Gémenos walks

On the way to Pic de Bertagne from Parc de Saint-Pons via the south side. The return journey will be via La Glacière and the abbey.

A very beautiful and challenging hike starting from Saint-Pons Park in Gémenos, where you will begin by climbing the Col de l'Espigoulier, then the Dents de Roque Forcade and the Pic de Bertagne. You will begin your return to Saint-Pons Park via the Col du Fauge and the Pas de Cugens. Some sections are tricky, but the views are magnificent throughout.

Climb to the highest point of the Bouches-du-Rhône, located at the eastern end of the Sainte-Baume Massif.

Circular starting from the Saint-Pons valley towards the old ice house, via the Vallon du Fauge path and then the Chemin de la Glace. Beautiful views of the Pic de Bertagne, the Dents de Roque Forcade, the Saint-Pons valley and La Ciotat Bay in the distance. Take the opportunity to visit all the old water-related facilities in the valley: paper mill, mill, monuments, springs and waterfalls.

A beautiful, very easy walk in the Saint-Pons valley, in the heart of a well-maintained departmental park, towards the former abbey of the same name. A very shady walk along a tributary of the Huveaune, where you can discover old mills from the 17th and 18th centuries. Great fun for children and largely accessible to people with reduced mobility.

This is a beautiful loop with a very steady climb through a picturesque valley, under tunnels of vegetation and magnificent suspended rocks. There are splendid views of the Huveaune valley, Géménos, Aubagne and Marseille. Next, pass by the very welcoming Tuny refuge and descend via the Vallon de Saint Clair, which also offers beautiful landscapes of steep rocks.

An easy, short hike where you can grill your meal.

This trail is another way of getting to the Petit Tuny hut. On this trail, you stay off the DFCI tracks as much as possible, by taking non-waymarked paths instead. At the highest point of the route, you will have a wonderful view over Garlaban, the Huveaune Valley and Bertagne Peak.

This hike will take you above the beautiful Falaise de la Galère cliff with its breathtaking views to the fascinating Grande Baume cave, which you will cross from end to end. Don't be put off by the elevation gain, as it wasn't too difficult for our old legs.

This circular hike starting from Gémenos will take you to the summit of the Tête du Douard, via a varied route that favours walking on trails, avoiding tracks as much as possible. This beautiful viewpoint offers a view of the Pic de Bertagne, the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, the Huveaune valley with Marseille in the background, the Bay of Cassis and the Grand Caunet massif. Along the way, you will climb the Gorges de la Petite Sainte-Baume with its unique atmosphere.

La Sainte-Baume as you've never seen it before: a ledge at the foot of imposing rocky peaks, a short climb to reach an isolated plateau offering panoramic views of the Alps as far as Cap Sicié. The entire walk is on small, wild trails, just the way I like them. A challenging walk with an 8-metre rock climb, rated 2 at most (easy scrambling).

This is a fairly difficult circuit that will take you via the Pic de Bertagne to two of the most interesting spots in the Sainte-Baume massif: the Trou du Vent and the Grande Baume.

This hike offers a change of scenery, starting from Les Bastides (a district of Roquefort-La Bédoule) to admire the Chapelle Saint-André chapel and its viewpoint, and above all the old Roquefort, which still has some interesting ruins to visit.

An easy hike to a local geological curiosity: the Fenêtre du Brigou.

This pleasant walk above Cuges-les-Pins takes you along theGR®98, first on a lovely climb to Le Brigou, then towards Le Jas de Micéau: a beautifully restored sheepfold that marks the high point of our hike.

An easy walk to the beautiful cliffs of Petite-Sainte-Baume around the Grand Rouvière wine estate.

The Languilard plateau above Carnoux offers a wide panorama of the town of Aubagne and the Garlaban. At the end of the route, there is a discovery trail with information panels about the plants of our region.

This is a short, challenging hike, which could be described as "ravine hiking", in the steep, arid ravines of the Coutronne (now a dry river) and the Infernets to the Encanaux. There, the latter flows into the Vède in a charming, shady and fairly wide spot, which is popular with walkers at the weekend. The hike takes you through the potholes (giant's kettles) of the two rivers, in truly wild surroundings. The first ravine is very rarely visited.

A fairly classic hike that starts at Font Blanche and goes to the Chapelle Saint-André de Juhlans and then the Montounier, a hill that rises to 600 m. The route is particularly worthwhile for its beautiful views of Cuges-les-Pins and Sainte Baume, then the Bay of La Ciotat as you descend towards the Grand Caunet. The chapel has been very well restored, perhaps even a little too well. Don't miss the view behind it. There are some tough climbs along this route, which is not as easy as it looks.

A beautiful hike with cable and chain passages and magnificent 360° views from the top of the Garlaban. Please note that a municipal by-law has prohibited descent via the Dansaires trail since 2010 due to rockfalls.

Mont du Marseillais, which is easily accessible, offers a wonderful 360° panorama of the surrounding mountains and even the Mercantour on a clear day. After passing the small summit of Le Défens, the descent is via Le Grand Vallon to return to the Marseillais valley, where pine trees reign supreme. A beautiful, peaceful loop in unspoilt wilderness, undisturbed by the rare cars that use the tracks.