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There are large car parks in Ollioules, at Place du 8 Mai 1945 and Place Honoré Pichaud, between Rue Barthélémy Dagnan and the 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 the Chemin de la Bonnefont crosses the Reppe. Continue along the narrow lane which leads onto Route des Gorges. Cross at the pedestrian crossing and you’ll find the start ofthe GR®® 51 on Chemin de l’Oratoire opposite. After passing the Bonnefont spring pumping station, Chemin de l’Oratoire climbs to the left up to a chapel.
(2) Walk past the façade of the ruined chapel and continue along the Chemin de l’Oratoire, which climbs to the right.
At the last houses (below on the left), the tarmac road ends and gives way to a stony path that climbs beneath the Aleppo pines.
(3) On reaching the highest point of this section of the path, you’ll find the path on the right leading up to the oppidum of La Courtine. Leave this for now and continue towards the clearing where the Provence Canal pipeline passes through. Cross this clearing and continue along theGR®® opposite (marked in red and white) to reach the Col de la Barre de Taillan.
(4) A slightly open area, equipped with a picnic table, where four paths converge: the one on the left descends towards the Ollioules Gorges, the one on the right climbs to the telegraph station, and opposite, theGR®® 51 continues.
Take the path on the right leading up to the telegraph station. It climbs straight ahead at first, and after a bend to the left, reaches the remains of the Chappe Telegraph.
(5) After visiting the telegraph station – which is well worth a stop – take the path leading upwards through the rocks and follow either the red and white markings or the cairns along the ridge.
(6) After the 432-metre mark, the path descends slightly to a small pass where it meets theGR®® 51 coming up from the left. There is an elongated cadastral marker here. Turn left onto the path leading downwards, with the old village of Évenos in sight.
(7) At the next junction, turn left to follow theGR®®, leaving the path to the right that heads towards Le Broussan. TheGR®® initially runs along a ridge with views of Vieil Évenos, then descends with views of Ollioules, makes a double hairpin bend before reaching the crossroads you passed on the way there.
(4) Start along the path leading down towards the gorges; you’ll soon come to the Grotte du Patrimoine, a former shepherds’ shelter. After visiting the cave, turn back.
(4) Follow the path back in the opposite direction towards the opening in the Canal de Provence, then on to La Courtine.
(3) This time, take the small path on your left opposite, which climbs towards the oppidum; it is covered in brown clay and paved with basalt blocks. Soon, after about a hundred metres through the maquis, you’ll reach an open area, on a plateau dotted with basalt blocks and low walls made of the same rock. Follow the edge of the plateau more or less.
You’ll soon come to a ruined building surrounded by a wire fence, which you go round to the left, then emerge onto a track. Follow it down to the left to reach a secluded house that’s a bit run-down but certainly occupied. The track turns right. Follow it eastwards.
(8) Take the path on the right which runs alongside the track, soon moving away from it before rejoining it after a sharp bend to the left. Follow the track for a short while, running alongside a field of crops, until you reach the water towers.
Take full advantage of the magnificent view from the esplanade by the water towers, then take the Chemin de la Courtine (tarmac road) towards Ollioules.
(9) After a little over a kilometre’s descent, turn right onto the Chemin du Paradis, a scenic path that begins with a gentle descent. Initially a dirt track, the Chemin du Paradis soon becomes paved, though it remains narrow and pleasant; it first crosses the Chemin de la Poussaraque, then the Impasse des Genêts.
(10) On the left is the Impasse des Genêts, closed off by a gate fitted with a small wicket; on the right is the concrete-paved path which continues downwards. Opposite is the Chemin du Paradis, which you follow; after a double-arched gate, it descends steeply via a long flight of steps. You’ll soon reach a small rest area with a bench and quickly come to the Chemin de l’Observatoire, just before La Bonnefont.
Take the Chemin de l’Oratoire downwards, cross the Route des Gorges, then cross the bridge.
(1) You’ll come to Rue Barthélémy Dagnan and the car park on your right (S/E)
Visorando Member
Difficult 
Very difficult 
Association / Club / Walk leader
Easy 
