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Departure from Croix de Franchard (parking spaces at the edge of the roundabout). If the car park is full, go to the nearby Gorges de Franchard car park.
(S/E) Head east on Route du Cèdre. At the crossroads of the same name, continue almost opposite, still on Route du Cèdre.
(1) At the Carrefour du Renard crossroads, turn right. Shortly afterwards, turn left onto path no. 7, marked in blue. Cross two roads, the second being Route du Gerfault.
(2) At the next crossroads, take the second road on the right (south-east), Route de l'Œuf. Cross Route du Coq and descend to Carrefour du Mont Fessas.
(3) Take the second right, trail no. 8 marked in blue. Climb the spiral path to the summit of Mont Aigu (beautiful viewpoint; on the left, a rock known as "le Tonnerre"; on the right, a rock known as "le Sycophante"). Continue along the blue trail to descend. This will take you to the Grotte du Serment de Denecourt.
(4) Continue along the blue trail and soon turn right. Further on, turn left onto blue trail no. 8-8 and you will reach the stele dedicated to Denecourt and Colinet, located in a rocky crevice.
(5) Continue south for about 100 metres. You will come out onto the Route des Gorges. Follow it to the right (leaving the Blue trail straight ahead).
(6) After about 400 metres, turn left onto Route Henriquez and climb uphill. Cross Blue Trail No. 8 and descend. At Carrefour Dutour (three very tall Laricio pines), continue roughly opposite on Route Hernandez. Come out onto Route du Long Boyau and follow it to the right.
(7) At the next crossroads, turn right onto a path. Cross Route du Pin Sylvestre and climb towards the Rochers du Long Boyau. We recommend following the route with the Visorando app here. At the top, cross a horizontal path and look at the quarry face, the remains of the old sandstone quarries. Note an old underground quarry shelter with a beautiful stone assembly. Continue to the left along the quarry face and a little further on, join the path you crossed earlier. Turn right and join Route du Sommet.
(8) Then turn left onto this path and follow the blue-marked trail no. 7-8. Stay on this marked trail, which winds between the rocks, and ignore all the side paths. This will take you to the Route Ronde (D301).
(9) Cross this road with caution and continue straight ahead on Route des Gorges de Franchard. You will reach a crossroads after about 500 metres.
(10) Then take the Route de Tavannes on the right towards the hermitage. Follow the blue trail no. 7-7, pass in front of the rock known as the "Sphinx des Druides" and continue for about 200 m.
(11) Then turn left onto a barely visible path (leave the blue trail straight ahead). Stay on the plateau and leave a pond on your right. Continue naturally on the plateau, more or less following the edge. Take the sandstone steps to reach Route de la Roche qui Pleure (information signs).
(12) Turn sharply left onto Route de la Roche qui Pleure, which descends south-west through a rocky chaos. This will take you to Route Amédée, which you should follow to the right (west), slightly downhill.
(13) Take a path that branches off to the right. Climb and keep heading north-west until you reach the Blue Trail No. 7 at the plateau.
(14) Follow the Blue trail to the right. After about 100 metres, when the trail turns right, continue straight ahead and descend, following the existing tracks as best you can, to the Route de l'Ermitage at the bottom of the valley.
(15) Cross this road and climb up opposite for about fifty metres. At a flat section, turn right, climbing slightly and crossing several small sandy areas (check your route with GPS). Further on, join the Route de l'Ermitage and follow it as it continues. Pass at the foot of an old fire observation and surveillance tower and reach a crossroads (plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of the creation of the IUCN in Fontainebleau in 1948).
(16) Continue straight on along the Route de l'Ermitage to the Carrefour de la Croix de Franchard (S/E).
Visorando member
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Difficult 
