Pierre sur Haute via the Molinvé shepherd's huts

Park in the ski resort car park.

(S/E) Head due south along the stony path to the left of the chairlift and continue following the yellow/white markings no. 9. Cross the Ruisseau de la Morte via the footbridge and continue following the no. 9 markings until you reach the Fayole marker no. 17

(1) Turn right onto this well-maintained forest track, keeping to the yellow/white No. 9 markings. After 600 m, veer left, enter the forest and continue along the stony, ascending track, following the same markings. You’ll reach a crossroads just before the houses in Chassirat.

(2) Turn left and continue along a forest track following the contour line until you reach the tarmac road to Les Hautes Chaumes.

(3) Take this road to the left for about a hundred metres, then turn right onto the Chemin de Molinvé. Pass the Molinvé shepherd's huts on your left, follow the sign for ‘Jasseries de Renat’ whilst staying on the main path, which is made of heather-covered earth. You’ll come to a crossroads at the entrance to a nature reserve.

(4) Turn right into the nature reserve and follow the signposts. A few metres further on, take the barely visible path to the right, winding its way through the heather. Head south-west. You will reach the Jasseries de Renat crossroads.

(5) Turn right, following the sign along a heather path marked No. 0. Following a virtually straight route, you’ll reach the Route des Hautes Chaumes once again.

(6) Turn left, then immediately right, and follow the GR®3 signposts to reach the Jasseries de Colleigne.

(7) Before the third shepherd's hut, turn left onto the path climbing through the heather facing the slope. At the top of the climb, continue along the path on the right but do not follow the signpost indicating a left turn. You will reach the GR®3.

(8) Follow it to the right, go round the Pierre-sur-Hautemilitary base on your right-hand side and continueto the Col de la Chamboite.

(9) Leave the GR® here, turn right, heading due east; further on, turn left towards the north, taking a path at the edge of the forest, and eventually enter the forest. You’ll reach a Y-shaped junction.

(10) Turn right, continue along the descending Path No. 7, skirting a livestock enclosure and the edge of the woodland until you reach the junction with a grassy track, marked with MTB signposts 58–60.

(11) Turn right into the woodland, pass Chalet Gauchon and continue along the grassy path downhill. In a small clearing, you’ll reach Chalet de Chapouilloux. Here, you’ll rejoin the GR®3 link path; take it to the right until you reach the junction with a forest track, where there is a telecoms mast.

(12) Cross this track and take the path leading downwards. Turn left onto a small tarmac road and, further on, turn right.

(13) Leave the tarmac road, turn right and take a path running alongside some studios. At the edge of a ski run, turn left and head down alongside the woodland on your left. At the bottom, turn left. You’ll come out onto the D6.3; follow it to the right back to the starting point (S/E).

From (9), the route is strongly discouraged in winter (on foot, on skis or on snowshoes) due to excessively steep slopes, which are very dangerous.
You must continue straight on along the GR®3, which will take you to the Col du Béal. You’ll need two cars.
There is no water on this route.
There is no shade on the Hautes Chaumes.
Follow the guidelines when crossing the nature reserve.
Open and close the gates to the livestock enclosures.
No dogs are allowed off the lead.

Shepherd's hut: the name given to the high-altitude pastures and shelters of the Monts du Forez, both on the eastern side (Loire department, formerly the Province of Forez) and the western side (Puy-de-Dôme department, formerly the Province of Auvergne). The shepherd's hut is notably the traditional place of production for Fourme cheese (formerly known as ‘fromage de Roche’, named after a commune on the eastern slope). (Source: Wiktionary.)
Most shepherd's huts have been converted into holiday homes.
You’ll walk through numerous patches of blueberries and heather dotted with daffodils
The Chalmazel ski resort.