From Bourg-Argental to La Versanne

(S/E) Set off from the car park in the centre of the village towards Graix, opposite the Espace Jacques Estérel.
Walk 70 metres north towards the Graix road. Cross the road and take the sharp left turn up Rue Du Chambonnet. After 300 metres, you will reach a crossroads.

(1) Cross Rue Casse-Cul here! Take the steep climb to the right up Montée de Saint-Régis to the end of the stairs. Turn right at a right angle and continue for 350 metres to reach a road leading to a waste disposal site.

(2) Follow the slight incline to the right for 150 metres until you reach a fork. Take the road on the right, ignoring a path coming from the right. After 100 metres, the road turns into a path. After 300 metres, you will reach a crossroads. Ignore the path going down to the left.

(3) Follow the path opposite, which leads to a busy road. Take care with the traffic. Staying close to the right-hand edge, walk up the road for 100 m.

(4) At the bus stop, cross the road carefully to the left. Join the road leading to the hamlet of Argental. Ignore the road going down to the left and continue on the flat to the houses. In the centre of the hamlet, turn right uphill towards the castle and chapel. Walk past these ruins and continue eastwards along a path that makes a hairpin bend to reach and cross the river. After crossing, turn right towards the car park and after 60 metres, turn left onto the steep Sentier De La Tortue path.

(5) Climb up through the rocks to reach the summit and its mega stones, which from a distance resemble a turtle. Enthusiasts can kiss the stones to draw on their energy. Information panels explain all this. Head north-west along a path that is not very visible in the vegetation but is well marked. Cross an area of vegetation and then a forest where the path is more clearly marked. Reach a meadow and follow a paved, muddy path to the left. Ignore a path leading off to the right towards the meadow and head uphill to the left towards a house. Reach a road.

(6) Follow the road to the right towards the hamlet of Fogère. Ignore a road on the right, then a road on the left, and go around the last houses on the left. Walk along the left side of the large wall of the houses on the right. Take the path down to the river.

(7) Cross the hamlet of Brenade, where there used to be a mill. There used to be mills on the stream you cross, and a description by Visorando, "De pierres en moulins par les hameaux" (From stones to mills through the hamlets), gives you an idea of what it was like. Follow the road to the right and 80 metres further on, opposite a house, take the road going up to the left to reach La Versanne and a busy road.
Be careful of traffic.

(8) Cross the road carefully and follow the road opposite uphill towards La Versanne. Ignore the road going uphill to the left and follow the bend to the right. At the next crossroads, ignore the streets on the left and right and continue straight on towards Faubec. Ignore the roads on the left and right and continue to follow the slightly uphill road. The road curves to the left and then to the right to reach a flat section at a place called La Côte. Ignore a path going uphill to the left and continue along the road for another 200 metres.

Red/white^GR®42markings

(9) Near the campsite, take the path downhill to the right. Go around the La Loge house. Cross a tarmac section and follow the path downhill opposite. After a bend to the right, you will arrive at the hamlet of Thélis-Le-Bas. In the hamlet, take the hairpin bend downhill to the left. You will reach the houses of Les Girauds and the D29 road.

No markings

(10) Leave the^GR®42markings opposite and take the hairpin bend to the right. After 500 m, leave the road and follow the path to the left towards the hamlet of Les Bernes. Cross this hamlet and take the grassy path on the right at the end of the hamlet. In the hamlet there is a very good fresh spring and an old wash house below opposite the spring. After 500 m, join a path coming from the left and rejoin the^GR®42.

Red/white^GR®42markings

(11) Continue down the path and arrive at the famous Croix de La Pauze. In the past, funeral processions made many stops here to perform Catholic rites. Follow the path for 800 metres to reach the bottom of the valley on a road coming from the left. Continue along the road until you reach Bourg-Argental. When you arrive in the village, you will see the Espace Estérel buildings on your left, opposite which is the car park (S/E).

Normal hiking equipment.
Water sources at houses along the route.
Water source in the hamlet of Les Bernes.

The castle, chapel and stream, L'Argental in the hamlet of Argental.
Les Rochers de La Tortue with its rejuvenating powers!
The beautiful hamlet of Fogère.
Old Brenade mill.
The village of La Versanne.
The hamlet of Les Bernes with its spring and old wash house.
Renowned Croix de La Pauze with all its history.
Beautiful residence hidden among the trees of Chambonnet.