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We arrived via the D4, coming from the motorway or the Bléone valley. The start is from the car park at the rest area, located to the east of the village, where the flags are.
(S/E) Take the road that climbs to the right, facing the Pénitents.
(1) Continue along the road and enter the village, staying on the left-hand side, first on Rue du Rocher. Then cross to the other side of the cliff on Rue Saint-Roch: the "Sentier des Pénitents" is clearly signposted.
(2) Leave the street and take the path on the left that climbs to the top of the cliff. Leave the chapel on your right. There is no other path than the one at the top, except for two paths on the left that lead to dead-end viewpoints. So there is no risk of getting lost. The climb is a little steep at first.
(3) Turn left at the hairpin bend at the "Col des Pénitents" signpost to begin the descent. Follow the yellow arrow marked "L'ubac des Pénitents".
For a much longer hike of 2 to 3 hours, follow the San Peyre arrow. This is a loop that takes you back to Les Mées, continuing along the ridge overlooking the Ravin de la Combe. It is rated PR® on the IGN map.
(4) At the fork, a sign indicates that the direct descent to the left is not maintained. This is actually the old descent path.
If you want to take it, be prepared for a very steep descent with no safety barriers between two snow-covered rocks. It's a shortcut and saves half an hour.
If you prefer a less steep and better maintained path, the new path on the right goes to the eastern end of the massif before descending. This is the route shown on the map.
(5) Turn left at the bottom on the way back.
(1) At the road, take the hairpin bend to the right to return to the car park (S/E).
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