"Cabanons du Marquis et des Gardes" with a trip back through Vallon de Gendame

A long but straight-forward hike overlooking "Baie de la Ciotat" and a beautiful view over Sainte-Baume mountain range and Sainte-Victoire Mountain.

Technical sheet

n°221533

Creation:
10 Mar 2016

Last update:
18 Jan 2024

Last review:
13 Feb 2023

Activity: Walking
Distance: 16.26 km
Average duration: 6h 00
Difficulty: Moderate
Return to departure point: Yes
Vertical gain: + 472 m
Vertical drop: - 464 m
Highest point: 520 m
Lowest point: 96 m

Country: France
District: Ceyreste (13600)
Start/End: N 43.234581° / E 5.671757°
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Description of the walk

Park at Grand Caunet car park, a busy mountain biker spot.

(S/F) Follow the GR51 and 98 heading west until a crossroads with a cistern.

(1) Ignore the path on the left, and head up towards "Cabanon du Marquis" ignoring the path to the right leading to "le Montounier".

(2) Carry on until you reach "Cabanon des Gardes" (360° panoramic view: Baie de La Ciotat, Sainte-Baume, Sainte-Victoire, Mont Ventoux in the distance...).

(3) Head downhill on the forest trail now waymarked Yellow until you reach a hairpin turn.

(4) Leave the Yellow waymarked track and take the path on the left overlooking Vallon de Gendame. Head down towards the Oppidum.

(5) Regain the Yellow waymarked track. At each turn, you can either follow the Yellow waymarks or the cairns. Otherwise, remain on the forest trail until you reach a gate the head left.

(6) Head up the far end of "Vallon de Gendame" passing by a second gate. Then head towards Ceyreste sports field and tennis court along the campsite. You'll reach another gate near a pylon.

(7) After the gate, follow the Yellow waymarks heading towards Pelengarri taking you from an altitude of 184 m to 380 m at (1) where you'll find the GR from the beginning.

(1) Head downhill to the right, leading to the car park (S/F).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 395 m - Grand Caunet car park
1 : km 1.49 - alt. 431 m - Carrefour citerne
2 : km 3.21 - alt. 519 m - Cabanon du Marquis
3 : km 5.1 - alt. 484 m - 360° panorama
4 : km 6.02 - alt. 412 m - Stay on the left-hand forest track
5 : km 7.95 - alt. 280 m - Intersection with the yellow signposted path
6 : km 10.3 - alt. 100 m - 2nd barrier at the bottom of the Vallon de Gendame
7 : km 12.09 - alt. 197 m - Pellengarri barrier and direction
S/E : km 16.26 - alt. 395 m - Grand Caunet car park

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5

Clarity of route map
4.8 / 5

Route interest
4.4 / 5

Yamouna

Feb 13, 2023 at 03:53 EST

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hello
The panorama is exactly as described. Magnificent view of La Ciotat. I did this walk on a Wednesday, so I didn't meet many hikers. Avoid the weekend: the perfect layout of the hut must attract quite a few people!
Thank you for this route
Yamouna

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manonroro

Feb 20, 2020 at 11:04 EST

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pretty and easy walk with a great view over the bay of La Ciotat. To be done without the strong mistral and especially not in summer...... Don't hesitate to climb up to the lookout to enjoy the panorama.

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plovier

Mar 18, 2019 at 14:08 EDT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

we did this walk leaving from the Ceyreste stadium (point 7 of the description: this avoids a long climb to the end) and ate at the cabanon des gardes: table and benches well laid out outside with a beautiful view over the bay of la Ciotat;

in the 2 cabanons along the way: possibility of grilling (the outside of the 1st less comfortable!)

thank you to the author for helping us discover this beautiful walk

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J?rôme

Jan 07, 2019 at 11:16 EST

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 25, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We hiked in bright sunshine and with a good Mistral wind, it was very windy on the ridges.
The views of the Provençal massifs and the sea are superb and you absolutely must climb to the lookout above the Gardes hut.
The downside is that most of the hike is on DFCI tracks, so the return journey took the path that winds through the Dévens valley and starts at the first hairpin bend after point 6.

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phildaix

Oct 03, 2018 at 12:30 EDT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 02, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

But why didn't you tell us it was so beautiful! Magnificent views today under the mistral, but without the mistral. Just great fun.
Variation: Instead of taking the path at (7), we took the next path on the left (signposted in yellow); very nice descent!

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LOLODAIX

Apr 17, 2017 at 08:35 EDT

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 16, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

This walk should be done in reverse, as the last climb is very long and of little interest.

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gasoil

Aug 29, 2016 at 05:05 EDT

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 25, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello.
Hike completed on 26 August 2016.
We added a climb to the watchtower above the Cabanon des Gardes for a breathtaking 360° view, then a diversion to the Gouffre Durand which allowed us to leave the track to take the path that descends into the very pleasant Gendame valley), to stop at the oppidum and continue "off track" to "le Pelingarri" where we found the track again to finish the hike at the car park at the starting point.
Diesel

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foucherans

May 10, 2016 at 11:36 EDT

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 05, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hike taken from the Ceyreste stadium car park 14 km circuit with views over the bay of La Ciotat, the Bec de Aigle and Cap Canaille.

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ORIENTE

Mar 21, 2016 at 11:54 EDT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 20, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Nice hike with great info from the editor of the guidebook, congratulations :whistle(sunglasses)mdr: