Gréoux-les-Bains - Les Maurras - Notre-Dame des Oeufs

(S/E) Start from the Pont du Verdon and take the road eastwards leading to Lac d'Esparron (Chemin d'Aurafrède). After about 150m, leave the road and follow the track on the right that winds upwards. Stay on this track for about 900m, ignore a turn-off on the left and, at a crossroads, continue straight ahead. After a short descent, join the track coming from Four à Chaux.

(1) Turn left (south-southeast) onto this yellow-marked track and follow it, with several bends, for 2.2 km to the Les Tronnes crossroads.

(2) Continue along the track opposite (south) towards Les Maurras for 1.5 km. After a barrier, you will arrive at the Carrefour du Peicaï junction and continue along the track for 200 m until you reach a three-way junction.

(3) Leave the main track and take the track on the left, which leads to a hunting blind and then continues uphill. After turning north, you will arrive at a three-way junction. Continue to the left (cairn). This will take you to the ruined hamlet of Les Garduères.

(4) Cross the hamlet until you reach a three-way junction and continue along the path on the right overlooking the hamlet of Les Maurras. At a T-junction, turn right and, after a short descent, you will reach Les Maurras. At the crossroads, turn left until you reach the junction marked "Les Maurras".

(5) Leave the road and take the track (north-east) marked in yellow towards Pellas. About 400m after a cistern, you will arrive at Pellas (540m), the highest point of the hike.

(6) Leave the main track and take the path on the left towards La Buissière. After 50 metres, you will come to a clearing. Cross it on the right and take an unmarked path to the north (do not continue along the obvious path that continues straight ahead). Heading north-west then north, descend the Ravin de la Vallée Obscure. After about 2 km, you will come to the road leading from Lac d'Esparron. Follow it to the right for 100 m.

(7) Then follow the path on the left leading to Notre-Dame des Oeufs (signpost, yellow markings (short but steep climb). Shortly before the summit, join the path coming from Défends and follow it to the left to the chapel.

(8) From the chapel, take the path on the right of the summit towards Gréoux (west). Follow this path, which gradually widens to join a track at the bottom of the descent. Follow this track, which describes a large "S" shape, to the road. Follow this road to the right towards Gréoux until you reach the sign for "La Buissière".

(9) Turn left onto the track that winds upwards towards Les Tronnes. You will come to a signpost at the intersection with another path.

(10) Continue right on the track towards Antennes. You will reach a summit topped with pylons, which offers a beautiful view of Gréoux and its castle.

(11) Retrace your steps back to the intersection.

(10) Take the path on the right towards Les Tronnes.

(2) At the intersection, take the track on the left until you reach the second sign for "Les Tronnes", where a path marked in yellow branches off to the right (south-south-west) towards Les Broués. Follow this path and, at the T-junction, head downhill to the right to a large clearing where you will find the ruins of the hamlet of Les Tronnes.

(12) Continue along the path, which turns left after the hamlet. After 500 metres, you will come to a three-way junction.

(13) Take the path on the right which joins the D8 departmental road at a place called Les Broués.

(14) Take the road on the right, then turn down the first road on the left to arrive at Le Regain.

(15) At the intersection, take the road on the right towards Gréoux until you reach Le Verseau.

(16) Leave the road and take the path opposite, which after a short descent joins the left bank of the Verdon. Follow it to the Pont du Verdon (S/E).

For convenience, this hike is described starting from the "Pont du Verdon" bridge, located 10 minutes' walk from the centre of Gréoux, but in practice it is possible to start from the various campsites located along the route on the left bank of the Verdon.

Be careful not to take one of the many mountain bike trails that cross this route.

There are many marked hiking trails starting from Gréoux. The tourist office publishes a map based on IGN data describing them. The yellow markings, which comply with FFR standards (walking and hiking trails), are well done and supplemented at each intersection by a sign indicating the name of the place as well as the distance and walking time to the next signs.
In the description, the names of the places are given with reference to these signs, e.g. "Four à Chaux".

The distances are approximate ("about") and are used to estimate the walking time between two points based on our speed, which is between 60m/min and 80m/min depending on our walking ability. This is a good tool for making sure you don't miss a change of route at an intersection...

Notre Dame des Oeufs
"The popular tradition associated with Notre-Dame des Oeufs suggests that it may be a very ancient sanctuary to which a pagan cult of fertility has remained attached.
Traditionally, a pilgrimage to this chapel took place on Easter Monday.
Women wishing to have a child would climb up to the chapel with an egg in each hand. The eggs, objects and symbols of fertility, had to remain intact. Once they reached Notre-Dame, the women would swallow one of the eggs and bury the other at the foot of the chapel.
On 8 September, the day of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, they would return to dig up the egg.
A country meal, consisting mainly of egg dishes, punctuated these two ceremonies..."
Continued on the "Regional Nature Park" sign in front of the chapel.