The Ravin de la Baume

By car, head towards La Batarelle Haute and park near No. 48 Rue de l’Escallet, at the entrance to the Domaine de Bastide Longue.
By bus, from La Rose metro station, take bus no. 37 towards La Batarelle. Get off at the ‘Lissandre’ stop.

(S/E) Follow the tarmac road through the Domaine de Bastide Longue and pass through the^first barrier. The road becomes a track and veers northwards. Pass through a^second barrier, walk for about 400 m and look out for a three-way junction on the right with a path leading off it.

(1) Turn right onto this path, which descends into the valley before climbing up the other side, using a large aerial as a landmark. You’ll reach a T-junction.

(2) Turn left, then about 150 m further on, join a wider path on the right; continue to the left and reach a wide DFCI track running across.

(3) Turn right onto the track which, after a descent, joins the Chemin des Grottes Loubière. Turn left and you’ll reach fire tank no. 405.

(4) Take a sharp right-hand bend after the tank onto the ascending, tarmac-surfaced road that passes by the old Grottes Loubière, now blocked by rocks. Follow the road as it bends to the left and then levels out. Ignore the paths to the left and right, then arrive in a wide, wooded area. Keep to the left.

(5) At the 261-metre mark, keep to the left heading west. Pass two stormwater retention basins in succession. The path narrows but remains clearly marked. The final 350 metres are steeper before joining the Chemin de la Télévision. Turn left onto the track and arrive at a junction of tracks and footpaths at elevation 448, near fire hydrant no. 402.

(6) Turn left, heading south-west along the track which descends, following the crest of the ridge towards the Vallon Dol basin. The gradient eases and the track levels out. Look out on the right, at elevation 332, for a clearly marked path which descends into the Ravin de la Baume gully.

(7) Turn right. When you reach a T-junction, turn right. A few metres further up, look out for a magnificent well, then retrace your steps to continue down the ravine, heading south.
You’ll reach a large stormwater retention basin and come across fire hydrant no. 405.

(4) Follow the path back along the same route as on the way there.

(3) Leave the route you have already taken, continue straight on towards the west and arrive at a Y-junction. Turn left, arrive at a large car park, then follow the tarmac path on the left which runs alongside the houses and rejoin the junction marking the end of the circular route.

(1) Continue due south, pass through the two barriers you encountered on the way there and join Rue de l’Escallet (S/E).

For information: the author’s time for this route was 2 hours 15 minutes (excluding a lunch break).

Route amended on 6 March 2024 to avoid the very overgrown area of the Baume ravine.