The terrain south of Lamargelle

(S/E) From the town hall courtyard, head down towards the river via a small dirt path followed by a few steps. Then take Rue du Vivier on the right. At the^first junction, turn left onto Rue de Pellerey. After a stone wall, visit a small wash house, known as ‘d’en Haut’, situated on a leat of the River Ignon.

(1) Continue along Rue de Pellerey, passing a farm on the right, until you reach the Moulin d’en Haut.

(2) At the crossroads, continue straight on along the white path to reach the Ignon. First cross the leat of the Moulin d’en Haut, then the “wild” Ignon. Continue along the white path towards the forest.

(3) At the next junction, take the correct path on the left and climb up the Soitures hillside. Then cross a field, with a vast, unobstructed panorama, cross the Bois de la Charpeigne and come out onto the road leading up from the village.

(4) Head straight on for a few metres, then turn right onto the white path. Continue climbing up onto the plateau, with another sweeping panorama, to reach the entrance to a quarry that is still in operation.

(5) Continue along the white path through a small wood to reach the entrance to the Petite Montagne farm.

(6) Leave it on your right and follow the path which then descends, first through a field, then through woods and finally, at the bottom, into a valley.

(7) In this Combe de Saint-Seine, turn left onto the thalweg path. Descend between a steep slope on the left and a gentler one on the right, with scattered rocks on both sides. You will reach a junction at the mouth of two large valleys on either side.

(8) Continue down the thalweg of the Combe de Saint-Seine, and arrive at a hollow after some springs on the left, recognisable by the pebbles their waters have deposited in the valley.

(9) Then turn left onto the rather steep path that climbs up, marked with pink paint on the trees. As it climbs, it leaves the new valley floor of this valley to your right. Continue up the slope until you emerge at the top onto a wide forest track, a flat dirt path. Take this to the left until you reach a large hunting lodge.

(10) Walk past this hut, keeping it on your left, and take the wide path on the right. It runs flat through the forest on the plateau before descending to a large four-way junction. Take the path furthest to the left, which is also the steepest. Continue along this path down a fairly steep slope. After the sharp bend to the left, the going becomes gentler. Walk past a shed to reach a small road.

(11) Follow it to the left to return to Lamargelle, crossing a small stream via a bridge and then passing the cemetery on the left. Continue until you reach the small road leading to the quarry. The castle is opposite. Turn right to cross the Ignon over a beautiful stone bridge. Immediately afterwards, turn left onto the path leading to the Lavoir d’en Bas. Head back up Rue de Frénois, cross the village by keeping left and reach the church then the town hall (S/E).

Easy parking at Lamargelle town hall.

The final valley is quite difficult, with a gradient of over 15%; it is possible to return by taking the path to the other valley at (8).

The very pretty village of Lamargelle: the Ignon valley, the wash houses, the castle (private).

In the village, head down Rue du Lavoir to admire this small columned wash house and the Abîme site with views of the castle.