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From Château-Gombert or Plan de Cuques, take the Chemin de la Grave (La Montade district). Park at the end of the road by a gate and a firebreak track where there are numerous parking spaces.
(S/E) Go through the gate and continue along the track until you reach the crossroads with the path leading to Vallon de Mauvelle. After a right-hand bend, take a wide left-hand bend.
(1) In this bend, turn right onto the unmarked path that leads into the valley. Cross a few rocky areas (see practical information section) and you will come to a fork.
(2) Turn left and cross the rock face using the ladder provided. A little further on, pass an old car wreck. Walk past a water retention basin. The path then widens and opens out into a clear area.
(3) Turn right onto the wide path, then take thefirst rocky path that climbs to the right towards the north-east. You will arrive at a hunting reserve (enclosed area), then at the large house of Le Caban. Go around the house on the right.
(4) Behind the house, turn right onto the path that descends under the pine trees. Caution: the descent is steep and slippery.
At the bottom, turn right onto the path, then left to climb north-west towards Vallon du Pilon du Roi. The landscape is magnificent. The last 400 metres are very steep. Stay on the left-hand path to reach the La Limace
signpost.
(5) Pass under the Pilon du Roi and turn right towards Col Sainte-Anne, heading east. Stay on the track, pass below the ruins of Notre-Dame du Rot
, and reach a crossroads at an elevation of 593 metres.
(6) Turn right towards the south in the direction of a large high-voltage pylon. Pass under this pylon.
(7) Immediately afterwards, turn left, heading east on the narrow path that descends into the heath, passes through a wooded area and arrives between two rock formations, with a view of a cave on the other side of the Vallon de Fontvielle slope.
(8) Turn right at the hairpin bend and descend into the valley. Leave the path that climbs towards the Grotte du Facteur
on your right, then pass by a spring with a sign saying "water is rare and precious" (behind it, to the right of the small basin, is the actual spring). Continue downhill through the woods on a pleasant path. Arrive at the bottom of the valley where the path joins a fork.
(9) Go right. Then stay on the left. The path climbs. Shortly after the summit, you will come to a crossroads.
(10) Stay on the path that descends (some patches of tarmac) towards the ruins of Jas de Mimet. Keep to the right as you pass them, then turn left at thefirst intersection. Pass a shed and then some beehives. Join a track and take it to the left. After 200 m, you will come to a right-hand bend.
(11) In the bend, leave the track on the right which leads up a steep slope (at the start) to Puits de Besson
, renovated by a hunting association. Pass the well and continue straight on, heading west to the Y-junction.
(12) Turn left, heading south. You will arrive in the Vallon des Escombes. The path is more difficult here, with numerous rocky slabs and potholes filled with water. See the chapter on practical information. The path then becomes flat and pleasant, leading to a grassy, open area where it narrows.
(13) From this point, the trail winds through dense vegetation and bushes. Be careful not to get scratched. Cross a very narrow rocky area and arrive at a long tunnel of vegetation where you will have to bend down to pass through. Arriving at a rock face, the tunnel then becomes inaccessible. Do not attempt to continue.
(14) Turn left onto a barely visible path that winds around the dense vegetation to arrive near a water retention dam. Follow the track that passes to the left of the dam.
(15) When you reach the second dam, descend into the basin. Near the rocks, on the right, there is a passage that allows you to climb above the rocks. Cross the smooth, slippery slabs, taking great care in wet weather. Pick up a path that climbs and passes next to a fire station. Keep left at a crossroads. The path descends towards some houses.
(16) Turn left onto Chemin Bonnabelles, then right onto Rue du Professeur Robert Debré. At the end of this street, continue straight ahead on a small path that passes between houses. Take Boulevard Jean Jaurès then Chemin de la Grave to reach the car park (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
Easy 
Association / Club / Walk leader
