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Park near Sainte-Croix Abbey. Please note: the abbey has announced that its car park is no longer accessible to passing motorists.
(S/E) Return to the D741 in front of the ‘Caution: wild animals’ sign and take the path leading into the meadow. Walk along the edge of the woodland heading south-west. About a hundred metres past the electricity pylon, turn right and go through the hedge. Cross the woodland, following the path to the D88. At the ‘automatic traffic signal’ sign marked ‘70’, take the path continuing westwards.
(1) At the ‘no parking’ sign, turn right towards the grey building, then continue left, heading uphill towards the bridge over the railway line, and enter the woods, walking up alongside a wall. Opposite the entrance gate to Mauroc, turn left onto the Clain Valley footpath, marked in blue.
(2) When you reach the road, continue to the left. To admire the view over the Clain Valley, climb the small flight of steps. Access to the Passelourdin Cave is prohibited by a municipal by-law of 2001. You can turn right, going round the gates, and follow the small path, but be careful – danger! Dangerous cliffs.
(3) Once you have left the area of dangerous cliffs, take the tarmac road on the right and head eastwards.
(2) Continue along Avenue des Grottes de Passelourdain.
(4) At the stop sign, take the D88 towards Smarves on the right; after 50 metres, turn left and, in front of the IME Mauroc, take the small path that winds through the woods to the D641. The entrance to the abbey is almost directly opposite. Cross the two roads carefully, go over the railway bridge and turn left towards the abbey (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
