The Rocher de Roquebrune-sur-Argens from Le Muy

Park in the free Roucas car park, in Le Muy town centre.

(S/E) Head toRue des Tanneurs and follow the red and white markings of the GR®51. Go under the railway bridge and continue right onto Chemin du Bac. Walk to the roundabout.

(1) Headsouth. As there is no pavement, walk carefully along the Ancienne Route de Sainte-Maxime. Go under the A8 motorway tunnel before crossing a bridge over the Argens. Pass the Louis Go water sports centre on your left, walk past the drinking water plant and reach a junction.

(2) Continuealmost straight ahead, veering slightly to the left onto the Chemin de la Roquette, and walk for about 350 m.

(3) Turn right onto the Sentier du Rocher de Roquebrune, still following the GR®51. Begin a steady climb, which is full of flowers in spring, notably wild orchids. Beautiful views of the village of Le Muy. You’ll reach a junction of several paths, including the one you’ll take on the way back.

(4) Continuestraight on along the GR®51, towards the hamlet of Haute Rouquaire, where you may come across a herd of Rove goats.

(5) Follow the signpost marked ‘trois croix’ and take the path on the right, still on the GR®51. Reach the junction with the path leading down to the Rocher de Roquebrune.

(6) Continue straight on along the GR®51 for a few dozen metres, then leave it and turn left onto a PR® path marked in yellow.

(7) Head left. The real challenge begins with a steep climb towards the Trois Croix, at the summit of the Rocher de Rochebrune. At the summit, there is a breathtaking view over the entire Est-Var plain, the sea, the Estérel and the Pre-Alps in the distance.

(8) After enjoying the view, carefully begin a challenging first descent , which features several safety barriers. Then head west, following the yellow PR® markings, supplemented by green markings, towards the Hautes Roques.

(9) Turn left to begina new descent: long, technical and rocky, along a narrow, poorly maintained path. Follow the blue markings to join the GR®51.

(6) Retraceyour steps along the path taken on the way out to return to Haute Rouquaire.

(5) Continue straight on along a path running more or less parallel to the GR®51 you took on the way out.

(10) At the junction, continue left on the same path, heading west. Note the geological features here, with attractive rock ‘chimneys’, before rejoining the GR®51 once more. Turn left for about twenty metres.

(4) Head for the^second path on the right, then turn left at a 90° angle about 20 metres further on. Next, take the path on the right marked “Rocher de Roquebrune parcours Bleu”, then turn left to take a short steep climb to reach the Hauts de Pétignons car park.

(11) Turn right to follow the Chemin des Hauts de Pétignons for about 1 km until you reach a triangular junction.

(12) Turn left to follow a forest track to a large, pretty pond.

(13) After enjoying the peaceful surroundings, tackle a steep slope to the right heading north. Continue the climb to the top of the hill.

(14) Start a gentle descent to the left to reach the vicinity of the Ancienne Route de Sainte-Maxime.

(15) Turn right onto it for about a hundred metres, then turn left onto a path that runs alongside the road for a long stretch before rejoining it.

(16) Continue carefully to the right along the Ancienne Route de Sainte-Maxime to reach the junction by the water treatment plant.

(2) Follow the same route you took on the way there in the opposite direction back to the car park (S/E).

There are no water points along the route, so bring plenty of water.

A demanding and physically challenging circular route with several tricky sections that require careful navigation and may sometimes need you to use your hands. Safety equipment is provided to make things easier.
Strongly not recommended for those prone to vertigo and young children.

Please note that Sunday is market day in Le Muy. Parking at the Roucas car park may therefore be difficult.

Please note that this circular route includes several sections on roads and noisy areas, overlooking the A8 motorway.

(8) Les Troix Croix: "The presence of the Three Crosses at the summit of the Rock seems to have been established since time immemorial, as their origin, according to local legend, dates back to the death of Christ. It was in the early 1990s that the sculptor Bernard Venet, who lives in Le Muy and established his foundation there, proposed the creation of three new crosses. The work was unveiled on 11 July 1991 at the summit of the Rocher de Roquebrune. For each of these crosses, the sculptor chose to pay tribute to three major artists in the history of art. He drew inspiration from famous ‘crucifixions’ painted in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, masterpieces by Giotto, Grunewald and El Greco." Source: Tourist Office.

In spring, the flora is exceptional, notably featuring wild orchids.

The “red” rocks, characteristic of the Estérel massif, contrast with the blue Mediterranean sky and the green of the surrounding vegetation.

There is the option to visit the old town of Le Muy on the way back.