Mont Julioz from Doucy

Departure from the Cornes car park. To get there, head to the village of La Compôte. Shortly after the church, follow the D60 towards Doucy. Pass through Doucy dessous, La Chapelle and Le Cul du Bois in succession. The car park is located at the end of the road.

Signposts are located at major intersections.

Red and yellow markings (sparingly used)

(S/E) Head north, following the road, and take a stony track towards Golet de Doucy. Walk along a slight incline, alternating between ascents and descents.

(1) At the "Rayat" sign, continue straight on towards Golet de Doucy and begin the climb into the forest.

(2) At the fork (not shown on the map), take the left-hand track, which is less stony (the right-hand track is blocked by boulders). Cross a stream and climb steeply, still in the forest. At the "Sous le Golet" signpost, continue straight ahead and you will soon reach the golet, in open terrain (alpine chalets on the right).

Red and white markings (sparingly).

(3) Then take a grassy path on the left towards the Col de Plane. Go through a gate in an electric fence and climb under the spruce trees. Higher up, in more open terrain, the path gives way to a trail. Follow a few switchbacks and arrive at the "Le Grésillon" signpost.

Yellow markings (hypothetical)

(4) Turn left towards Mont Julioz. The route along the ridge runs almost entirely through a beech forest (and therefore with little view). It starts with a slightly sloping path, then descends. Then climb steeply up the path, which becomes less marked and strewn with small rocks. Pass at the foot of a rock where "16T" is engraved in red, descend briefly and arrive at a sort of hollow.

Yellow markings (sparingly).

(5) Climb steeply up the opposite side. The path becomes less and less marked and follows the ridge. Walk mainly between rocks. A few small climbing steps require the use of your hands. Be careful to stay on the path and watch out for a few steep drops on the right-hand side. You will arrive at a clear plateau and very quickly reach a secondary summit.

(6) There are two options:
- Stop the hike here. The summit is relatively more comfortable than that of Mont Julioz and the view is just as beautiful. This option may be suitable for people who are uncomfortable walking among rocks or prone to vertigo.
- As marked on the map, continue south towards the summit of Mont Julioz, which is close by and clearly visible. Move between the rocks and cross a small slab of sharp limestone pavement (be careful of the sheer drop on the left). Descend to cross a gap and climb up the other side (passages equipped with a fixed rope). Climb a few more rocks to reach the summit (small metal cross).

(7) The return journey follows the same route in reverse. You will therefore need to cross the gap again to reach the secondary summit.

(6) Descend to the hollow , taking care when stepping down.

Yellow markings (hypothetical)

(5) Climb briefly, then alternate between a long descent and a climb on a better-marked trail. Finish on a slight incline to reach the "Le Grésillon" signpost.

Red and white markings (sparing)

(4) Turn sharply to the right and descend to Golet de Doucy.

Red and yellow markings (sparing)

(3) Take the track on the right towards Rayat and Les Cornes and follow it to the car park where you started (S/E).

Hiking boots are essential. Walking sticks are useful when walking along the ridge between (4) and (7), as well as between (3) and (4) when conditions are wet (slippery terrain).

No water sources identified along the route.

Recommendation:
For the ridge route between (4) and (7), it is recommended that you follow the route using the Visorando app, given the absence or scarcity of signposts and the fact that the path is poorly or very poorly marked between (5) and (7). A detailed map is always useful (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 29 October 2025.

Beautiful alpine pasture site at Golet de Doucy (3).

Superb panorama from the summit (7) or its secondary summit (6).
- To the east, from left to right, Pointe de Banc Plat, Dents des Portes, Mont Trélod (highest point) and Dent de Pleuven.
- To the west, the Chéran valley.
- To the south, in the distance, the Chartreuse.