Country:
District:
Coming from Nice, turn right at the entrance to the village and park after the church.
(S/E) Walk up Avenue de la Gare. Take the alley to the right of the church with its bell tower decorated with Italian-style polychrome tiles, then turn right again onto Passage du Lavoir, which leads to the main road. Although there is a pedestrian crossing, cross with caution. Continue straight ahead via the Sappia staircase, turn right to pass in front of the town hall, then follow the signs for "Espace ludique" in the village.
(1) At the car park of the Bousset multisport ground, turn left and, just before the private property, turn right onto the stony path.
(2) Turn left, walk alongside the waterfall and turn right just after it. You will then be overlooking the waterfall. Continue along this wooded path, a small section of which has been paved slanting street.
(3) Continue straight ahead at this crossroads. Pass above a centuries-old stone basin and shortly afterwards you will reach the crossroads at the Villatalla farm, which is in ruins.
(4) Continue straight ahead and then quickly turn right onto the path: views of L'Escarène below. Continue climbing through the woods on the unmarked path: there are a few cairns. You will reach a small grassy plateau, with a pretty view of Mont Panard a few metres to the right.
(5) At this point, continue climbing towards the summit. The vegetation makes it a little difficult to move around. Cross a series of terraces forming a stone staircase, hence the Italian name "scaletta": these cultivated areas date back to another era. Go around the southern part of the Scaletta ridge.
(6) Follow a few cattle tracks. The walk is easy if you keep to the ridge line on your left: on the right is the Col de Braus, famous for the Monte Carlo Rally. The top of the ridge offers a beautiful 300° view. Continue along the ridge to the Plastra farm and go about a hundred metres past it to reach a crossroads of paths that is not obvious because the cows have created several tracks.
(7) Turn left at almost 180° and follow the stream on your right: there is an old yellow mark. You will arrive at a ruin.
(8) Immediately afterwards, cross the clearing and follow the path that continues opposite into the wooded area, then curves to the left.
(9) Continue straight ahead at this crossroads and continue downhill to join the track called "Ouest de Villatalla".
(10) Cross it to continue straight ahead on a magnificent descending path. Walk along the ruins of a house on the right and reach a crossroads with straight stone walls where you should turn left for a few metres.
(3) Turn right and retrace your steps uphill to return to the village of Touët-de-l'Escarène and the car park (S/E).
Visorando member
