Les Herbeys via Notre-Dame de Paris, starting from Entrepierre

The route starts from the small village of Entrepierre, south of Saint-Jacques-de-Valgodemar.
Parking is available in the car park of the Clarines farmhouse inn. Please respect the spaces reserved for the inn’s guests.

(S/E) From the car park, take the Chemin Dibère, signposted by a sign, which leads uphill.
The small road turns into a dirt track at the last house. Join the^GR® at the junction signposted ‘Entrepierre 970 m’. Continue to the right up a slope which soon leads into the forest.
After about 400 m, you’ll reach a crossroads signposted ‘Sur les Blachus 1070 m’. Leave the^GR® – which continues straight on – and head down the path on the right towards Les Blachus and Les Paris.

(1) When you reach the D316 road, cross it and continue along the path which descends into a wood towards Les Paris, where you will soon catch sight of the little chapel.

(2) At Les Paris, leave the path leading to Mandaty on your left and walk past the few houses to visit the little Chapel of Notre-Dame des Paris.
Immediately after the last house, take the path on the left which leads down towards La Blache. The path crosses the Canal des Herbeys and soon reaches La Blache.

(3) Cross the Ruisseau des Chaberts to the left and walk to the right past the large building complex along the tarmac road that runs between the houses. Continue along this small road, which runs along the edge of a beautiful beech forest, towards the N85.

(4) Just before the junction with the N85, turn left onto the main track leading up to the Château des Herbeys, ignoring a track on the right signposted ‘VTT-FFC’.
Before you reach the Château des Herbeys, you’ll be greeted by a few llamas who are likely to be watching you from behind their fence.

(5) Château des Herbeys is a charming hotel that is usually closed in winter. Once you’ve passed through the gate, take the small road on the left which climbs towards the hamlet of L’Hôpital.
Just before reaching the hamlet of L’Hôpital, under the power lines, turn left onto the wide track leading up towards Mandaty. You’ll reach it quickly; pass the beautiful house in Mandaty and arrive at the crossroads 50 metres further up.

(6) Ignore the path on the left coming from Les Paris, as well as the one continuing it on the right, and take the path opposite that climbs towards Les Blachus.
After a long, scenic climb through the forest, followed by a short descent, you’ll reach Les Blachus.

(7) In the hamlet, take the D316 on the left until you rejoin the path you originally came down.

(1) Take this path on the right to rejoin the climb you descended on the way there. When you reach the crossroads signposted ‘Sur les Blachus 1070 m’, turn left onto the original path (^GR®50) and you’ll reach the Entrepierre crossroads after the descent. Leave the^GR®50and turn left onto the path leading down to the Clarines car park (S/E).

The walk can be done on foot, on snowshoes or by mountain bike.
Easy trails, though good footwear is required.
We did this circular walk in January on snowshoes.
Most of the trails are suitable for mountain biking.
There are numerous water sources along the route, including fountains (drinking water?) and streams and brooks.
For refreshments and a bite to eat, there’s the Clarines farmhouse inn and, in season, the Château des Herbeys.
Accommodation in Entrepierre (Les Clarines), Château des Herbeys, and the Paris and Blachus guesthouses.

Throughout the walk, there are numerous vantage points offering views of the surrounding mountains and the Valgaudemard valley.
Beautiful stretches through beech and coniferous woodland.
Charming hamlets such as Entrepierre, Les Paris and La Blache...