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Park in the car park at Notre-Dame de Salagon near Mane.
(S/E) Take theGR®®653D, marked in red and white, following the road towards the south-west. You will reach the wayside cross.
(1) Take the track leading down to the left. About 50 metres further on, on the left-hand side of the path, you’ll see a water reservoir gallery. Then turn right and head towards the 12th- or 13th-century Romanesque bridge with corbels.
(2) Cross the bridge and, a little further on, turn right, heading uphill along theGR®®653D. Turn left at the first crossroads, passing through Rabol, Les Craux and then Le Petit Sauvan.
(3) Turn left and, at the top of the climb, enjoy the view over Mane and Forcalquier, the Montagne de Lure and the Alps. Continue straight on along theGR®® until you reach a crossroads of paths.
(4) This small path on the left leads to a half-ruined drystone shelter and the old quarries.
Carry on, following the signposts, to reach the Chapel of Porchères.
(5) Take a moment to look around before continuing along theGR®®653D, ignoring all turn-offs to the right or left, until you reach the junction by the sewage treatment plant at a place called Le Pigeonnier.
(6) Take the road on the right, heading uphill towards the village of Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire. Once you reach Rue Grande (D5), turn left to finish passing through the village.
(7) On leaving the village, continue to follow theGR®® by taking the road on the right, signposted towards the Reculon ford. At the junction ofthe GR®® and thePR®® (elevation 549), turn left to reach the Chapel of Saint-Paul.
(8) Still on theGR®®, take the path on the left towards the Reculon ford, pass through the hamlet of Les Craux and continue south to the crossroads of footpaths.
(9) Here, there are two options:
- take the path on the right, leaving theGR®® briefly to reach the D4100 (option shown on the map);
- stay on theGR®® by taking the path on the left. The only reason to follow theGR®® is to reach the road at the Prieuré d’Ardène, where there is a chapel. However, the site is private and cannot be visited. Furthermore, you will need to walk alongside the road for about 300 metres.
(10) Cross the D4100 and rejoin theGR®®, which runs alongside the road below, eventually reaching the Reculon ford. Return to the D4100.
(11) At the crossroads, cross the D4100 (take care) and take the D105 opposite (towards Saint-Michel). 200 metres further on, turn left onto theGR®®, a mule track that climbs towards the village of Lincel. Cross a small road and continue straight ahead uphill to reach another road.
Leave theGR®® and turn right, following the yellow-marked path (PR®®). You will reach the Grand-Fontaine spring, which features a cistern, a wash house and various pools.
(12) Continue along the path that winds round the hill to reach the well, just below a house.
(13) Carry on along the path until you reach the tarmac road.
(14) Turn left onto it towards Lincel, then quickly turn right onto the path. Carry straight on at the Fork in the road immediately after. This is the least interesting part of the route. Walk past the hamlet of La Blancharde, then turn right towards the Ravin de Valvinière.
(15) At the junction, go straight on until you reach the end of a stony track.
(16) Leave the track and follow the footpath to the left until you reach the D5. Cross it at the Croix du Chêne crossroads, first turning right then left to follow the path towards Saint-Michel. Pass through the hamlet known as Chemin des Plaines to reach Chemin des Eyssards.
(17) Do not turn right towards Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire, but carry on straight ahead. You will reach the boundary wall of the Observatoire de Haute Provence.
(18) Walk along the right-hand side of the wall until you reach the buildings. A little further on, turn onto the path on the left which descends towards Saint-Michel. Turn left across the field to join the D305, which is the road to the Observatoire.
(19) Turn left onto the road, then leave it immediately to take the road on the right (yellow signposts), towards Forcalquier. Pass the access road to the Chapelle Saint-Jean on your left, turn left at the junction just after it and reach the bottom of the Ravin de l’Été valley.
(20) Follow the path opposite uphill to reach the front of the Châteauneuf estate. Cross the small road and take the path opposite, which runs alongside it for about a hundred metres before turning sharply left.
(21) Turn right to pass under a shed, then right again to reach the Ravin de Pinet. Continue straight on to reach the River Laye. Cross it via the bridge and head up the road on the right to reach the first junction.
(1) Turn left to return to the starting car park (S/E).
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