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In Saint-Bonnet-près-Orcival, leave your vehicle in the village centre, in the small car park in front of the church, or a little below it in front of an uninhabited house near the glass recycling bin. (Alternative parking, see Practical information.) The hike starts at the Balirando sign in front of the church. Locally, the hike is called "Rives de la Sioule" (Banks of the Sioule).
Yellow markings, lines and smallPR®® signs along the entire route, except for three short return trips
(S/E) With your back to the church entrance, note the small yellowPR®® sign on the other side of the road, under a large sign indicating the direction of the campsite. Follow the direction indicated, i.e. the road on the right. Pass in front of the school, ignore a marked path that branches off to the left, continue to the intersection with the D27 and follow it to the right, carefully, for about a hundred metres, crossing it, and arriving at a picnic area with several parking spaces.
(1) Follow the beautiful path lined with old ash trees, which branches off to the left at the end of the car park. You will come to a gravel path at the hamlet surrounding Polagnat Castle. Continue past a long thatched cottage to arrive at the entrance to the estate.
(2) Continue along the road, ignoring a small road on the right (with a drinking fountain a few metres further on) at the entrance to the hamlet of Polagnat, and continue to the next intersection.
(3) Take a short detour off the marked trail to the left, along the street lined with traditional houses, to a fountain, then retrace your steps.
(3) Continue straight ahead, soon passing a blacksmith's shop and a tall cross. At the exit of the hamlet, ignore the road that branches off to the right and continue straight ahead on a path. You will come to an intersection with a path coming from the left marked with red and whiteGR®®441markings.
(4) Continue straight ahead, passing another tall cross, until you reach a fork in the path. Turn right, leaving theGR®® trail on your left. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on your right and continue to a T-junction.
(5) Turn left to immediately reach another T-junction with theGR®®441B. Follow it to the right. You will come to a small road; take it to the right. Ignore two dead ends on the right and you will come to a bridge over the Sioule.
(6) Cross it and continue along the road. Ignore a path on the right that leads to a ford on the Sioule, go to a second path on the right and follow it for about a hundred metres to reach an intersection with a sign on the right indicating the direction of the "Vieux pont de pierre sur la Sioule" (Old stone bridge over the Sioule).
(7) For a short detour off the marked trail, descend to the right to reach this bridge and a very pretty spot on the banks of the Sioule, with the ruins of an old mill.
(8) Retrace your steps to the previous intersection.
(7) Take the path on the right and head towards the first houses in Monteribeyre. At the intersection just after the first house, turn right without entering the hamlet. Shortly afterwards, pass in front of the Font de Vallière (fountain) and continue along this beautiful path overlooking the Sioule valley, which can be seen in places, a little more often in winter when the trees are bare. Further on, walk along a small basalt cliff and you will arrive at the D216. Cross carefully and follow the street opposite into the hamlet of Les Eaux. Cross a bridge and you will arrive at an intersection with a marked path leading off to the right.
(9) For a short return trip off the marked trail, turn left onto the street, which is also lined with traditional houses, until you reach a small square with a fountain-trough and a communal oven.
(10) Retrace your steps to the previous intersection.
(9) Follow the path on the left, Impasse de la Sioule, cross a bridge and you will come back to the D216. Follow it to the left until you reach the pedestrian crossing, cross carefully and take the path that climbs diagonally to the right. You will quickly reach the plateau and come to an intersection.
(11) Follow the grassy path that branches off to the left and join a carriage road, which you follow to the left to reach the uninteresting hamlet of Villejacques. Continue along the street and turn left at the second street to reach the D27.
(12) Cross carefully and follow Rue du Moulin opposite towards Moulin de Villejacques. After about 150 m, ignore the path that goes straight ahead and follow the road that bends to the right. You will arrive at the hamlet of Moulin de Villejacques.
(13) Just after the entrance sign, leave the road and follow the path that goes straight ahead and leads to a road.
(14) Follow it to the left, pass in front of a campsite and then, at the fork in the road, follow Rue du Cordonnier to the right. Shortly afterwards, you will return to the centre of the village of Saint-Bonnet and the car park (S/E).
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