Park in the car park at the climbing site in La Plaine, in the Roche-des-Arnauds district.
(S/E) Head south then north along a stony track; leave the track and take a yellow-marked path on the left following the torrent’s embankment. Cross the torrent – this section can be tricky when the water is high – and you’ll reach a crossroads of paths.
(1) Turn left towards the Col des Sérigons. Continue up a relatively steep slope to reach the junction marked ‘Matacharre’.
(2) Change direction by turning right, almost 180°, towards the east, to follow the sign for Matacharre.
The contour path skirts the Crête des Rortes, then at the fork heads north until it meets the forest track.
(3) Follow the forest track up to the Col de Matacharre (1,661m). There are a few shortcuts available to bypass some of the hairpin bends.
(4) From the pass, head left, westwards, to reach La Cuculière (1,723m), admire the panoramic view from here, then head south along the Matacharre ridge. Please note that the route includes a few tricky sections which should be approached with caution. There are no markings along the ridge. Reach the summit of Pic Chauve.
(6) Stay on the ridge to reach, in succession, Pic Chauve, Tête Plumée and Col des Sérigons, via a path that is more or less well marked, with an extremely steep descent (>30%).
Note: As this section had already been tackled previously, it determined the direction of the hike.
Arrive at Col des Sérigons.
(7) From the pass, the route is well marked in yellow; follow these markings. Take care at the 1382m mark: do not take the signposted path; continue along the track for a few hundred metres until you reach the start of the Ravin de la Mèque.
(8) Leave the track and head down to the left, through the undergrowth along a good path marked in yellow. Be careful: the path, covered in leaves, is steep and quite slippery. The return to “La Plaine” runs alongside the climbing site; do not take the path on the right leading down to the campsite.
(9) Crossing the Rif de l'Arc: unlike the marked route, look for a footbridge upstream to make the crossing easier and avoid getting your feet wet. Head to the car park at the climbing site (S/E).
