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(S) Park in Malbrans in front of the town hall in the centre of the village. There are no signs.
Go down Rue des Vignes towards the stop sign and immediately turn left onto Rue du Grand Courtil, towards Scey-en-Varais - Castel-Saint-Denis, onto an old hiking trail that has lost all its signposts.
(1) At the next crossroads, at the foot of a calvary, continue straight ahead on the aptly named Chemin de Bellevue, which offers a panoramic view of the entire Loue valley, from Roche de Hautepierre to Mont Poupet, and a glimpse of Ornans. Continue along this small paved road, leaving the paths on your right. The road becomes stony as it enters the woods.
(2) You will pass under a high-voltage power line with a view of Castel Saint-Denis, somewhat spoiled by the metal poles. Continue straight ahead on the path in front of you. When it turns 90° to the left, leave it and continue straight down the small path. You will soon reach and follow an old pile of stones gathered from fields. You will arrive at a ledge. Descend to the right along beautiful rocks via a small ramp of about fifty steps.
(3) Be careful! This is the most difficult part of the description, as the trail becomes difficult to see. At the foot of the ramp, with your back to the cliff, you will see three paths from right to left: the first continues along the ramp and runs alongside the cliffs. You can follow this path for about 100 metres to admire the rocks and then climb back up. the second is a well-defined, inviting path down to the right, which you should ignore; and the last one is in front of you. It doesn't look like much, forming a right angle with the ramp, and you should descend it carefully (it is slippery when wet). It disappears after about ten metres, but continue down the wooded slope at a 45° angle to the left, quickly finding a path about a hundred metres below the cliffs, which you follow down to the right. You will soon come to a wide, well-marked path which you will follow up to the left and continue to the edge of the woods, continuing straight ahead across the meadow along the stony path.
(4) Turn left onto the paved road towards Malbrans. At the entrance to the village, you will once again have a view of the entire valley. At the crossroads with Rue de la Bascule, continue straight ahead towards Scey-en-Varais. At the next fork, at the fire hydrant, turn right onto Chemin de la Vierge. When the path becomes stony, turn left towards the Virgin Mary statue, passing the wooden barrier to arrive at a magnificent 360° panorama: to the south over the Loue Valley and to the north over the hills of Fontain and Montfaucon.
(5) Go back down and turn left onto the stony path which quickly enters the woods and joins a small tarmac road which you follow for 200 metres to the left, passing sharp limestone pavements on your left.
(6) About 50 metres after a clearing, look for a small path on the left that climbs up the wooded hillside. Stay on this well-marked, almost straight path for a good kilometre. The woods thin out and you come to a wider forest track.
(7) Head back up to the left. You will leave the woods and return to Malbrans through meadows. At the first houses, you will have a final view of Mont Poupet on your right.
(8) At the cemetery, continue straight ahead on Rue de la Fontaine, ignoring Route de Cléron, and take the second street on the right, Rue du Lavoir, which will take you back to the town hall (S/E).
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