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Park in the car park near the school. The walk starts in a residential area, along quiet roads.
Yellow markings
(S/E) Join the Route de la Madeleine and follow it to the left.
(1) Take Route des Costes on your left.
(2) At marker 171, turn right towards "Chapelle Saint-Raphaël / Gué du Malvan" then turn left onto Route des Virettes. The tarmac road gives way to a path further on.
(3) Take the path that climbs gently to your right, then cross a small stream at the very beginning of this path on the right. The climb continues on the only shaded part of this hike.
(4) At marker 117, turn left, heading due north. On your right, just before you reach a clearing, climb up to the right onto the hill to visit the Saint-Raphaël Chapel. There is a beautiful fresco and the view from the top of this hill is very pleasant.
(5) Turn back, cross the clearing and continue climbing. The path is now open.
(6) At marker 114, turn left towards "Saint Barnabé / Tourrettes-sur-Loup" and follow the GR®57 (white and red markings). Continue climbing until you reach marker 115.
(7) Follow the path on your left towards Combe de la Baïsse, leaving the GR® on your right.
The markings change to yellow.
(8) When you reach marker 178, which marks the highest point of this hike, turn left to reach Puy de Naouri, where the view is magnificent.
(9) Retrace your steps.
(8) Continue straight ahead towards Le Caire. Walk along the flat stone slabs until you reach marker 176.
(10) The descent then continues on the left towards Le Caire, Les Virettes and Tourrettes-sur-Loup.
(11) Be careful at this junction: the main path seems to go straight ahead, but you need to take a small path that branches off to the left. Continue on your way until you reach a tarmac road.
(12) Continue straight ahead to follow this road, which winds through a series of bends, until you reach marker 173.
(13) Leave the road and take the path on the left towards Les Virettes/Tourrettes-sur-Loup, which eventually joins a tarmac road at marker 172.
(14) Continue straight ahead on Route des Costes, which you took at the start. The descent becomes steeper.
(2) Follow the same route back, continuing straight ahead.
(1) Turn right to return to the starting car park (S/E).
Great hike, St Raphael Chapel is very pretty, not signposted when you arrive at the clearing, you have to be curious to go and see it (flight of steps) on the right. Superb view at the top. Well signposted. Descent to Tourette sur Loup a little long on tarmac road. Worth doing, thank you.
Visorando member
Easy 
