you to climb over a fence on the left, do not use it but continue straight ahead. Climb up a small rocky mound, then descend and continue behind it to the end of the path. You are now at the end of the plateau.
(12) Notice the low stone walls, evidence of former agricultural activity. From here, you have a beautiful view of the Gorges de la Monne, as well as the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Randol, an imposing contemporary abbey set in a beautiful location. To the right of the abbey and a little further on, you will see the castle and church of Saint-Saturnin, one of the five most beautiful churches in Auvergne. Return by the same route you took on the way there.
(11) Continue to the left, without markings. About 50 metres further on, you will see a Christianised rock on your right. Another 50 metres further on, continue along the same path, which turns to the right, ignoring a path (red marker) that branches off to the left.
(13) Pass close to a farm and continue straight ahead. You will come to a small road which you follow to the right until you reach the entrance to Olloix.
(14) Turn right to walk up through the village on the main street (Rue des Trois Puys). Note that many houses have enamelled lava plaques. These plaques often feature place names known to the elders, written in patois ("tsa" means "at").
Arrive at the car park (S/E).
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