Country:
District:
Park in the Château des Échelles car park, located just in front of the gate to the château's communal park.
(S/E) Enter and cross the castle grounds to reach the road at the top of the castle and follow it to the right for about 50 metres.
(1) Turn left onto a street that runs through the housing estates: this street joins Rue de Grand Champ.
(2) Turn right onto the path and climb up to the ruins of Saint-Germain Castle, between meadows and forests, following the PR® then the GR®59.
(3) Turn right to visit the castle ruins, then retrace your steps.
(3) Take the path on the right.
(4) At the fork in the path, turn left and follow a small marked path downhill. After passing a beautiful little resurgence fountain, you will arrive at a crossroads in the forest.
(5) Continue straight ahead towards "Bret de Vent / Les Brosses". Ignore any side paths and trails.
(6) In a large clearing where there is often woodcutting, continue straight ahead on a small, shaded, marked path.
(7) Continue straight ahead at the intersection, towards the village of Allymes: follow the sign for "Bret de Vent". You will arrive at the village.
(8) In front of the beautiful little chapel in the village of Allymes, take the road to its left at the bottom and continue along this tarmac road through the farm hamlets.
(9) After passing through Paraudet, in the meadows, turn left towards "Douvres". About 250 m further on, turn right towards "Abergement de Varey / Douvres".
(10) At the intersection, turn left onto a shaded path that descends into the forest towards "Douvres". Further on, continue downhill through the forest with the stream on your left until you reach an intersection before a water catchment.
(11) Turn left towards "Douvre", still in the forest, and arrive at Douvre cemetery.
(12) Continue along the road on the heights of Douvres, ignoring the street that branches off to the right.
(13) Shortly afterwards, turn left towards "Les Brosses" to go back up into the forest. After the climb, you will arrive at a clearing.
(14) Turn right towards "Les Brosses".
(15) At the motocross track, go around it on the left via a path that stays in the forest and goes around the track.
(16) At the Parc Aventure Accrobranche car park, head towards "Le lac bleu". Stay on this path, ignoring the side paths.
(17) Cross the bridge over the Lac Bleu de Vareille with its small Gardon waterfall. On the other side, turn right immediately. Continue straight ahead through the village of Vareilles and you will arrive at the Château des Échelles car park (S/E).
Association / Club / Walk leader
Difficult 
Visorando member
Easy 
Very difficult 
