Puy de Baladou

Étape 1

From the roadside sign on the right as you leave the village, climb a wide track towards a water tower. Go straight ahead at the next two crossroads. Stay on this path until you reach a crossroads of 4 paths at the entrance to the village of Saulzet-Le-Froid.

Étape 2

Turn left towards Pessade. At the end of the straight, the track turns right. At the next intersection, turn left and continue straight ahead until you reach a junction of 4 tracks. Turn left to enter Pessade. Go left, past the gîte and up to the drinking trough.

Étape 3

Leave the village and follow the path along the edge of a wood. Cross a summer pasture, pass a stream and climb the northern flank of the puy de la Védrine (view of the Combrailles, the Dômes range and the Livradois-Forez). Continue up to a barrier at the entrance to a wood. Cross it and continue along the western flank of the puy de Baladou to an intersection.

Étape 4

Fork back to the left and descend through the woods on the south flank of Baladou to the first intersection (100 m before a rock positioned in the axis of the path, at the buron). Descend to the right, after 200 m the path veers left at 90°, continue to the intersection, winding right then left. Continue up through the forest to the edge of the wood (unobstructed view of the mountain).

Étape 5

Go straight on, skirting pastures on your right and entering the Mareuge woods. Ignore the left and right paths during the long crossing. After the first crow’s-foot, go straight on for 250 m to the next crossroads.

Étape 6

Turn left. Steep descent to the Monne river, which you cross to climb back up to Mareuge and return to the start.