A lovely, rural circular loop from Pierrecourt to Champlitte

Start from the ‘centre’ of Pierrecourt, or perhaps from the church, which has plenty of charm.

(S/E) Head towards Rue de Champlitte via the D17 local road, but just as you leave Pierrecourt, turn right just before the two septic tanks (not very glamorous, but discreet).

(1) Take the new path, ignoring Rue Nouvelle on the right. Ignore the path branching off to the right.
Carry on straight ahead along the main stone track, running alongside a woodland on the left.

(2) Carry on straight ahead, ignoring the small path on the left. You can’t go wrong as there’s only one path until you reach the Ferme des Champs Bois.

(3) Pass the next farm, Le Rhône, where the track becomes tarmac and joins the D460.

(4) Follow this road to the left: watch out for cars – there aren’t many, but they always go too fast.

(5) Join the Via Francigena, which comes in from the right, and continue on to Champlitte via Rue des Casernes. Turn left onto Rue de Champlitte-la Ville (D17).

(6) Take the first street on the left (still on the Via Francigena), which continues as a track on the right. At the crossroads with a cross, carry on straight ahead.

(7) Leave the Via Francigena and take a path up to the left.

(8) Be careful not to take the path that goes straight up (it’s a dead end anyway). Carry on to the right until you reach a crossroads.

(9) Cross a small road coming from the right which branches off to the left at a three-way junction. Carry on straight ahead until you reach the D17.

(10) Follow this road for 200 metres to the right, then leave it to go up the first steep slope on the left.

(11) Turn onto the first path on the left, which is signposted for Pierrecourt, and carry on straight ahead.

(12) Enter the Bois de la Coupotte, ignoring the cross marked on a tree which indicates that the signposted path does not enter the woods (it turns left, but you no longer follow it from this point). At first, it is a very well-marked path, but afterwards you walk through the undergrowth without any risk of getting lost.

(13) Turn left to walk alongside a field and stay at the edge of the woodland.

(14) You’ll come out onto a stony path which you follow until you reach the starting point at Pierrecourt via a small road (S/E).

Champlitte and its Museum of Folk Arts and Traditions.