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Start from the car park at the church in Saint-Laurent-du-Verdon.
(S/E) From the church, follow the road through the village until you reach the crossroads where the oratory stands, passing in front of the “château”, a large mansion flanked by four towers and set in the middle of a somewhat overgrown park. At the crossroads by the oratory, turn left onto the Route de Riez, which climbs towards the cemetery and continues past it.
(1) About two hundred metres past the cemetery, take the path that climbs straight ahead whilst the road makes a first turn right then left. The path climbs through wooded countryside until it curves to the left as it reaches a pine forest.
Shortly afterwards, as the slope levels off, you’ll reach a cultivated clearing that opens out onto the vast Valensole Plateau. Continue along the track until you reach a patch of lavender and a solitary tree, situated to the right of the path, on the boundary between two agricultural plots.
(2) At the tree, leave the path to the right and follow the boundary between the fields until you reach the nearby wooded edge (this section is off-track, following the boundary between the fields). Upon reaching the woods, turn right again and follow this edge until it forms a right angle. (As shown on the map, there is said to be a path slightly below the edge, but lack of use seems to have caused it to disappear).
At the corner of the plot, look for the track leading into the undergrowth and follow the path on the right that heads most directly up the slope. After two hundred metres, you will reach a clearing where three wooden poles stand, supporting the power lines that cross the landscape. If you have any difficulty finding the path described above, look up to use the power lines as a guide.
(3) Take the track that heads up the slope to the right of the pylons. It winds its way down a ridge, offering the first views of the village and Lake Montpezat. After 800 m of descent through sparse woodland, you will reach the D331, the road linking Montpezat to Saint-Laurent-du-Verdon.
(4) Follow the road downhill for about 350 m until you reach a path branching off to the right, leading to the lake’s shore. Follow this path along the shore until you come to the beach hut at the “La Farigoulette” campsite and the jetty where you can board a boat on the lake.
Head towards the campsite entrance, and just before reaching it, take the path branching off to the left, following the fence.
After crossing a ditch, turn left onto the track that runs as close as possible to the lake’s bank, until you reach the furthest point, where the section of the lower gorges leading to Lac d’Artignosc opens up on the right, a little further downstream. The spot is ideal for swimming, but the water isn’t warm!
(5) Go round the headland to the right to follow the riverbank. After joining the track coming from the campsite on the right, continue straight on, climbing the rocks overlooking the gorges. The path is narrow and steep, but there is little risk of going astray as it is the only one following the water’s edge. Along the way, enjoy some beautiful views of the Verdon’s turquoise waters.
After reaching the highest point of the route between the two lakes, the path becomes steep for a few dozen metres, before levelling out considerably as you head towards the lower lake and reach the bank of the second lake.
(6) The landscape opens out and the banks slope downwards. Go round the lake to the right to reach the exit, where the banks close in again to form a new section of gorges.
After passing the road access to the lake, the path climbs up to tackle the rocky ridge blocking it. Climb up and away from the bank to reach the vicinity of the road crossing the Verdon bridge, a little further on to the left, just at the entrance to the new gorges. Return to the road by turning right just before the pumping station building.
(7) Upon reaching the road, leave the bridge on your left and continue straight on to follow the river downstream. Walk along the cliff edge again for about a kilometre, before the path curves to the right and reaches a ravine, into which the river appears to plunge.
(8) Walk up the ravine for about a hundred metres, then turn left to cross the valley floor and climb up the opposite slope. After climbing the hillock, reach a plot planted with pine trees and walk along its right-hand side.
At the corner of the plot, turn left to follow the path that winds its way between the last rows of trees. A little further down, pass some caravan wrecks as you head up to the right towards the Notre-Dame Chapel.
(9) Pass to the left of the building and continue straight on, then follow the path as it curves to the right. Shortly afterwards, you’ll emerge into a residential area; cross it before coming out onto a vast agricultural plot stretching to the edge of the gorges, the presence of which is impossible to guess from here.
(10) Turn your back on the valley and head up the small road that leads to the first houses of Saint-Laurent-du-Verdon. Pass a long farm building on your right before coming out onto the main road. Turn right and walk up through the village to the church (S/E).
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