The fairy of Saint-Zacharie

A beautiful hike starting from Saint Zacharie, which takes us to discover the fairy of the spring, on the banks of the Huveaune. Then, the walk climbs up to Montmorin via the Vallon de l'Espagnol. On the way down through the Vallon des Jourdans, there is a superb panorama of Sainte-Baume. The walk is accessible via the free bus network of the Pays d'Aubagne et de l'Étoile.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.73 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 268 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 269 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 536 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 260 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Saint-Zacharie (83640)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.384303° / E 5.706681°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3344OT, 3345OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

The starting point is the "Saint Zacharie Centre Ville" stop on bus lines 8 and 9 of the Pays d'Aubagne et de l'Étoile. Plenty of parking spaces in the town centre.

(S/E) Leave the bus stop via the main road heading south (Aubagne). Continue to Place du 4 Septembre, where there are large plane trees.

(1) Turn left towards Plan d'Aups (D480) and continue to a crossroads with a small fountain.

(2) Turn left onto Avenue Jean Moulin: follow the red/white GR® and red/yellow GRP® markings. When you reach a gate marked "La Castillonne", turn left onto the path, following the double markings. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead, ignoring the sign for "Hostelllerie de la Sainte-Baume" on your right. You will come to a track with a pumping station on your right marked "Saint-Zacharie Service des Eaux".

(3) Turn right and immediately after, at the fork, turn left onto the pretty path that runs alongside the Huveaune. You will come to a junction with a path that climbs to the right.

(4) Take a few steps to admire the lock and the fairy of the spring, a statue that is part of the five fairies of the Huveaune, placed along the river in 2013. Return to the crossroads.

(4) Turn left onto the path that climbs uphill, then turn left onto the track that runs alongside the Huveaune. Keep left at the next junction and you will come out onto the D560.

(5) Turn left and follow the road carefully until you reach the "Saint-Zacharie ZI" bus stop.

(6) Turn right onto the tarmac road towards Nans-les-Pins, Vallon de l'Espagnol. At the rubbish bins, keep left onto the dirt track towards La Gantesse.

(7) At the three-way junction, follow a dirt track that branches off to the right towards "Nans-les-Pins". Further on,
pass a path on your right that heads uphill. At a right-hand bend, a small path (not shown on the IGN map) branches off to the left: stay on the track. Cross a flat area and you will reach a crossroads.

(8) Take the path on the right, leaving the double markings. The path runs along the ridge.

(9) At this point, a parallel path appears on the left: take it and head back downhill (due east). The path winds down the southern slope of the hill. Beautiful view of Sainte-Baume. You will reach a wide track with a cistern marked SZE1.

(10) Follow this track to the right until you reach a clearing.

(11) Ignore another track that branches off to the left and continue straight ahead, ignoring a path and then a track that branches off to the right. You will rejoin the D560.

(5) Cross it carefully and take the track opposite, towards Saint-Zacharie. Do not take the path on the left and go straight past the chain. At the fork, turn right to return to the lock and the fairy.

(4) Turn left and rejoin the track near the pumping station you saw on the way there. Continue a few metres to the right.

(3) Turn left towards Saint-Zacharie (walk along the fence as you climb). At the next crossroads, head towards Saint-Zacharie and not Hostellerie de la Sainte-Baume, arrive on Avenue Jean Moulin and follow it to the right.

(2) Turn right: wash house on the right below.

