Once again Mr. Slow was out doing some reconnaissance running, this time on the GR12C in the French Ardennes. The aim was to follow the current gpx from the previous run, starting at Montcornet. It turned out that the official GR12C follows another way out the village going north and not south and around the ruins of the fortress there. However, I stayed with the current routing and headed south passing the new built medeaval theme park and then north on a small ridge with views to the fortress and church. As I had zigzaged up through the village flower park I was well on my way out of the village, but then had to turn around due to hunting. Signs warned about this and I also head dogs and people shouting. I had to turn back and use a parallel path along a residential area. The whole detour was less than a km, but I had to ask a hunter if it was possible to enter the forest toward Sécheval. He confirmed and I could continue. After about 4 km is where the FKT route and the GR12C meets so the rest of the way it was just to follow the well known red and white markers.
The path follows several relatively wide trails that were mostly runable, though some mud and puddles had to be passed also. There is a section after ca 12 km that is quite overgrown even now in November which slowed me further down. After about 14 km comes the really difficult part. From high above the Meuse river the trail goes steeply down to the statue of Chevalier Dardennor at Point de vue de la Roche de l'Hermitage, a section that was quite scary and slippery with a leaf cover to hide the stones and rocks. However, the view was amazing as it was from several places around Monthermé. The trail continues downward mostly on road and over bridge and steeply upward to another viewpoint (horse statue) and then along (up and down) a ridge that I found very hard to run at all, super technical. After that there is a long runable down-going trail that takes you all the way down to the road along the river, at a roundabout you go left and then run just at the rive bank until the bridge Port de Monthermé. After crossing the bridge you arrive at a parking lot and the restaurant Les Boucles De Meuse. This is the end of the route and when, as I did, you want to do the out and back you turn around and do the whole thing backwards. You are now in for 2/3 of the elevation since you have to do the ridge and then up from the Meuse past Dardennor and further up before heading toward Sécheval and Montcornet.
Although the FKT route and the official GR12C are not the same around Montcornet it is more interesting and a bigger challenge to have the longer version visiting the ruins and the theme park. This part has more elevation and you see more of Montcornet overall. I cut a couple of small detours from the gpx that were probably mistakes by the first runners, but also added much more due to the detour. The gpx could be cleaned up based on this.
Overall a lovely day out, no wind 10 degrees C and spectacular views around Monthermé. No pics since I forgot my power bank and needed to save my battery on the phone.