The Mont Cruvelier lookout

de fr

A walk alternating between tracks and paths, taking you to the Vigie du Cruvelier, the summit of the Brigou and the Jas du Brigou. The view from the summit of the Cruvelier offers a 360° panorama of the surrounding mountain ranges. After the Cruvelier, a round trip leads to the summit of the Brigou. You’ll pass by the Jas du Brigou, which can serve as a refuge.

Details

n°97386989
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.47 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,329 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,329 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,886 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 653 ft
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Photos

Memorial stone
Inside the Brigou shelter
Jas du Brigou
Poljé de Cuges-les-Pins

Description of the walk

Park in the small car park before the barrier on the Chemin de Cruvelier.

(S/E) Take the track leading up to Mont Cruvelier, pass three almost hairpin bends and look for a path on the right.

(1) Leave the track and follow the path marked Yellow + Red and Yellow, which climbs up the hill and rejoins the track further up.

(2) Cut across this track and rejoin the marked path which continues to climb opposite and leads back onto the track.

(3) Follow the track, keeping to the left, until you reach a DFCI water tank.

(4) Ignore the two tracks branching off on either side and take the path opposite leading to Mont Cruvelier and its lookout post: take a moment to admire the 360° view.

(5) Head downhill along the track leading to the lookout post and walk for about 350 m until you reach a sharp left-hand bend.

(6) Leave this track and take the path on the right – unmarked but clearly visible – which leads to the summit of Le Brigou.

(7) Retrace your steps back to the track.

(6) Follow this track to the right until you reach a left-hand bend, a path on the right and a signpost.

(8) Follow the signposted path to the right, which winds downhill twice before reaching another signpost at the junction of two paths.

(9) Take the signposted path on the left which descends and leads to the Jas du Brigou.

(10) After exploring the area for potential shelter, continue along the marked path, which descends until it joins a track.

(11) Follow this track, turning left. The track climbs, takes a hairpin bend and, after a final short climb, descends again to rejoin the track coming from the lookout point

(12) Continue downhill to the right until you reach the cistern you saw on the way there.

(4) Go straight on, in the opposite direction to your outward journey.

(3) Stay on the track until you reach a junction.

(13) Carry on to the right, ignoring the path off to the left, and rejoin the junction with the uphill path.

(2) Stay on the track and follow it all the way to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 653 ft - Car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.38 - alt. 833 ft - Common junction for out-and-back route
  3. 2 : mi 0.72 - alt. 1,079 ft - Junction of the two circular loops
  4. 3 : mi 1.2 - alt. 1,398 ft - Common junction for out-and-back route
  5. 4 : mi 1.37 - alt. 1,463 ft - Citerne, junction of the 3rd circular loop
  6. 5 : mi 1.8 - alt. 1,886 ft - Mont Cruvelier lookout post - Mont Cruvelier (571 m)
  7. 6 : mi 2.04 - alt. 1,814 ft - Junction. Return to the summit
  8. 7 : mi 2.13 - alt. 1,883 ft - Summit of Le Brigou - Sommet du Brigou (575 m)
  9. 8 : mi 2.34 - alt. 1,736 ft - Path on the right
  10. 9 : mi 2.49 - alt. 1,667 ft - Junction, turn left
  11. 10 : mi 2.63 - alt. 1,604 ft - Jas or Brigou refuge
  12. 11 : mi 2.72 - alt. 1,565 ft - Track junction, turn left
  13. 12 : mi 3.15 - alt. 1,650 ft - Trail junction, turn right
  14. 13 : mi 4.21 - alt. 1,250 ft - Junction, go straight on
  15. S/E : mi 5.47 - alt. 653 ft - Car park

Notes

(10) Jas or Brigou refuge.

Worth a visit

(5) 360° view from the summit of Mont Cruvelier.

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