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Starting point and access:
Departure from the Larry car park. Access to the car park is located on a bend in the D32 road connecting Vongy to Publier, which can be reached via the Vongy interchange on the road connecting Thonon-les-Bains and Evian-les-Bains (D1005, formerly N5). Access (small sign) is on the right-hand side of the road when coming from Vongy or the D1005: if coming from Publier, given the usual traffic, it is safer not to try to cut across the road at this point but to go to the roundabout, go all the way round it and head back up towards Publier. Once on the track leading to the car park, turn right at the fork immediately ahead.
Marked trails and signage:
At the car park, there is an information board with a map of the marked trails. This hike follows a large part of the route called "Boucle des vignes" (Vineyard Circular), but with Cultaz as the highest point, whereas the circular goes up to the Ecuries de Gavot.
In addition to the markings (present along almost the entire route), there are signposts at all major crossroads and, from place to place, marker posts with double yellow arrows.
Blue markings
(S/E) From the car park, go through a metal barrier and follow a wide path towards the Vignes de Pont, ignoring a few vague paths on either side. At a fork (sign), continue straight ahead (south) on the wide path towards the Vignes de Pont. A few hundred metres further on, ignore a very narrow path on the right. When you reach the Dranse, turn left. Further on, turn left to come out at the bottom of a large vineyard.
(1) Go around the vineyard on the left. Continue along the vineyard on your right and, at a fork (not shown on the map, cherry tree at the fork), follow the path on the left (marker post). Ignore a path that descends to the right towards the bottom of the vineyard and reach a crossroads (sign). Then take a sharp left turn onto a track towards Cultaz. After a few metres, leave the track and turn right, still heading towards Cultaz, and climb the steep slope until you reach a sign for "Sentier Botanique" (Botanical Trail).
(2) At the sign, turn right and follow a path that climbs steeply through a beech forest. After two hairpin bends, turn right, leaving an electricity pylon on your left, and continue on fairly level ground. At the "Fiogey 500m" sign, turn right towards Cultaz and climb under the pine forest. At a T-junction, just after a few wooden steps, turn left. After a few metres, turn right and follow a sort of ridge. After a few more wooden steps, you will reach the "Fiogey 530m" crossroads. Follow the path furthest to the right and, immediately after, ignore a faint path on the right. Further on, ignore a path on the left.
No markings
(3) At a fork (signposted "Bois de pins"), continue uphill on the left-hand path towards Cultaz (ignore the blue markings on the right). At the top of the hill, continue straight ahead (east; forest plot no. 40 painted red on a marker on the right-hand side) and exit the woods. Follow a grassy path between two meadows towards a house.
Blue + red and yellow markings
(4) From this point and until otherwise indicated, follow the direction of Marinel. So, at the crossroads in Cultaz, turn left onto a wide path that descends slightly between the meadows. When this path turns right (sign for "En Combaz"), continue straight ahead and descend onto a path through the undergrowth. At the crossroads on the descent, look for a sign on the right-hand side: turn right and climb slightly. At the top of the hill (abandoned vineyard on the left), turn right and follow a wide, shaded path.
Come out into open ground (view of Lake Geneva on the left), ignore a path coming from the right and pass an electricity pylon on your right. At the "Les Fourches" sign, join a tarmac road and follow it to the right. At the corner of No. 322 (sign for "Fontanex"), turn left down a stony path. At the bottom (sign for "Altitude 513m"), do not follow the signs for Marinel (on the right) but turn left towards Les Vignes de Pont.
Blue markings
(5) After a few metres (sign for Les Chênes), continue straight ahead on the small tarmac road. Head south-west then west-south-west, ignoring the paths branching off to the sides, and walk alongside a few vineyards. At a T-junction, follow the track to the right towards Milloches. After passing a vineyard on your left, ignore a path branching off to the right and walk alongside another vineyard on your right.
(6) At the next junction, turn left onto a grassy path towards Larry. Soon turn left with the path and walk alongside a hedge on your left. When you reach an electricity pylon on your right, keep to the edge of the vineyard on your left (marker post) and, after just a few metres, turn right onto a path that enters the undergrowth. Descend steeply, ignoring a steep path that branches off to the right to cut across a bend.
At the bottom of the descent (stream on the left), turn right at the hairpin bend and continue on relatively flat ground. At the crossroads, with the steep path mentioned above on your right, continue straight ahead on flat ground. Return to the fork you took at the start of the hike (sign), turn right onto the main path and you will soon reach the car park where you started (S/E).
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