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There are large car parks in Ollioules, Place du 8 Mai 1945 and Place Honoré Pichaud, between Rue Barthélémy Dagnan and La Reppe.
(S/E) We chose to park along Avenue Barthélémy Dagnan, not far from the bridge over the Reppe. Walk 200 metres along the street towards the town centre.
(1) Turn left onto the footbridge where Chemin de la Bonnefont crosses the Reppe. Continue along the lane which leads to Route des Gorges. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and you will find the entrance tothe GR® 51 on Chemin de l'Oratoire opposite. After passing the Bonnefont spring pumping station, Chemin de l'Oratoire climbs to the left to a chapel.
(2) Pass in front of the ruined chapel and continue along Chemin de l'Oratoire, which climbs to the right.
At the last houses (below on the left), the paved path ends and is replaced by a rocky trail that climbs under the Aleppo pines.
(3) When you reach the highest point of this section of the trail, you will find a path on the right that climbs up to the oppidum of La Courtine. Leave it for now and continue towards the open space where the Provence canal pipe crosses. Cross this open space and continue on theGR® opposite (red and white markings) to reach the Col de la Barre de Taillan.
(4) A slightly open space with a picnic table, where four paths converge: the one on the left descends towards the Ollioules gorges, the one on the right climbs up to the telegraph and opposite continues theGR® 51.
Take the path on the right up to the telegraph. It climbs straight up at first, then after a left turn, arrives at the remains of the Chappe Telegraph.
(5) After visiting the telegraph, which is well worth a look, take the path that climbs above the rocks and follow either the red and white markings or the cairns along the ridge.
(6) After reaching an elevation of 432 metres, descend slightly to a small pass where the path meets theGR® 51 trail coming up from the left. At this point, there is an elongated cadastral marker. Take the path on the left that descends towards the old village of Évenos.
(7) At the next junction, turn left to follow theGR®, leaving the path to the right that leads to Le Broussan. TheGR® first runs along a balcony with a view of Vieil Évenos, then descends with a view of Ollioules, makes a double hairpin bend before reaching the crossroads already passed on the way up.
(4) Start the path down towards the gorges, where you will soon find the Grotte du Patrimoine, a former shepherds' shelter. After visiting the cave, turn back.
(4) Take the path back in the opposite direction towards the Trouée du Canal de Provence, then La Courtine.
(3) This time, take the small path opposite on the left that climbs towards the oppidum, covered with brown clay soil and paved with basalt blocks. Soon, after a hundred metres through the scrub, you will reach an open area on a plateau covered with basalt blocks and low walls made of the same rock. Follow the edge of the plateau more or less.
You will soon arrive at a ruined building surrounded by a fence, which you will go around on the left, then come out onto a track. Go down it on the left to arrive near an isolated house that is not well maintained but is certainly occupied. The track turns right. Follow it eastwards.
(8) Take the path on the right that runs alongside the track, soon leaving it and rejoining it after a sharp left turn. Follow the track for a short distance, running alongside a field, and arrive at the water towers.
Take full advantage of the magnificent panorama offered by the water tower esplanade, then take Chemin de la Courtine (paved road) towards Ollioules.
(9) After a little over a kilometre of descent, turn right onto Chemin du Paradis, a balcony path that starts with a gentle slope. Initially a dirt track, Chemin du Paradis soon becomes paved, but remains narrow and pleasant. It first crosses Chemin de la Poussaraque, then Impasse des Genêts.
(10) On the left is Impasse des Genêts, closed by a gate with a wicket; on the right is the concrete path that continues downhill. Opposite is Chemin du Paradis, which you follow and which, after a double arch gate, descends steeply in long steps. You will soon reach a small rest area with a bench and quickly arrive at Chemin de l'Observatoire, just before Bonnefont.
Take the Chemin de l'Oratoire downhill, cross the Route des Gorges, then cross the bridge.
(1) Return to Rue Barthélémy Dagnan and the car park on the right (S/E).
Visorando Member
Difficult 
Very difficult 
Association / Club / Walk leader
Easy 
