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Parking in the centre of Les Gras, Place de la Libération, in front of the post office.
(S/E) Head towards the fountain and climb up to the right towards the church to see a beautiful statue of Joan of Arc under the porch and to visit the church if it is open. Return to the centre of the village, to the war memorial (at the foot of the church) and climb the alley on the left towards the school and, at the no entry sign, turn left into Rue de l'Abbé Monnin.
(1) At the entrance to the cemetery, go up to the right along the D47 road for 10 metres and immediately turn right onto a gravel path. The path soon splits (forest marker no. 5), climb up to the left. A little further up, it joins a path coming up from the right. Continue left to pass in front of a water tower. You will rejoin the D47 at a large gravel area.
(2) Without turning onto the road, look for a mountain bike sign on the right that invites you to take the forest path on the right, which quickly branches off. Continue to follow the signs for the VTT13 circuit, taking the left-hand lane. At a crossroads (viewpoint over the Val de Morteau), take the left-hand branch uphill. At forest sign no. 7, leave the mountain bike circuit and head left up a well-graveled path.
(3) Please note! About 50 metres before the main road that you can see at the end of the path, look out for a marker (hiker pictogram) on the left-hand side. Then turn right onto the path, the start of which is hidden in the tall grass. You will come to the main road, which you should cross, continuing along the forest path opposite.
(4) At a crossroads, you will see another signpost. Despite the invitation to turn left, continue straight ahead following the mountain bike trail. You will soon see the signposts of our Swiss friends. Continue straight ahead in the direction of "Côte du Cerf". You will also see the yellow and blue signposts. When the path forks, continue along the left-hand path that runs along the cornices.
(5) You will discover views of the valley, which you should approach with caution.
(6) When the path climbs up and down a small dip, look for a marker on the left, leave the well-marked path and climb (carefully) towards the edge of the cliffs to discover a wider viewpoint 200 metres away.
(7). You can also simply continue along the path for 150 metres and climb up to the viewpoint on the left where the rocks stand out against the sky. The view is slightly obstructed by trees, but be patient, the last viewpoint will be superb! The ridge line is dotted with small viewpoints and beautiful crevices. At the small log refuge, continue along the path that runs along the ledges.
(8) You will soon come across a marker post, a boundary marker (126) and a place to picnic while enjoying the magnificent view of the valley. Continue along the ledges on the small path (towards "La Vy aux Moines"), following the border, one foot in Switzerland, the other in France, surrounded by gentians. Be careful, the exposed rocks can be treacherous for your ankles!
(9) You will enter a meadow. Head towards the lodge and descend to the left before the house. You are now in Switzerland. You will arrive at a large pasture to the sound of cowbells. Head left, staying about 20 metres from the edge of the woods, with a beautiful view of the Morteau valley. Descend to the right towards a marker post and the entrance to the pile of stone gathered from fields, which you cross via a small ladder.
(10) You enter the woods and come to another boundary marker, soon accompanied by the murmur of the Théverot stream. At the marker post in the hamlet, continue straight on towards Les Gras.
(11) Be careful! Three hundred metres after a farm, look for a sign on a telephone pole inviting you to turn right into the woods. The start of the path is not very visible. Cross the stream via a footbridge and climb the wooded hillside. You will arrive at the top of the village, on Rue des Épaisses, which you will descend to the left, passing a dead end on your left and descending to the right towards the village square and the car park (S/E).
The route includes cliff-top paths and unsecured viewpoints. The paths are rocky and slippery in places. Sturdy footwear is essential and walking sticks are recommended.
Visorando member
Easy 
