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Departure near Monthoux, reached from Saint-Jean-de-Chevelu or the Tunnel du Chat.
Park at the viewpoint on the D44, near the relay antennas.
(S/E) Walk down about a hundred metres to the north-east on the road and turn right onto a gravel track closed to general traffic, which climbs between the forest and fields and, shortly after being joined by the marked path from Monthoud, arrives at the Cheval de Pierre crossroads.
(1) Turn right towards the east onto the level path and when it climbs to the left, leave it for a narrower path that descends slightly to the south to cross above the Col du Chat road before climbing back up to a pass in the Marais area (important crossroads a few metres to the right).
(2) Turn left towards the old iron mines (north) until you reach the "Dessus Gratte-Loup" crossroads.
(3) Turn left to climb straight up the slope. The path gradually veers to the right, its slope levelling out to follow the terrain and reach the mountain ridge at an altitude of 800 m.
Turn right to follow the ascending ridge that leads to the first high point, "l'Éterlou" (880 m).
(4) Continue along the ridge trail northwards to a second high point, "le Chamois" (905 m on IGN maps).
(5) From there, the off-trail route begins, with its ascents and descents on the wide wooded ridge. The undergrowth is pleasant: no brambles and little scrub. In places, there are more or less marked paths and old blue markings that are faded and therefore rarely visible; the easiest way is to follow the fluorescent orange tracks left by hunters, which are sometimes difficult to miss.
This crossing begins with a descent followed by an ascent to a rocky outcrop that is easier to bypass on the left. After crossing a few bumps and hollows, a path climbs up to the edge of the highest point of this part of the route, at an altitude of 968 m.
(6) The rest of the route is similar, with more moderate terrain, and the path closer to the top of the western cliffs of the range.
After a while, it descends to join a rather muddy forest track coming up from the right: follow it to the left, avoiding the ruts.
(7) When this track descends sharply to the left, leave it on the right to climb off-trail: first follow the municipal boundary (red markings), then when this boundary passes into the steep western slope, climb to the right to the nearby summit at 995 m and descend a little to the north-east to reach an old forest path that is still well marked but cluttered.
Follow it northwards, staying close to the ridge. When it turns right to descend the eastern slope, leave it to climb north-west into the forest and join the nearby Poulailler path.
(8) Take this abandoned path to the right. It skirts the eastern ridge descending from the main summit to cross the north-eastern slope, then begins to climb again and turns into a trail to join the path ascending to the right of Ontex (cairn).
Take it to the left to climb straight up the slope to Sous la Charvaz.
(9) Turn right to climb for 10 minutes to the small pass below the summit.
(10) From there, visit the "natural viewing platform" on the left, then the triangulation point on the right, and descend.
(9) Turn right to descend south-east, first straight ahead and then in hairpin bends, to reach a good forest path at "Poulailler".
(11) Turn right and descend through a coniferous forest to the junction with the muddy forest track you took on the way up.
(12) Continue down the path, which becomes increasingly easier to walk on. After a few hairpin bends passing Sur le Crêtet, you will arrive at the Chapieu junction.
(13) Turn left onto the good path, which first climbs and then levels out above the meadows.
(14) At the end of this crossing, directly below Monthoux, turn right to begin the descent southwards, which gradually leads back to Cheval de Pierre.
(1) Descend the route followed at the start of the climb and return to the starting car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
