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Parking and departure point: upper car park at Chalais Monastery.
Follow the yellow signposts marked No. 7.
(S/E) At the end of the car park, after the barrier, take the forest road, following the hairpin bend to the left. Follow it, ignoring the paths that branch off to the right and left.
(1) At the Abri Forestier de la Roize, take the path behind it.
Caution: the track that passes in front of the shelter is closed to hikers due to a high risk of rockfall.
The trail descends gradually through the woods to the Torrent de Roize, which you reach via an overhanging cable passage. Caution: tricky passage .
(2) After crossing the stream, continue up the other bank. After a few hairpin bends, cross the Torrent de Charminelle at the foot of a pretty waterfall. Continue following the stream and cross it again to rejoin the forest track.
(3) Go up the forest track to cross the Torrent de Charminelle again in a rocky chaos.
(4) Leave the track after a few dozen metres and take the path on the hillside that branches off to the right. Continue climbing up the switchbacks through the beautiful beech forest. You will reach the Source de Charminelle on the left of the path.
(5) Continue and reach the Prairie de Charminelle.
(6) From the top of the meadow, take the path that climbs to the right on a well-marked ridge. This continues in switchbacks on the hillside with a steep drop until you reach the Cheminée de Lorzier, the highest point (1,787 metres) of the hike.
(7) Cross the summit of the Cheminée de Lorzier via a cable-assisted passage and continue straight ahead to the Col d'Hurtières.
(8) At the pass, turn right to reach the Prairies de Vararey.
(9) Continue straight ahead to the Chalet-Refuge des Bannettes, which can accommodate hikers for a bivouac.
(10) Continue and begin the descent towards Mont-Saint-Martin. The path through the meadow overlooks Les Gourhauts, which you crossed on the way up. Then enter the forest where you will find the summit of Pas de l'Âne.
(11) The pass is now closed to the public. Continue downhill and further on, walk along the Échaillon meadow.
(12) Enjoy this spot, which is covered with flowers in spring. Continue downhill on a forest track.
(13) At the junction with the Côte Charvet (altitude 1,054 m), take the path on the right towards Chalais.
(14) At the bottom of the Côte Charvet, follow the path on the right towards Chalais.
(15) At the crossroads at a place called l'Espagne, continue straight ahead towards the summit of the Cheminée de Mont-Saint-Martin. Pass the summit and descend on the other side via the chimney. This aerial path is secured by handrail cables. Take care, especially if the ground is wet and slippery.
(16) At the crossroads at the bottom of the chimney, turn right to climb towards Chalais and reach the upper car park of the Monastery of Chalais (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
Extremely difficult 
Difficult 
