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Parking at the Notre-Dame de Mouthier-le-Vieillard church, Place Notre-Dame in Poligny. Yellow, white and red signposts.
(S/E) Start by walking around this beautiful church with its slate roof. Walk up Rue Mouthier-le-Vieillard towards the town centre, leaving Rue du Clos on your left, then turn left onto Rue de Verdun. At the signpost, continue along Rue Travot (towards Roche du Pénitent).
Cross Place des Déportés to the left and walk a few metres up Grande Rue, then turn right onto Rue Hyacinthe Friant, which becomes Rue de Collège, until you reach the 15th-century Saint-Hippolyte collegiate church, which is worth visiting for its beautiful statues.
(1) Go up the small Rue Simon Berthet to the right of the church. At the Monastère Sainte-Claire, turn left into Rue Sainte Collette. Then immediately turn right into the gravel lane, which quickly becomes a path that runs along the old ramparts that once surrounded the entire town.
(2) You will come to a path running perpendicular to this road. Walk up this path for about fifteen steps and continue climbing to the left, joining a stony road. Follow this road to the left until you reach a signpost marking the start of a path that climbs to the right towards the Roche du Pénitent. You will pass some caves and continue climbing through a pretty narrow crack in the rock.
(3) At the ridge line, marked by a signpost, turn left for 150 metres to reach the Pénitent viewpoint. Retrace your steps.
(3) Continue straight ahead towards Grande Corniche. At the various junctions, always follow the ridge line, dotted with numerous viewpoints with benches. After the ridges, you will come to another signpost. Head towards Chamole. Quickly leave a path on your left and, twenty steps further on, you will reach a crossroads.
(4) Continue straight ahead. You will arrive at a final viewpoint over the valley. Continue along the same path without turning onto the fitness trail. At the pylon on the right, continue to the centre of the village, passing the Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur chapel, built in 1503.
(5) At the watering hole, turn right onto the D257 and continue past the statue of the Virgin Mary. Turn onto the gravel path on the left and stay on it as it descends. Cross the departmental road and continue straight ahead on the old Chamole road. Turn left at the first houses, then immediately left again before the small bridge. At the sawmill, turn left onto the gravel road that joins the D257, which you cross. Continue along the gravel road on the left. It becomes Rue des Vignes. Then turn left into Rue de Chantemerle, then right at the small fountain after a few steps and join the departmental road by going down to the left.
(6) Cross at the pedestrian crossing and walk up the road for about 50 metres. At the bus stop, turn right. The gravel path ends in the fields at the foot of a signpost. Go up the hill on the far right towards Croix du Dan and turn right again at the second signpost nearby. Continue along this beautiful path under the rocks for a while.
(7) At the fork marked by another signpost, climb up to the left to reach the Croix du Dan and its viewpoint. Turn back.
(7) Continue straight ahead. At the wider path, descend to the right towards Poligny. Head back towards the town centre, quickly finding Rue de Verdun on your left and Rue Mouthier le Vieillard on your right until you reach the car park (S/E).
The route includes cliff-side paths and unsecured viewpoints. The paths are rocky and slippery in places. Good footwear is essential and walking sticks are recommended.
The paths are sometimes a little steep.
Visorando member
Difficult 
Easy 
