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The walk starts from the cemetery car park. This is located on the D17 after passing through Le Tholonet, taking a left turn at the Moulin de Cézanne.
(S/E) From the car park, take the road that climbs to the right of the cemetery. At the property at No. 257, which is blocked by a green gate, take the path with a green barrier, marked in yellow.
At the private swimming pool, follow the path marked with yellow dots on the left as it climbs uphill. Follow the yellow dots until you reach a path.
(1) Turn right onto this road and continue uphill. At the top, at the wooden gate, take the road on the left, marked in yellow and red. You will then come to a large road with a bench on the right at the crossroads.
(2) Continue straight downhill, following the sign for "Barrage Zola".
(3) When the path climbs again, don't miss the tiny path on the left, which offers a panoramic view of the Petite Mer hike (be careful, it's on the edge of the cliff). You can see the Petite Mer dam in the gorge. Return to the main path. The path leads to a summit where there is a picnic table on the left and, on the right, a viewpoint over Lake Zola.
Continue along this path down to the dam.
(4) Cross the dam, where a sign explains its history.
Continue along this path, which descends to the left. When you reach the AEP house (Association des Excursionnistes Provençaux, which once owned this forest house, Zola), where there are two picnic tables, continue for another 100 metres.
Don't miss the path on the left at the crossing over the old canal. Follow this canal on the left until you reach a gap in the canal, where you should take the path that branches off to the left and goes uphill.
When you reach a high point, enjoy the beautiful views on the left over the Petite Mer, which you will reach later. The path then follows the ridge line of the cliff. A path appears on the right, but stay on the left.
(5) The path descends for a few metres. Don't miss the path that descends to the left at 180°, at the viewpoint. The path joins the ochre and grey cliff and continues to descend gently to the Petite Mer dam.
(6) When you reach the dam, cross it and climb the steps carved into the rock, just for fun and to take a photo, then cross the dam again. The trail is on the right immediately after the dam and joins the stream (La Cause), which it follows. When the trail is very close to the stream, a small stone dam allows you to cross it and continue on the trail that climbs uphill. Reach a small meadow and continue on the trail that climbs opposite.
At the top, at the pass, take the path on the left. The trail joins the main path you took on the way there.
(2) Immediately take the path on the right marked with a green circle, before the bench. Then at the next crossroads, turn right at the barrier, marked with a yellow circle. As you descend, don't miss the path on the left that goes through the gap, marked with a yellow circle. This path takes you to the path you took on the way there, which you take on the right to return to the car park (S/E).
Not an easy hike 
It took us the time stated
Visorando Member
Moderate 
