La Bastide Blanche

Start from the Mirabeau car-share area (Les 4 Chemins).

(S/E) Follow the track to the end (Chemin du Vallon de Barrabine), ignoring the paths on either side; you’ll pass a stable and a water source a little further on, to the right of the track. You’ll reach the road.

(1) Head up to the left and reach a crossroads.

(2) Turn right towards Garce, continue for 600 m and you’ll reach a track near the hamlet.

(3) Follow it straight on (quite stony in places) for about 5 km. There is a forest gate with a wire fence as the track passes through a cow pasture (in summer).

(4) After passing an old walnut grove, turn left at the crossroads (there’s a waterhole on the right as you go uphill, a spot where the cows often graze). The track descends and offers a lovely view of L’Escale and the famous Pénitents des Mées. Continue for about 500 m.

(5) Turn left and leave the cow pasture (watch out for the fence). Continue along the main track

(6) Pass a DFCI reserve (on the left).

(7) At the next junction, head up to the left (with your back to the electricity pylon).

(8) After a short climb, dismount to spare the horse’s back, as the descent is quite steep with loose stones. Continue on foot along the main track (to the left) and remount a little further down, just before the gate. Continue along this track for 1.3 km.

(9) The track leaves the forest and crosses fields of lavender. 500 m past the lavender, the track passes above an old olive grove. You’ll reach the hamlet of Coulayes.

(10) Cross through the hamlet (hunting dogs are barking at the window and others are penned in further down). Head back down along the road, towards L’Escale. Cross a ford.

(11) Turn left, about 500 m after the ford, onto the track through the Forêt Domaniale des Pénitents. Note a large oak tree at the side of the track. 100 m further on, take the track on the left (which is in better condition) and head up the pass, following the direction of Mirabeau.

(12) The original route takes a short cut (a bit of a slog) from this point, but you can continue along the main track. You’ll reach the Carrefour des Pénitents.

(13) Turn left (carry on straight ahead if you came up via the track), still heading towards Mirabeau. Follow this track for about 3 km, then follow the road straight on to reach the junction you passed on the way there.

(2) Follow the route back in the opposite direction to the outward journey. Continue straight on along the tarmac road towards the village of Mirabeau, then take the track you started on, on the right, just before the small bridge, and return to the car-sharing area (S/E) (there is access to a stream on the left-hand side of the track where you can water the horses before heading home).

You can set off from the Mirabeau car-sharing area, a small shaded car park where you can park vans and where there are trees for preparing and tethering the horses. (1626 Chemin du vallon de Barrabine, 04510 Mirabeau). Be careful not to take the next junction leading up to the village (it’s too narrow for a horsebox to pass through!). The car-sharing car park is quite small; you must leave access clear to the track (for tractors and farm machinery) and to the garage located just behind it. It may be possible to park below, near the rubbish bins (please confirm this by contacting the town hall in advance).
The water sources mentioned along the walk may be dry, especially in summer. Plan to set off fairly early in the morning during the summer.