The Paillère Valley

Villefort: car park on the D901 at the southern entrance to the town (near the petrol station).See practical information

(S/E) Head downhill towards the north, towards the railway line, on the D901 to reach the centre of Villefort. Leave the D901 and take Rue de la Bourgade on the left to reach a crossroads.

(1) Take Avenue de la Gare on the left. 50 m further on, at the fork, take Rue de Palhères on the right until you reach Avenue de la Gare.

(2) Follow it to the right, cross the railway line and continue on Route du Mas de la Barque (D66). Just after a housing estate on the left, you will reach a fork.

(3) Take Rue du Pouget on the right. Cross La Paillère. 150 m after a bend on the right, you will find a path branching off to the left.

(4) Follow this path. You will reach a crossroads: "Le Pouget" signpost.

(5) Take the path furthest to the left and follow it, roughly southwards but with hairpin bends, to reach the D66.

(6) Follow it to the right. After 200 metres, leave it and take the hairpin bend to the right. After a hairpin bend to the left, you will see the "Les Chabannes" signpost.

(7) Take the hairpin bend on the right. Ignore a path on the left and, further on, take a hairpin bend to the left. At the next fork, take the track on the right and continue uphill without crossing the stream (Ravin de Baume) that the path winds up to reach a fork.

(8) Take the wide path on the left and descend to join the D66.

(9) Follow it a few metres to the right to find a path on the left. Follow this path down towards La Paillères. In June 2025, as we approached the river, we were walking among asphodels.

(10) Ford the river, which is not equipped but not too difficult when the water is low (but I took off my shoes anyway). Then start the climb up a winding path. Do not take any of the paths branching off to the right and reach the Ravin de la Grande Barte.

(11) Cross the ford. Continue climbing the path, now lined with broom (pruning shears may be useful), and reach the ridge at Col de Rabusat to find the GR® markings.

(12) Follow the GR® on the left, heading north: a beautiful, well-marked ridge path with no great difficulty (June 2025). Here, it's a feast for the eyes!
After a rocky section requiring a little help from your hands (but nothing dangerous), a climb takes you to the Truc de Plumat.

(13) Continue northwards to reach the Col du Plo de la Voulp (picket).

(14) Continue north until you reach a path that turns sharply to the right.

(15) Follow this path: still GR®, but the markings are not very visible. After a hairpin bend to the left, begin the descent on a steep, stony path. You will eventually reach a T-junction.

(16) Follow the small road on the right towards the Village de Vacances des Sédaries, cross it and join the D901. Follow it on the left to immediately reach the car park (S/E).

Avoid Thursdays, which is market day.

Good shoes and a walking stick are recommended.

I think the start must be more pleasant going up towards Les Sédaries towards the point (16). Above the hamlet, when the path turns left, take the path on the right. Follow it until you reach Chemin de Lou Poustat. Follow it downhill and rejoin the route just before the railway line. I haven't tested it (I'll do so in Jin 2026), but this path can be found on routes suggested by the Villefort tourist information office.

No water source (perhaps in the hamlet of Les Chabannes?).