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At Saint Michel l'Observatoire: start from the car park signposted "parking de l'Observatoire".
(S/E) Cross Place du Serre, turn left and take the D5 on the right to the church.
(1) Walk past it and take an uphill lane on the right. Continue to the chapel, go around it on the left and followthe astronomical path on the right to the orientation table.
(2) Continue along a good path, heading north-west. After a while, it joins another path, which you take to the left until you reach the D5 crossroads.
(3) Leave the D5 and turn right onto a good path marked in yellow towards Les Eyssarts. Follow it to the Les Eyssarts crossroads (altitude 631).
(4) At the crossroads, turn left for about 100 m to reach the Plaines crossroads, where you should follow the yellow-markedPR®® on the right towards Le Revest des Brousses.
You will come to a large cultivated field, which you follow on the right. Climb north-east then north on the marked path, ignoring the various crossroads, then look for a small path on the left in the undergrowth, parallel to the uphill track.
(5) Leave the marked path and head north on this trail. It arrives at the edge of a cliff: danger, do not approach, but there is a beautiful panoramic view of Le Revest des Brousses. Continue along the trail, which allows you to cross the rocky ridge. Follow it southwards (approx. 50 m) to reach a rock shelter. Retrace your steps, climb back up the rocky outcrop and continue northwards along the path, which will take you back to the marked path you left earlier. Pass the highest point (765 m) and continue to the junction where you leave the marked path.
(6) Turn right onto an unmarked forest path that descends into the forest, heading south-east. At the fork in a clearing, take the left path heading due east. The vegetation becomes sparse and you will arrive at a beautiful spring.
(7) At the spring, continue along the path heading south-east then north-east to a small valley. Follow the path opposite, which heads due south. Ignore a path coming from the right and continue eastwards to a fork.
(8) Take a path heading south-east downhill, ignoring two other paths coming from the right and two from the left. You will arrive at an open area where there is a blue van.
(9) At the blue van, go straight downhill until you reach a marked path (elevation 496) that climbs to the right until it reaches a flat dirt path. Follow the signs for "Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire" and you will reach a paved road at a hairpin bend.
(10) Follow it to the right. At the bottom of the descent, at the crossroads, ignore the road leading to the entrance to the Haute Provence Observatory and turn left towards Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire via the D305. (On the right, towards the Observatory, a sign indicates the way to the chapel for those who have not notified anyone of their visit). For the visit, see the practical information.
(11) Follow the signs to the Lavoir de la Marceline, which was reserved for washing the clothes of plague victims.
(12) Continue downhill to reach the wash house reserved for the laundry of healthy people.
(13) Follow Rue du Barri, pass the post office and return to the car park (S/E).
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