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Departure from the Chesnet car park, reached from La Roche-sur-Foron by climbing up to the Orange station and continuing to the end of the road.
Please note: parking spaces fill up quickly during the season.
(S/E) Continue south along the path through the forest. It begins to climb slowly. At the first crossroads, turn left and the slope becomes steeper before reaching a first flat area and a three-way junction.
(1) Turn left again towards the Chalet de la Balme: the path on the right also leads there, but via a detour used by 4x4 vehicles. The slope becomes steeper in the forest, despite a few flat sections, and the path eventually emerges in the Balme mountain pastures, from where you can reach the ridge.
(2) You are now above the Chalet de la Balme. Climb up opposite, either towards the visible chalet to pass at its foot, or (GPS track) across towards the stream, which you cross at a drinking trough, to climb up the paths on the left bank of the grassy slopes.
The paths merge into a regular trail that heads right towards the clearly visible Col du Câble. The slope becomes steeper and the path more rugged until it reaches the cliff, which can be crossed via a particularly exposed passage: it is equipped with a handrail and steps fixed to the rock for your feet. Above this passage, the path winds its way to Col du Câble.
(3) Climb up a fairly steep path on the left, which rises up the back of the cliff to the summit of Roche Parnal.
(4) Descend to the right along the path, first on a ridge and then into a small valley that leads to Col du Freu.
(5) Do not descend any further, but take a level path on the right that heads south-west, goes around Roche Parnal at the bottom and leads back to Col du Câble.
(6) There is no need to climb back up to the pass. Continue along the level path to the south-west through grassy terrain. It crosses below the Col de l'Ébat and joins the pastoral road coming from the east. Follow it to the right to the Crêt de l'Ébat.
(7) Leave the road and take the path heading north on the Crêt de l'Ébat ridge, crossing the pass and climbing diagonally to the left towards the cliffs. The path is sometimes poorly marked, but the direction is clearly visible: a weak point in the rocky outcrops.
(8) These bars are crossed via a first cable passage, followed by an ascending ledge between the limestone slabs, then an easier series of ledges and chimneys leading to the ridge of Montagne de Sous-Dîne. This is the Pas du Berger.
(9) Take the path on the left that follows the ridge westwards, sometimes wide, sometimes more exposed, with sinkholes and chasms, with ascents and descents to pass through gaps, one of which is equipped with a ladder followed by a cable. This leads to the summit of Sous-Dîne, a grassy plateau.
(10) Continue a little further west and leave the main path that branches off to the left, keeping to the path on the right that follows the ridge as closely as possible and descends along it to a corridor on the left that allows you to cross the rocky outcrops: the Passage du Monthieu.
(11) This corridor of tight downhill bends has a narrower, rockier section in the middle, equipped with a cable to help you climb down easily. At the foot of the passage, the path branches off to the right, then descends to the left, returns to the right and becomes a forest track. At an altitude of 1542 metres, turn left to descend to the Combe Arembeau crossroads.
(12) Take the flat forest road on the right, which climbs slightly before continuing its descent. 150 m after its left-hand bend, a path branches off to the right into the forest (small cairn).
(13) Take this red-marked path, which descends into the forest and joins logging tracks that turn left, then right until they reach the Ruisseau des Charbonnières stream, along which it descends to a crossroads.
(14) The track on the right crosses the stream and climbs back up towards the Chalet de la Balme (return possible). Instead, take the track on the left, which descends into the forest to a wider track that starts more or less level on the right: it is possible to cut through the woods in this area.
Follow this track, known as Route de Montpiton (rutty in case of forestry work), which crosses the Ruisseau des Charbonnières and further on climbs slightly to reach a footbridge over the Ruisseau du Pouarche.
(15) Go up to the left, join a new forest track that descends slightly parallel to the stream below and, after a crossroads, climbs back up to join the path taken at the start. Continue straight ahead to reach the car park, which is just 200 m away (S/E).
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