The Grande Traversée des Maures: Collobrières - La Garde-Freinet

In Collobrières, park in the car park by the river.

(S) Take Rue des Jardins heading north-east, following the red and white markings of the GR®90. Keep right at the three-way junction to continue on the street, which now becomes Avenue de Sainte-Marguerite.

(1) Keep left, ignoring the Route de Vaudreches, and you will reach a fork at the entrance to the Vallon des Pourcieux.

(2) Take the path that descends to the right, leaving the GR®90. After the small bridge, continue straight on the main track: blue markings are indicated. Follow the Vallon de Pourcieux, keeping to the track which first turns right then left as it climbs.

(3) Take the path on the right with the blue markings. This well-trodden path is the road that linked Toulon to Draguignan in the Middle Ages. Climb to the highest point, then descend through the fields. After a sharp left turn, continue down this ditch among the chestnut trees to the wooden bridge over the Ruisseau de la Sauvette.

(4) Cross the bridge, pass in front of the house and take the access track to the property: the owner of the land allows the ancestral right of way. Follow the path uphill to the entrance gate on the edge of the D39.

(5) Go around the side and take the tarmac road on the left for about 150 metres to reach the start of the Piste des Condamines (DFCI D201) on the right.

(6) Turn right to join this track. Pass a cistern and continue for about 300 m to reach a three-way junction.

(7) Continue straight ahead, leaving Chemin de l'Aurier on your right. Take two hairpin bends and you will reach a large platform.

(8) Continue to the right, keeping to the slightly downhill track which winds along the contour line and reaches another three-way junction.

(9) Continue straight ahead, leaving the Piste de Patrian on your right. Cross the Ruisseau des Condamines and don't forget to take a look at La Sauvette on your left, the highest peak in the Massif des Maures, rising to 776 metres.

(10) Pass a white house on the left at number 4509: it serves as a landmark. Continue for about 500 m, crossing the Rouve Gavot valley and its spring, which supplies Collobrières, in a right-hand bend. This track was opened in the last century by local men working by hand in order to capture the water from this spring for the village. Reach the junction with the tarmac track called Route des Crêtes Marc Robert which, as its name suggests, is a ridge track to follow for a few kilometres towards La Garde Frainet, discovering magnificent views and surprising cedar forests.

(11) Turn right to follow the track that supports the GR®9: white and red markings. After a hairpin bend to the right, you will reach a junction with two green water tanks.

(12) Continue straight ahead between the two tanks, still following the GR®9. You will reach the junction with the Piste du Treps.

(13) Leave the latter on your right and continue straight ahead on a long straight line once used during the Var rally: competitors used to drive on this track at over 200 km/h! Pass the Rocher Blanc cistern on your right and continue straight ahead to Rocher Blanc: it is very spectacular to see these sparkling quartz veins emerging from the schist.

(14) Continue along the track until you reach a crossroads.

(15) Go straight ahead, stopping briefly at the viewpoint, and stay on the track until you reach the memorial to firefighter Marc Robert, who died on 2 September 1971, and to all firefighters.

(16) Continue to the next three-way junction.

(17) Stay on the tarmac track on the left, leaving the Piste du Gagnal on your right. Continue for about 350 metres.

(18) Leave the track and take a path downhill to the right, following the GR® markings: caution. Descend the Vallon de la Court and come out onto a track.

(19) Head left towards the hamlet of Haute-Court. Cross this beautiful hamlet by taking the tarmac road, following the GR® markings. Ignore the various paths leading to houses on the left and right and stay on the road. Then take a sharp left turn before reaching the top of the hill: green GFT10 cistern on the left.

(20) Continue straight ahead, descending onto the D21 and following the GR® markings. Stay on the departmental road, pass the hamlet of Feumaurane and arrive at the intersection with the D558.

(21) Take the left-hand lane that runs alongside the road. Continue straight ahead at the roundabout and enter La Garde-Freinet via Boulevard de l'Esplanade. You will come to a three-way junction.

(22) Turn left to follow Rue Saint-Jacques, then take Rue François Pelletier on the right.

(23) Turn right into the small street to reach the town hall square (E).

There are no water sources or refreshments available on this stage.

Between 15 June and 15 September, check access to the forest areas before setting out on this hike.