(1) Turn right onto Rue Jean Jaurès and head for the bus stop next to the Bar des Sports (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 268 m - Stop: "Saint-Zacharie Centre Ville"
  2. 1 : km 0.16 - alt. 266 m - Place du 4 Septembre
  3. 2 : km 0.3 - alt. 265 m - Crossroads, fountain
  4. 3 : km 1.28 - alt. 267 m - Pumping station
  5. 4 : km 1.53 - alt. 269 m - Lock and fairy junction
  6. 5 : km 1.8 - alt. 277 m - D560, junction of the circular
  7. 6 : km 1.95 - alt. 278 m - Saint-Zacharie ZI bus stop.
  8. 7 : km 2.35 - alt. 288 m - Three-way junction, turn right
  9. 8 : km 5.23 - alt. 513 m - Carrefour de Montmorin
  10. 9 : km 5.99 - alt. 533 m - South side fork
  11. 10 : km 6.99 - alt. 430 m - SZE1 cistern
  12. 11 : km 7.91 - alt. 397 m - Clearing
  13. S/E : km 10.73 - alt. 268 m - Stop: "Saint-Zacharie Centre Ville"

Notes

There are no water points along the route.
During the summer season (1 June to 30 September), access to the mountains is restricted. Please visit https://www.var.gouv.fr/acces-aux-massif...
All shops in Saint-Zacharie.
Accessible via the free Pays d'Aubagne et de l'Étoile transport network.

Worth a visit

The fairy of the spring is one of five statues created in 2013.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
XAM
XAM

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, everyone
A lovely little hike in the woods north of Saint Zacharie (83).
Just one small downside: between points 4 and 5, the explanations are unclear because, for me, after
passing the lock on the Huveaune, you should turn right rather than left as indicated
on the map to reach the D560. In any case, I couldn't find a clear path or passage.
This comment also applies to the return journey.
All the other information is very accurate and the hike is very pleasant.

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Christine_aix
Christine_aix

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with beautiful views of Sainte Baume on the second half of the route. We parked near the school as recommended in a comment, as it was impossible to find a spot in the village centre.
We didn't use the route description but followed the trail on the app.
Thank you for this track.

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jolo07
jolo07

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

No difficulty and worth seeing at least once!

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LesDeuxLoulous
LesDeuxLoulous

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This hike takes place in sheltered areas, making it perfect if the heat starts to kick in or, as was the case for us, if it is a windy day. It is mainly in the forest. There are no particular difficulties. We completed the hike with two dogs weighing 10 and 20kg without any problems.

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phildaix
phildaix

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike through majestic woodland along the Huveaune river with breathtaking views of Sainte Baume. No difficulty.
To avoid the long walk between the houses on the way there and back: park at the Collège des 16 Fontaines car park, then take the path down towards the tennis courts and the footbridge over the Huveaune river, arriving between points 2 and 3. on the way back, turn off at point 3 towards the Huveaune, cross the river via a ford on flat stones, follow the river westwards and head back up towards the car park; this also avoids passing the same places twice (except between points 5 and 3).

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Daumas
Daumas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

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Francoise rossier
Francoise rossier

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike on paths that sometimes have large rocks but are mostly trails. The view of Sainte-Baume is very beautiful from the top of the summit.

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benoitcoul
benoitcoul

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The first part of the hike is not particularly interesting, but the second half offers superb panoramic views of Sainte Baume. Be aware that there is a 470-metre elevation gain.

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Claudine Wattrelot
Claudine Wattrelot

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Pleasant hike without any particular difficulties

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fernandez
fernandez

We didn't have any problems.

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Georges Dyane
Georges Dyane

Hello.
We didn't do this hike because I couldn't load the PDF.
Instead, we did "Around St Zacharie" in early March 2024. This hike is not recommended after rainy weather: there is a lot of water in the stream, which means you have to scramble like a mountain goat on the steep banks.
The paths are very bucolic, but it's a shame there isn't a high point from which to admire the landscape.
Apart from these two drawbacks, it's a very nice hike that must be cool in summer as it's often covered by vegetation. Well done and thank you!
Georges Dyane.

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fernandez
fernandez

Very beautiful hike

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haddad-parfait
haddad-parfait

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very interesting tour, we really enjoyed it. THANK YOU.

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fernandez
fernandez

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful and fairly easy hike. PS: Don't forget to say hello to the lady by the river.

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