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The hike starts in the shaded car park at the Curis fountain. This car park is located just after the traffic lights on the road to Saint-Germain-au-Mont-d'Or.
(S/E) At the traffic lights, before continuing right towards Poleymieux, take a few moments to see an old wash house located a few dozen metres on the left towards Neuville-sur-Saône. Retrace your steps.
Follow the road towards Poleymieux for 50 metres and take the small staircase on the left. At the top of the stairs, turn right into the street and head towards the large gate marking the entrance to the castle grounds.
Go through the gate and follow the path that runs along the left side of the park. At the first crossroads, turn left towards "Grand Platane".
After a right-hand bend, an open space with a bench offers a beautiful view of the castle.
At the next crossroads, "Grand Platane", turn left towards "Les Escaliers".
At the large staircase, follow the signs for "Porte du Pinay".
(1) Go through the gate and take the fairly wide unmarked path opposite the gate, which narrows quite quickly.
After leaving the small paths that branch off to the left and go up into the forest, you will come to a crossroads just after a pile of earth on the path.
Turn left onto the path to reach the "Croix Vitaize", which can be seen at the end of the straight road.
(2) Cross the road and head towards "Chargeri" by taking the path that starts with a few steps. It is located to the left of the forest road.
After passing the entrance to a field, continue straight ahead, ignoring the path that branches off to the right.
The path will join the forest road, which you should follow to the left to reach the "Chargeri" signpost.
At "Chargeri", continue towards "La Crête" on the rocky path.
(3) Turn slightly left to reach the signpost marked "Dent du Loup", which can be seen at the end of the meadow. This meadow is full of flowers in May and June.
When you reach "La Dent du Loup", turn right to reach Mont Thou.
Note: At the "La Crête" signpost, you can go directly to Mont Thou.
(4) At Mont Thou, enjoy the beautiful view of the Saône valley and the Ain plain, and further afield if the weather permits. Take the time to walk along the rocky path.
To continue, go back through the gate and take the path that descends furthest to the left.
(5) When you reach the edge of the woods, take the path on the left that leads into the woods. At the crossroads, continue downhill, turning left.
Continue straight ahead at a crossroads, going downhill, until you reach another larger crossroads.
(6) Turn left. After about 20 metres, leave the small path that branches off to the left.
After 200 metres, the path crosses a meadow and runs alongside a cultivated field before joining a road. At this crossing, the path is very narrow and it is recommended that if there are several hikers, you walk in single file so as not to trample the crops.
Turn right onto the road and follow it for 600 metres, then in the middle of a short straight section, after a sharp left-hand bend, take the path on the left.
Caution: In the left-hand bend of the road, the shoulder is practically non-existent and it is safer to stay on the right-hand side of the road.
(7) At the start of the path, a barrier blocks access to vehicles but leaves a pedestrian passage.
After 300 metres and about 20 metres before a right-angle bend, take the fairly inconspicuous path that starts on a large flat stone next to an oak tree with a double trunk. (See photo "Start of path").
This path winds between fir trees. After a few zigzags, the path crosses a large, partially collapsed stone wall (see photo "Old wall").
The path descends and joins the edge of a meadow, then crosses it to reach a path at the edge of the woods.
Turn left onto the path and follow it for about 250 metres.
(8) In a left-hand bend, take the path on the right that leads into the woods. This path joins a small road which you must cross to take the path that continues straight ahead on the embankment.
After 200 metres, the path joins a track. Turn right onto the track, then turn left after 50 metres to follow the path that climbs into the forest. At the first crossroads, which is muddy when wet, turn left to join the Route du Mont Verdun.
(9) Cross the crossroads and continue along the road opposite, towards Limonest, for about 50 metres. Take the time to look at the landscape before taking the path that branches off to the right on the hillside and starts with a small concrete platform.
This path goes around Mont Verdun, which is not accessible.
Join a road and follow it to the right until you reach a crossroads about 300 metres away.
(10) Shortly after the crossroads, take a path on the left opposite two tennis courts (Croix du Mont Verdun). When you reach a small road, follow the sign for "Mont Rouge" and follow the direction for "Lavoir des cendres". To do this, take the small path that branches off to the left just before the gate to the Py quarry (in operation). Follow this path until you reach a road. Signpost "Lavoir des Cendres".
(11) Follow the road to the right until you reach a junction with a concrete road.
At the crossroads, take the concrete road on the left to see the wash house located about 50 metres away.
To continue, return to the crossroads and follow the road to the left until you reach a junction with a path. Signpost "Le Bottet"
Turn sharply onto the path towards the "Moulin à Vent" (windmill). When the weather is clear, you can see the Alps and Mont Blanc.
After the ruins of the mill, where there are picnic tables, take the path on the left that climbs towards the Croix Rampau.
(12) On the north side of the Croix Rampau, a paragliding launch site offers unobstructed views of the Saône valley and the Beaujolais region.
Continue along the path that disappears into the vegetation opposite the arrival path.
The path then descends through a wood before joining a track. Turn right onto the track and after about 20 metres take the path on the left which descends into the forest towards Curis.
(13) The trail then runs alongside and then below a vineyard. Leave the trail that branches off to the right and continue on the trail that enters the forest again to join a larger path.
Turn right onto the path and follow it for about 200 metres until you reach a small, fairly inconspicuous path.
(14) Turn onto the small path that branches off to the right of the road and enters the woods. Follow this path downhill, crossing a fairly steep section before reaching the "Chemin du Chêne".
Turn left onto Chemin du Chêne and follow it downhill to the road.
Continue left on the road, follow it for about 100 metres and take the small street on the left to reach the car park (S/E).
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