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Park in the communal car park opposite the village hall and café (approx. 15 spaces).
Follow the yellow signs throughout the hike.
(S/E) Start the walk by going up the main street towards the church on the D103.
(1) At the church and cemetery, take a small path that climbs up to the right. Follow the path that runs alongside the meadows (stay on the obvious path, do not take the small private paths that enter the fields) and then enter the forest. The path joins a forest track (be careful, horse riders and cyclists also use this track).
(2) Take it on the left and stay on the obvious track until you reach the Giraud meadow, where it joins another forest track. Here you have two options:
- turn right to go around via the marked trail.
- go straight ahead (option chosen on the route) through a clear gap between the trees. At the top: view of La Charbonnière, also known as Le Signal!
(3) After admiring Mont Blanc, Grand Colombier, the Hauteville plateau and all the surrounding mountains, head left towards Saint-Sulpice le Vieux. Follow a forest track until you reach a junction with several tracks. Take the path opposite that climbs the "Sur Jailloux" ridge. Follow the ridge and at the next crossroads, take the left-hand path that descends to the centre of the small hamlet of Saint-Sulpice le Vieux (where you can explore the bread oven and wash house).
(4) Leave this hamlet via the footpaths to avoid walking on the road and climb back up towards the ridge separating Hostiaz from Saint-Sulpice. When you reach the ridge, follow it northwards to the Chappe antenna, where you will find another viewpoint over Mont Blanc and Grand Colombier, as well as the small hamlets of Pouvillieu and Cérarges.
(5) Leave the viewpoint and continue north. Further on, the trail turns 180 degrees to follow the cliffs overlooking the Arandas plateau and the sublime sunsets of Hostiaz. From there, the hike continues without much elevation gain, following the cliffs of the plateau, crossing fields and passing near the via ferrata. There are many opportunities to see wildlife at the end of the day! Be attentive and quiet and you'll be amazed!
(6) The trail runs along the cliffs with a few rocky outcrops offering views of the Albarine valley and the Evosges plateau. Do not take the small paths that venture between the cliffs, as they are slippery and dangerous. At the exit of the forest, you will come to a crossroads with old signs that should be renovated soon as part ofthe GR® Pays du Tour du Plateau d'Hauteville project.
(7) Take the path on the right. Cross a meadow occupied by lambs belonging to the GAEC de Fontenailles in summer, keeping the recommended distance from the guard dogs. The owners of the GAEC leave their meadows open to the public, so please close the gates provided for hikers behind you. The trail follows the shape of the cliffs to the via ferrata car park. There is an orientation table and a viewpoint over Tenay. You can connect to Tenay via the postman's path and therefore to the railway network.
(8) To continue the hike, keep following the cliffs as if you were heading for the via ferrata and enjoy the many viewpoints. You will cross other fields, so remember to close the gates behind you. This section is the least signposted as it crosses several fields over a distance of several hundred metres, so there are few trees for signposting
(9) If you are equipped, you can take a detour via one of the via ferrata routes that emerges under the local power lines (not the high-voltage ones). From there, the trail moves away from the cliff to bypass the Nivar corridor.
(10) You will arrive at a small car park at the tip of the Nivar corridor, where a biotope protection zone begins. Turn right and return to the cliffs to follow the obvious path that runs alongside them for a good kilometre (passing under the high-voltage power lines).
(11) After passing La Rivoire and the last views of the Furans valley, follow the path that leaves the cliffs, heads left and crosses a final meadow, then becomes a forest track again. At the first obvious junction, turn left onto a second forest track, then right onto a tarmac road. Then take the first right, then the first left. Follow Rue du Tour until you reach the centre of the village.
(12) Turn right onto Rue de la Côte to return to the communal car park, passing by the bread oven and the Hostiaz wash house (S/E).
Visorando member
Difficult 
Association / Club / Walk leader
Easy 
