The Forez Mountains on the heights of Montbrison

Park in the car park near the boules court at the junction of Route du Leat des Espagnols and the D113.

(S/E) Follow the tarmac Route du Bief des Espagnols to the left. Take the second small road on the right, Allée du Puy Chavant, which turns into a dirt track. Head down to the Cotayet stream, cross it and follow the path which climbs immediately to the right up to the farm in the hamlet of Le Granger.

(1) Take the tarmac road on the right. Cross La Perrière and continue to the next junction.

(2) Facing the Route de la Selle, head down the dirt track to the right until you reach the tarmac road. Cross it and take the path leading uphill opposite, through the woods of garolles (pollarded Scots pines). Cut across a path and climb up to Le Romanet.

(3) Turn off onto the path on the right.

(4) After passing Malleval, leave the path that turns right and continue uphill. At the flat stretch, take the path on the left. After a steep climb, cross the road (D113), continue along the path opposite for 100 m and turn left to reach a housing estate.

(5) Walk alongside the housing estate; after the iron cross, head up to the right onto the small tarmac road, Chemin Gavot, which leads to the last houses in the estate. Continue along a path lined with low stone walls until you reach the level stretch.

(6) At the edge of the field, take the main path on the left, then head back towards the village, finishing by taking the small road downhill to the left.

(7) From the church car park, head down towards the war memorial, then follow Rue de la Grand Font to the left. Next, take the^first path on the right. Admire the ‘Grand Font’ on your right. Carry on to the river, cross it and head back up towards Le Plenet.

(8) As you emerge from the woods, take the first path on the right, lined with a stone wall. Follow it for 200 metres, then turn left onto a small, well-maintained path before the track plunges down into the valley. Follow the path until it runs alongside a field, then turn right and stay on it until you reach the next hamlet, Condamines.

(9) Turn right after the two gateways, walk through the hamlet, then turn right. The path offers a magnificent view of the village of Bard and the plain. Keep to the right at the junction with a wider path and, at the edge of the forest, turn left to descend towards the River Charavan. Cross it twice before climbing a steep path through a wood of garolles.

(10) At the top of the climb, turn left. Follow this path, which crosses the Charavan, until you reach a road in the hamlet of Le Sauzet.

(11) Ignore this road and take the hairpin bend to the right. After 200 m, follow the path to the left which joins the D44.

(12) Cross it, take the path opposite and continue to the hamlet of La Goutte. At house number 275, cross the road and walk alongside the deciduous woodland until you reach the tarmac road; take this to the left and you’ll arrive at the exit of a right-hand bend.

(13) At La Combe, take the^first path on the right, cross over and head straight through the hamlet of Le Bénevis. Follow the path as it curves to the right, continuing until you reach the small road.

(14) Turn left onto it and go round the house on the left, then carry on along the track until you reach the tarmac road.

(15) Turn left onto it, then quickly take the path opposite when the road bends to the right. Carry on straight ahead to reach the end of the road at the hamlet of Le Palais.

(16) Carry on to the left along the forest track (several PR® and mountain bike trails run alongside each other). Do not take the two paths on the left; continue along the track, which becomes very steep and leads out into a large clearing.

(17) After 50 m on the stony track, turn right and head down into the woods. Ignore the various paths branching off to the right or left; continue for about 1 km until you reach the edge of the woods.

(18) Take the track on the left and head for Dovezy after crossing the Cotayet stream.

(19) Take the small road before it joins the main road, then follow the narrow track: Chemin du Moulin. At the entrance gate to property no. 67, take the path leading down to the valley floor. At the bottom, before crossing the stream, note the ruins of an old mill still visible on the right. Head uphill towards the hamlet of Le Fay.

(20) At the first houses in Le Fay, take the small grassy path on the right. When you reach the tarmac road, turn left, cross the hamlet and head back down the road, Chemin du Fay, to the village of Lérigneux.

(21) On arriving in Lérigneux, turn right onto Rue de la Fougère. At the washhouse, turn left and head back up towards the village square.

(22) Go round the church on the right and take the small flight of steps to reach the Route des Monts du Forez on the left. Turn right towards Montbrison and head for the cemetery.

(23) Turn left towards Essertines, then take the^first path on the right and continue to the next junction.

(24) Turn left before the cross and continue along the Roman road for 2 km until you reach a tarmac road.

(25) Head right for 50 m, then turn left. Follow this road, then the track that winds down between the houses.

(26) At the junction, carry on to the right and take the first path on the left to the hamlet of Moulin Palais.

(27) Take the road that goes downhill for 200 metres and, at the crossroads on leaving the hamlet, follow the small road opposite, towards La Rochette.

(28) At the farm, take the path opposite.

(29) At the end of the Montfroment track, turn right onto the road leading down to Vinols and the car park (S/E).

This route was created by the Trails Committee of the municipalities of Bard and Lérigneux. You can find all the information at:https://www.bard.fr/fr/information/80782/guides-randonnees

In Bard, you can enjoy a meal at the Auberge de la Grand Font, and in Lérigneux at the restaurant and grocery shop ‘Le Coin des Ecureuils’.

In the village of Bard, you can eat at the Auberge de la Grand Font, and enjoy a drink at the Coin des Ecureuils in the centre of Lérigneux.

Garolles