Circular route around the Rocher des Goudes and Marseilleveyre

Park at the Parking Napoléon car park in Les Goudes.

(S/E) Follow the road back to the village, then, just before reaching the first houses, take a path on the right that goes behind them (marked in black and red) and climbs up to join the GR® 51-58, following them for about a hundred metres.

(1) Head left, due north, towards the Red trail. Cross the Pas du Lapin and continue until you reach the Red trail. Turn right and follow it for about 300 m.

(2) Turn right, heading due south. Cross the Pas Loulou and descend towards the Yellow trail. Then take it to the left.

(3) Pass the Escalier des Géants, heading towards Col Bouvier.

(4) About thirty metres before the pass, turn right (south-east) onto the Yellow and Green trail. Cross a step, continue along the winding path, keeping east. Reach a junction near the Grotte de l'Ours. Take the path on the right, leaving the entrance to the Grotte de Saint-Michel d'Eau Douce on your left, and arrive at another junction.

(5) Go straight on, passing close to the Grotte de l'Ermite, and continue along the Yellow and Black trail for about 250 m. Then tackle the Corniche Saint-Michel and walk for about sixty metres along a narrow, vertiginous and exposed rocky ledge. Reach the Pas de la Demi-Lune.

(6) Swing left to the other side and follow the Green and Black trail for about 150 m. At the junction, take the lower path on the right; the upper one leads to the climbing areas. Walk along the cliffs, take a sharp right-hand bend with the path and reach a junction.

(7) Turn left (north-east) onto a path that climbs up to the Pas de la Mounine.

(8) Continue straight on towards the Col de la Mounine.

(9) A few dozen metres before the pass, cross a saddle and turn right (north-east) onto the Vallon du Grenadier path to join the Red Trail.

(10) Continue in the same direction until you reach the vicinity of the summit of Marseilleveyre, which marks the end of the main ascent: enjoy the 360° view.

(11) Just before the summit, take the path on the right, heading north, for 150 m. Then head right (east) onto the Red Trail, which then slopes south-east to reach the Col de la Selle.

(12) Turn right to descend via the Yellow trail towards the Col de la Galinette. Ignore the path on the left leading to the Carrefour des Malvalons and continue the descent to the pass.

(13) Take the path heading due west for about a hundred metres, then descend to the left, due south, along the Vallon inférieur de la Mounine path: pass close to the four Mounine caves numbered 1, 2, 4 and 7. Continue the descent to the Calanque de la Mounine.

(14) Turn right onto the GR®51-58 and leave them after about 150 m to take a path on the right leading to the old semaphore.

(15) Head back down towards Callelongue, reach the bus terminus and follow the road back to the Parking Napoléon (S/E).

Very important: make sure you bring enough water as there are no places to refill your supplies.

The hike involves a significant elevation gain and features six difficult or even challenging sections.

The Pas de la Demi-Lune can seem dizzying. The passage is along a narrow ledge, 40 m long.

Bring a head torch for the caves.

Pas de la Demi-Lune and Rocher des Goudes, Grotte de l’Ours, Saint-Michel d’Eau Douce and Grotte de l’Ermite.

Summit of Marseilleveyre for the 360° view.