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In Vernines, park on the Place des Marronniers, which is lined with young chestnut trees, near the petrol pumps, the communal oven and a blacksmith's workshop with a picnic table. Look for the Balirando Haute Vallée de la Sioule sign, which is another name for the hike described here.
Green markings, lines and smallPR®® signs along the entire route.
(S/E) Return to the main road and follow it to the left. You will soon arrive at another square with a beautiful carved stone cross. Continue towards the church on Rue des Forges, then turn right onto Rue de l'Église just before it. At the crossroads, make a short detour to the right until you reach a fountain and another blacksmith's shop, then, back at the crossroads, follow Rue de l'École opposite and continue until the road bends to the left.
(1) Continue straight ahead on the path that leads to a street in the hamlet of Bessat.
(2) Continue straight ahead on the road, then turn right onto Rue du Four, follow the bend in the road to the left, pass a fountain and wash house, then turn right onto a grassy path (do not follow the road). You will come to a road.
(3) Follow it to the left, cross a bridge over the Sioule and ignore the path on the left. You will reach the hamlet of Ribeyre.
(4) At the fork in the road, follow the signs for Ribeyre on the left. At the oven and the blacksmith's forge, which is used as a wood shed, turn left onto Rue des Garettes. Follow the street around a right-hand bend, ignoring the path on the left, then ignore a street and a dead end on the left, and turn left at the next street, which becomes a path further on. Ignore a path on the left and you will come to a T-junction.
(5) Follow the path to the right. Shortly afterwards, cross a small road and continue on the path opposite. At a fork in the path, keep left. Further on, pass under some beautiful beech trees, following a stream. Turn onto the path on the left and join a road, passing over the Sioulet.
(6) Follow it to the left. Pass a house, La Maronie, and continue on the path that extends the road. Further up, follow the path around a right-hand bend, ignoring the path that goes straight ahead. Reach the hamlet of Neuville, ignore a street on the left and arrive at a square.
(7) Leave the oven and a large fountain on your right and continue straight ahead on Chemin des Vergnes. Leave a path on your left, continue straight ahead and join a road.
(8) Follow it to the left, then turn onto the first road on the right. Follow this small road, ignoring a path, then a road on the right and a path on the left. Turn around for views of the Chaîne des Puys. You will arrive at a crossroads with a stone cross.
(9) Follow the road to the left towards Fontsalive, Chevalard. In the bend in the road to the right, you can make a return trip to reach the Ruisseau Chevalard by taking the path that goes straight ahead. Further down, you will need to open a gate and close it behind you (this is a cow pasture, so please respect the property and keep quiet). Then go back up the road and continue left to reach the hamlet of Chavalard. Just after the entrance sign, a path branches off to the right.
(10) Follow it until you reach a road.
(11) Follow it to the right, then turn onto a path on the left and arrive at a crossroads with an old road.
(12) Follow it to the right. When you reach the first houses in Vernines, turn left onto Rue du Prada, pass a pretty wrought-iron cross, continue straight ahead ignoring the side streets, note the drinking troughs at Rue de la Fontaine, and you will arrive at the square you crossed at the start of the walk. Turn right at the cross and you will immediately find the car park (S/E).
