From Solliès-Pont to Solliès-Ville and the Notre-Dame du Deffens Chapel

A short walk to visit the village of Solliès-Ville. There is a signpost pointing towards the castle ruins and an old mill. A short climb through the woods takes you to the Notre-Dame-du-Deffens Chapel, where you can enjoy the view

Details

20047989
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.44 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 326 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 320 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 380 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 81 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Solliès-Pont (83210)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.191606° / E 6.036947°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3346OT, 3446OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the Beltrame car park, which is next to Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre and on the motorway side.

(S/E) Turn right onto Chemin des Aiguiers.

(1) At the bend, note the path on the right which you will take on the return journey, and continue along Chemin des Aiguier until you reach a multi-way junction.

(2) Turn left onto Rue du Rocher until you reach Les Aiguiers.

(3) Turn left and continue straight on at each fork, heading south, until you reach a hairpin bend.

(4) Take the path opposite, reach the wash house and continue towards the castle ruins. You will come to a green gate.

(5) Turn right, walk past the cemetery on your right: there is a drinking fountain. At the corner of the cemetery, turn left towards the castle ruins and the orientation table, which you reach via Avenue de la Montjoie.
Go through the red and white gate.

(6) Orientation table: you can take a short break and enjoy the view of Solliès-Pont.
Walk straight along the wall and head back up towards the church via Rue du Chaud. Turn right then left towards the church. Then take the steps on your right to reach the square in front of Saint-Michel l'Archange Church, where the Jean Aicard Museum is located.

Turn right, pass under the bell tower, then turn left towards the village. Keep to your left and go down the large steps to reach Rue de la République. Take Rue du6e R.T.S., almost directly opposite, and go straight on towards Place de Solliès-Ville, where you’ll find the bars and Place Jean Aicart.
At the roundabout, continue left onto the D67 (Route de la Farlède). There are public toilets on the left.

(7) Turn into the first street on the right, called Chemin des Gaches, which is just before the recycling bins. At the bend, join the GR®51 (marked in white and red) and go through the barrier. Head up the Chemin de Garraire des Selves and reach a crossroads at an oratory. Turn left and enter the woods to reach the Notre-Dame-du-Deffens Chapel.

(8) Enjoy the 360° view. Pass the antennas on the right and head down the main path towards the Aire de Verdan.

(9) At the fork, turn right and retrace your steps along the same route as on the way out, heading towards Solliès-Ville.

(7) Turn left towards the roundabout but, before reaching it, veer right up the steps by the school to find yourself in Place Jean Aicard. After the square, head towards the town hall, turn left and walk alongside the cemetery, now on your left.

(5) Turn left and follow the route back in the opposite direction to the outward journey until you reach the multi-way junction you passed on the way out.

(2) Turn left onto Chemin des Fours à Chaux, leaving Chemin des Aiguiers on your right. At the end of the street, follow the path to the right which joins Chemin des Aiguiers.

(1) Carry straight on and return to the car park where you started, which will be on your left (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 81 m - Beltrame car park. Near the - Gapeau (fleuve)
  2. 1 : km 0.39 - alt. 84 m - Common junction (out and return)
  3. 2 : km 0.62 - alt. 91 m - Multi-way junction. Return
  4. 3 : km 0.82 - alt. 108 m - Les rain water reservoirs carved into rock. Fork in the road
  5. 4 : km 1.35 - alt. 153 m - Sharp bend in the road
  6. 5 : km 2.3 - alt. 177 m - Barrier
  7. 6 : km 2.65 - alt. 225 m - Orientation table
  8. 7 : km 3.21 - alt. 229 m - Chemin des Gaches
  9. 8 : km 4.11 - alt. 378 m - Chapel - Viewpoint
  10. 9 : km 4.88 - alt. 330 m - Fork
  11. S/E : km 8.44 - alt. 83 m - Beltrame car park

Worth a visit

Visit the two museums in Solliès-Ville.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
jmgg
jmgg

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant little walk where you can explore an old quarter of Sollies-Ville. The nativity scene trail during the Christmas period is an added bonus.

Machine-translated

diamsazur
diamsazur

Thank you for your comments
Cheers, Mumu

Machine-translated

Ladilafee
Ladilafee

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I followed the route using the GPS function so that I could be guided throughout the hike, as the description is rather vague.
As for the path (point 2) that is supposedly private, it was the local residents who closed off this small passage with a handwritten ‘private’ sign.
It’s a path that serves several homes, but it isn’t private!!
And it allows you to avoid the tarmac road.
The vegetation is magnificent at this time of year.
I highly recommend it!!

Machine-translated

Waddle83
Waddle83
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I can confirm that you can’t get through between points 2 and 3 – there’s a large double metal gate, locked, at the end of the path. What’s more, a local resident told us that it’s a private road. So it’s best to take route 2–9. Otherwise, near the old wash houses, there are two magnificent plane trees that are surely over a hundred years old.

Machine-translated

Micmac62
Micmac62

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thanks to diamsazur for suggesting this route. Between (2) and (3), it appears to be a private road, so I went via (2) then (9) then (3) both on the way there and back. After that, the stretch through the woods after the hamlet of Les Aiguiers is very pleasant, passing an old wash house tucked away in the woods. A visit to the village of Solliès-Ville is well worth it. Then, the view over the Solliès-Pont valley from the ruins of Forbin Castle is magnificent. Bring your binoculars. It’s a route I highly recommend.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.