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Car park: from Nods, take the Grande Rue south-east, then the Chemin de la Chenaux; go under the N57; there is a large car park 200 m further on.
(S/E) The walk starts by taking the road downhill. At the tunnel, take the path opposite, walk 10 m and take the small path leading into the woods on the right. Yellow markings.
Follow this marked path for 700 m until you reach a track; turn right and walk 100 m.
(1) Leave the track and follow the path to the left, marked with yellow signs. Climb over the rocks to reach a pasture. Follow the edge on the left-hand side.
Once again, the path enters the woods on the left, marked with yellow signs. Follow it to a road, cross over and take the path opposite which leads onto a track 5 m further on.
On this track, turn left and follow it to the road, cross over and walk up the road for a few metres.
(2) Take the path on the left under a power line (it feels like you’re heading into a ditch). Follow it to the top.
(3) Just as the path turns to go downhill, turn right onto a barely visible path that climbs. Be careful, as it is quite steep in places; at one point a fallen fir tree lies across the path, obscuring it.
You’ll reach the ruins of Cicon Castle, which was destroyed in 1479; nothing remains (a ditch, carved into the bare rock, serving as a staircase in the rock...).
(4) You have a magnificent view of the villages of Vanclans and Nods.
Head towards the power line and go down a wooden staircase; then take the path opposite that leads down to the road.
Turn right until you reach a junction. Turn right, walk a few metres, then turn left onto the path that climbs into the woods. When you reach a crossroads, continue straight on and follow the path uphill.
At another junction with a path, take the path on the right that climbs, go over the top and head downhill.
Look out for a pasture: take the path on the left before it; this leads to the FFI monument.
(5) On this site: a historical information panel, a plaque commemorating the resistance fighters who died for France. Views over the plateau and also of Crêt Monniot.
At the information panel, look out for a turnstile. Go through it and climb up to the left; at the top, rejoin the path marked with yellow signposts. Follow it to a road with an antenna. Turn left and head down to the hunting lodge.
(6) Take a path on the right, follow it for just over 1 km; note a rock face on the right. When the path drops steeply down to the foot of the rock face, take the small path on the right; it leads onto a track. Continue straight on until you reach a crossroads.
(7) Turn onto the first path on the right, which goes downhill. Continue to the entrance to the village of Passonfontaine.
(8) At the water tower, go round the back to find a path that joins the road below. On this road, turn right until you reach the fountain. At the fountain, on the left, follow the path for a walk around Étang le Barchet and its peat bogs. At the end of the peat bogs, you’ll come to a road.
(9) Turn left onto this road and head towards the hamlet of Sur le Geai. Follow the road, keeping to the right. Enter the woods and follow the road until you reach a wide track on the left.
(10) Take this path into the Combe Provence, enter a pasture and continue straight on. At one point, the path bends to the right. Take the path that climbs to the far left.
You’ll arrive in a pasture; head towards the hut, pass to its left and, opposite, take a path that has been cleared to get over the fence. The path isn’t very well marked on the ground. Keep slightly to the right and climb to the top until you reach Derrière la Roche.
(11) Climb onto the rock to enjoy a beautiful view (the two farms are Le Séminaire and Les Bouts de Nods).
To the north of this rock there is a narrow passage in the rock; crouch to get through it. On the other side, rejoin the path between the rocks, then follow it down a steep slope through the woods to reach a pasture. Walk down to the road and turn right.
(12) A little further on, on the left, at a long, narrow pasture with a path, take this path. About 100 m before the farm, follow the path that climbs to the right.
At the next junction of paths, turn right; at one point there will be a pasture on your right, pass it and, a few metres further on, follow a path on the left. Continue along this path until you reach the road.
(13) Head straight on towards the entrance to a pasture; if you keep to the left, there is a path; take this for about 800 m until you reach a wide path. Follow this down to the track, turn left, then right, following the yellow signpost, until you reach the road (at a wayside shrine).
(14) Turn right onto the road and return to the car park (S/E).
Association / Club / Walk leader
Visorando Member
Easy 
