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Parking for the cycle route in Ougney les Champs, at the foot of the footbridge. Yellow-red markings in the first section, then sparse yellow-blue markings, and finally, a large part of the route is unmarked.
(S/E) Take the small path that climbs towards the parapet. Cross the river and turn left towards Ougney le Bas. You will pass under the Rocher de la Louvière.
(1) At the first house in the village, turn right onto Chemin de la Vie, which quickly becomes stony. Walk along a pasture on your left. About 50 metres after it is bordered on both sides by a hedge of trees, leave it and continue climbing to the right.
(2) Do not enter the pasture, but go through the chicane inside the fence on the right to find a grassy path that becomes a beautiful forest path. At a second pasture, leave it again for the small path that climbs to the right. You will come to a wider path at a right angle. Climb up to the left. You will arrive at a small viewpoint overlooking the valley and the rocks of Fourbanne.
(3) You will pass a fir tree plantation on your left and the path will fork. Take the path climbing up to the right. Be careful! About 800 metres higher up, when the path turns sharply to the right, leave the marked path and head left towards Roche Rechevet, which you can see through the trees. A small path can be seen in the grass and disappears at a yellow-blue cross. Continue climbing carefully to the right, without getting too close to the rocks.
(4) At the top, the path reappears and you will come to a yellow-blue marker and an unsecured viewpoint overlooking the upper Doubs valley and Baume-les-Dames. Return to the marker and set off again to the left, carefully following the ledge. Twenty-five steps further on, you will see two new markers on a tree in the shape of a V. Pass between the branches of the V and climb the hill opposite, where you will find another marker about 50 metres further on. Then go around the hillock slightly to the right along a roughly marked path, following the next markers. A short trail of markers close together leads you to another hillock, then the path becomes clearer and leads you easily to the ridge.
(5) Turn right at a right angle. Leave the paths that climb up to the left and you will come to a crossroads.
(6) Continue straight ahead on the well-marked path opposite, staying on the ridge line and leaving the paths on your left.
(7) You will arrive at a beautiful crevice in the ridge. Continue a little further and, at a stone marker and forest signs 13, 12, 41, 28 and 29, carefully turn right (no path) and, without going too far to the left, head towards the dip in the ground close to the cliffs towards the Rocher de la Louvière promontory and its unsecured viewpoint over the Doubs valley, above Ougney-les-Champs, from Montagne d'Aigremont to the Vosges. Do not venture there if you do not have walking sticks. Return to the ridge line. A little further on, there is a small unsecured viewpoint over Roulans. The path widens and gradually moves away from the ridge line. You will cross a more open area.
(8) When you return to the undergrowth, pass forest sign 23 and a path that climbs up from the left. At the crossroads, about twenty metres further on, turn left for about thirty steps and leave this wide path for the path on the right, heading towards the Rechandet viewpoint. You will walk along a new, more wooded ridge. You will soon arrive at Rocher du Rechandet, a viewpoint offering a 180° view of the Doubs valley, from Besançon to Baume-les-Dames, Mont Souvance and Montagne Notre-Dame d'Aigremont, and on the right, the Vosges mountain range, which is not as blue as it seems! This viewpoint is unsecured but offers a beautiful, peaceful spot for a snack while enjoying the view.
(9) Return to the crossroads.
(8). At the central tree, which has a sign saying "Route Le Templenois", take the path on the left. Immediately, there is a fork in the path. Continue downhill on the well-marked path on the left.
(10) Further down, when the path turns sharply to the left, continue downhill to the right. At the more clearly marked stone path, turn left. At the bottom, look up for a last glimpse of the Rocher de la Louvière and you will find yourself back on the departmental road, where you will turn left to reach the footbridge and the car park (S/E).
The route includes cliff-edge paths and unsecured viewpoints. The paths are rocky and slippery in places. Sturdy footwear is essential and walking sticks are recommended.
Visorando member
Easy 
