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Start from the Isatis car park at the Carrefour de la Plaine de Macherin.
(S/E) Take the Route du Loup southwards, initially on flat ground, then uphill through a jumble of rocks. When you reach the edge of the plateau, follow theGR®11to the left for a few dozen metres.
(1) At a crossroads where theGR® trail branches off to the left, take the path on the right (Route Linné). It descends gently, winding its way downhill. Join the Route de la Tente and follow it to the right (west). At the first crossroads (plot no. 780), turn left (south) onto the Route du Louvard.
(2) At the junction with Route des Basses Plaines, continue straight ahead towards Route du Louvard opposite. The climb is steep but short. There is a remarkable tree-like holly on the left of the path (blue dot). At the top of the climb, turn right (west) until you reach the Hurlevent viewpoint.
(3) The path then curves halfway to the left, parallel to the arrival path. Rejoin Route du Louvard and follow it to the right. At the fork that appears very quickly (plot no. 784), turn right downhill (south). At the next crossroads (Carrefour de la Louve), turn right onto Route de la Louve, which is initially flat (west), then climbs towards a pass.
(4) At the pass, opposite the broken rock (see photo), turn right (west) onto the path that follows the ridge of Rocher de Corne-Biche (orange markings for a few metres, then no markings). Follow this ridge, zigzagging between the rocks. Pass a junction with a line of trees circled in white (see photo), which you will return to on the way back.
(5) Continue in the same direction (west) along the ridge. The path is mostly level but zigzags up and down between the rocks. There are several viewpoints over the Plaine de Chanfroy on the left and the Basse-Plaine on the right. You will come to the Tour de la Vierge (beautiful viewpoint).
(6) From here, continue in the same direction (west) along the ridge. After 400 metres, the path descends relatively steeply; keep left. Reach the plain and follow a path frequented by horse riders to the left (south-east). The path curves, turns west and joins the wide lane of the Chemin de la Plaine de Chanfroy. Follow it to the left for about 100 metres, then turn right (south-east) onto Allée des Fusillés. Visit the two monuments to the Resistance fighters who were shot on the right.
(7) After visiting the monument, continue along the Allée des Fusillés. Cross the Chemin des Enclos and, 100 metres further on, take a path diagonally to the left (west). Cross the Route de Chanfroy (plot no. 785) at the "Bornage" sign and climb a path to the north following the steepest slope. The path is steep and poorly marked, running alongside a line of trees ringed with white paint. Note the interesting old stone boundary markers, numbered from 425 to 429 in an old style (Ancien Régime, Empire?).
(5) Cross the ridge path taken on the way up and descend opposite, still in a straight line along the whitewashed trees, following the steepest slope (north); the descent is steep and slippery in wet weather. When you reach the plain, at the last stone marker, continue straight ahead (do not take the Route de la Louve on the right at an acute angle). A little further on, at a crossroads (plot 780), turn right (east) onto the Route des Basses Plaines.
(2) At the crossroads taken at the start of the hike, continue straight ahead. At a fork, continue straight ahead (ignore the Route d'Occident which branches off to the right).
(8) About 250m after this fork, at the sign for "Route du Loup vers Isatis" (plot no. 780), turn left uphill onto a faint track. Cross the Route de la Tente. At the next junction, Route des Hautes Plaines, turn right (east). At the next crossroads, turn left (north) onto Route Saint-Mégrin. At the next intersection, rejoin theGR®11(white and red markings) and continue straight ahead to the Point de Vue des Hautes Plaines viewpoint.
(9) Continue along Route Saint-Mégrin towards the east. After 200m, following the white and redGR® markings, leave the forest road and go down a small path on the left to join Route Mendel. At the next crossroads, leave the signs and turn right (east) onto Route des Gorges de Franchard. At the crossroads, take Route Amédée diagonally to the left. Head north-west and then descend towards a valley hollow.
(10) Continue straight ahead (east) on Route Amédée (leaving Route des Buttes de Fontainebleau on your left). After about 700m, turn right onto Route du Carnage (blue signpost, south-east). At the next junction, turn left onto Route des Gorges de Franchard (blue signpost, east). After about 150m, follow the blue signposts to the left which climb up a path.
(11) Pass a natural tunnel on your left. Continue following the blue markings towards the Antre des Druides, level with the edge of the plateau until you reach the viewpoint over the Gorges de Franchard (blue letter P). Continue, passing several rock shelters (letters Q, R, S, T), the Antre des Druides (letter S) being the largest. Retrace your steps, following the blue markings, to the natural tunnel.
(11) Take this tunnel to the right (north), marked in blue (reference letter O visible after crossing the tunnel), then continue downhill (blue markings, north-east) to the Amédée road at the bottom of the valley. Then follow the road to the right. At a wooden barrier (plot no. 763), take a sharp left onto an uphill path (do not follow the sign indicating the return to the Franchard car park).
(12) When you reach the edge of the plateau, follow the double signposting on the left, blue + yellow silhouette of two hikers. Cross the Route du Carnage, continue to follow the double signposting and, after about 250m, you will reach the Point de Vue de la Cuisinière on your right.
(13). The double sign is at a dead end: go back a few dozen metres, then follow the small unmarked path on the right that continues west. This path, parallel to the orange climbing sign, first descends then climbs a little, then follows a slightly marked descending ridge. Cross the Route des Buttes de Fontainebleau, the Route du Renardeau and, immediately after, the Route Mendel. Continue straight ahead eastwards on the Route de l'Isatis to reach the car park (S/E).
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