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Park at the Place des Parsières, in the centre of the village of Montrodeix (restaurant, washhouse fountain).
Markings: Yellow Disc
(S/E) A first washhouse fountain stands in the middle of this square. Note the signpost on a lamppost. Head towards the bus shelter, walk past it and continue, keeping to the left of the road, until you reach the Chemin du Château Fort, which branches off to the left (there’s an information board set back a little further on, straight ahead, showing the Puy de Dôme railway line). Follow this path and, further on, ignore a track on the right and the path on the left which climbs up to the basalt columns. You’ll come to a fork in the road.
Unmarked
(1) Leave the yellow signposting and take the path on the right.
(2) At the T-junction with a track, turn right. Further on, cross a road and take the path opposite. You’ll come to a busier road (D942).
(3) Cross with care and continue along the path opposite, slightly to the left, then turn right after about 100 m. You’ll reach a junction with three paths and come across yellow signposting again.
Yellow Disc markings
Carry on straight ahead, towards Maison de Site. At the junction with a path, carry on straight ahead, then ignore a hairpin bend to the right and you’ll reach the D68.
(4) Cross the road and continue along the path opposite, still heading towards the Maison de Site, and, shortly afterwards, go straight on at the crossroads. You’ll reach the old road that used to climb to the summit of the Puy de Dôme, near the old toll booth.
(5) Carry on along the track opposite, crossing the Panoramique des Dômes railway line (make sure there’s no train in sight!). Then carry on straight ahead, ignoring all side paths and tracks, and leaving the Panoramique station (Maison de Site) far to your right, until you reach a four-way junction at the ‘Chemin des Gouris’ signpost (the name formerly given to young shepherds).
(6) Turn right, towards La Font de l’Arbre.
Green signposting
(7) At the next four-way junction, leave the yellow markings and follow the green-marked path to the left. About 250 m further on, turn right onto a path at a small greenPR®® sign.
(8) At the next crossroads, go straight on, then immediately ignore a hairpin bend to the right. At the fork in the road, veer to the left. Ignore a path leading to a field on the left, then look out for a grassy path climbing up in a hairpin bend to the right. Take this path for a short round trip to a wayside shrine with three massive crosses.
(9) Return to the path and continue along it to the right. At the T-junction with another path, turn right and you’ll immediately pass some drinking troughs. You’ll arrive at a crossroads in the village of Orcines, on the corner of the cemetery.
(10) Follow the street to the right, with the cemetery on your left. You’ll reach another crossroads by the church (hiking signpost). Go straight on, leaving the church on your left, then turn right immediately afterwards, passing in front of the town hall and a fountain-washhouse. You’ll come to Rue des Puys, opposite a school. Follow it to the right for a few metres, then turn onto the street branching off to the left. Further on, ignore a hairpin bend to the left.
Green markings and Yellow Disc markings
(11) Immediately afterwards, at a Fork in the road, turn left (note the yellow markings in addition to the green ones). At a cross on the left, ignore the path to the left and carry on straight ahead along the road. You’ll reach the D942. Cross with care and take Rue des Trois Fontaines opposite. You’ll arrive at the hamlet of La Baraque, at a crossroads.
Follow the road downhill, veering slightly to the left, towards the fountain and washhouse; pass to the right of it and continue straight on along the road. At the Fork in the road, ignore the Impasse des Marronniers on the left and follow the Chemin des Sables on the right, which leads to the hamlet of Le Cheix.
No signposting
Immediately afterwards, leave the signposts – which lead straight on – and continue along the Chemin des Sables, which curves to the right. When you reach a crossroads with a washhouse fountain, turn left; then, at the Fork in the road that appears straight away, turn right onto Rue des Acacias. Ignore Rue des Chazeaux on the right, then Rue des Iris on the left.
(12) At the junction with Rue de la Tupaine on the left, walk down for a few metres to find a fountain, washhouse and drinking trough (sign on the paved slanting streets). Head back up Rue des Acacias, noting the yellow andGR®® markings.
GR®® red and white markings and Yellow Disc markings
(12) Continue to the left. Ignore a street on the right, walk past the wooden house and continue along the path that follows on from the street (an ancient Roman road) as you leave Le Cheix. Underneath the high-voltage power lines, ignore the path on the left. You’ll come out onto a road.
Note a pretty cross on the right. Cross over and follow Rue de Belair opposite to enter Font de l’Arbre. Keep going straight on and you’ll come out onto the village’s main street (Route du Puy de Dôme). Walk a few metres to the right.
No signposting
(13) Leave the signposts, which continue straight on, and turn left towards the fountain and washhouse on Rue du Maréchal-Ferrand. Walk past the fountain and turn right across the small square to reach a T-junction with a street. Note, on the right, a fountain and the Tiretaine stream, which runs under a house.
Yellow Disc Markings
Turn left and rejoin the yellow markings. Ignore a street on the right. At the Fork in the road, follow Rue de la Tour to the left. At the next junction, follow Rue de la Cote Folle to the left. The tarmac ends; ignore a path on the left, then you’ll come to a street.
Cross over and carry on, still on Rue de la Cote Folle, opposite. You’ll reach a junction in Montrodeix. Note, on the right, an iron cross mounted on a Roman milestone. Head left then turn right onto Rue des Fonts Vieilles, passing in front of the large fountain-washhouse-watering trough. Carry on straight ahead to reach Place des Parsières (S/E).
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