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Moderator's addition on 30/06/2021: Some people have found this route difficult, see reviews
Park near the church in Les Déserts (La Combe on IGN).
(S/E) Set off up the small road on theGR®96, which becomes a track and then a path. This will take you to the aptly named Hameau des Charmettes.
(1) At the entrance to the hamlet, follow theGR®96markings on the right.
This is a south-facing route with a gentle slope in the mountain pasture.
Carefully follow the path towards the edge of the Peney woods until you reach the sign for "Les Bois 1130m".
Then follow the track through the woods westwards towards the Col de la Doria.
(2) Once you reach Col de la Doria, you can make a round trip to the waterfall.
(3) Continue to Trou de la Doria. This is an additional 200m of elevation gain on a trail that is a little tricky on the descent, but the detour is well worth it.
(4) Retrace your steps to Col de la Doria.
(2) Continue southwards to reach Mont Peney.
(5) Continue along the edge of the cliff towards the east, enjoying numerous panoramic views along the way.
Gradually, the path descends to the sign for "Le Bois du Peney" at an altitude of 1,175 metres. Continue towards La Combe.
Further on, join the forest track at the sign for "Le Léchat" (1,096 m) and continue towards La Combe.
(6) The path is now a wide track. Follow it downhill to point 1011m.
(7) The path joins the forest road at a metal barrier, which marks the end of access for passenger vehicles.
Leave theGRP® here and continue descending north for 300m.
(8) Then take a faint, poorly maintained and unmarked path on the left that climbs north-west, crosses a wood and emerges in a meadow below the hamlet of Les Charmettes.
Head towards the hamlet.
(11) Return to the route taken on the way up to reach the car park (S/E).
NB: This option avoids the descent to the D912.
A beautiful outing, most of the route through the forest without any navigation issues until point 8. At the beginning, there was a semblance of an unmaintained path, but after that, there was nothing but tall grass with brambles and broken trees. We had to use a compass to navigate, which led us straight to barbed wire. There was no way through, so we had to break a post to get past. We found a small cattle track that led straight into a private field with an electric fence, so we went underneath it. there is another path a little further on. We need to see if it is passable, otherwise we will have to take the alternative route from point 7, which I think will add quite a few kilometres and elevation gain. (++Classify this outing as moderate rather than easy, given the distance and elevation gain.)++
Visorando member
Difficult 
Tourism professional
Very difficult 
Easy 
