The difference in altitude is overestimated. See comments at the bottom of this page
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Start : Chalet de la Maline.
This hike needs two vehicles, one parked at the arrival, the Point Sublime parking lot, and another that drives you to the start of the hike, the Chalet de la Maline.
(S) From La Maline, the path twists and turns downhill to rejoin the water at the Estellié ford (a footbridge destroyed during the high floods of 1995, and since rebuilt). You pass the Charençon ravine, then a staircase leads up to the rocky Pas d'Issane. Don't go down to the footbridge, but continue left towards Pré d'Issane, a small pebble beach and the first place where you reach the banks of the Verdon.
(1) Walk on to the Étroit des Cavaliers, a narrow pass between cliffs some 300 m long. Follow the path along the river to the Éboulis de Guègues. Above the path, in the scree, is a 1,196-metre-long tunnel which, in the event of a storm, enables you to avoid the dangerous ladders of the Brèche Imbert. This tunnel is not recommended, however. It is long, very dark and propped up in places. After descending the Guègues slope, you reach the large Baume-aux-Bœufs cave.
(2) Walk on to arrive before the Brèche Imbert at a crossroads signposted "Mescla" or "Point Sublime".
(3) We advise you to make the detour to the magnificent Mescla site, where the Artuby joins the Verdon. If you look up, you'll certainly see people on the Belvédère de la Mescla, 200 m above you. It was here that Abbé Pascal drowned in 1928. He was one of the Verdon's pioneers.
(4) Retrace your steps.
(3) Head for Point Sublime. It doesn't take long to reach the Brèche Imbert (after a short but violent climb) and its 6 ladders, with a total of 252 metal steps to descend the 100-metre drop. The path then climbs up along the Verdon, sometimes high above the river, sometimes very close to it, to reach a beautiful pebble beach in the Baumes aux Chiens gorge.
(5) The hike continues along the riverbed, sometimes in the shade of trees, sometimes in full sun on the pebbles. Shortly before the three tunnels cut into the rock face, the Trescaïre Towers, two impressive monolithic pyramids, can be seen on the opposite bank.
We then arrive at the Tunnel des Baumes. This is the first of a series of three tunnels on the Martel trail, out of the seven created during the redevelopment. Leave it on the left and continue down the cliff. A small metal staircase leads to the exit of the Tunnel des Baumes.
(6) Keep going, and you'll come to the Trescaïre Tunnel. This one is 110 metres long. To cross these three tunnels, you'll need a flashlight. It's also a good idea to bring warm clothing. The temperature inside contrasts with the heat outside in summer. You have to be careful where you put your feet, as large puddles of water cover the ground in some places, and it's not uncommon to trip over pieces of old track or rubble left over from old construction sites. These tunnels were once designed as part of hydroelectric schemes that were abandoned after the 1939-1945 war.
As you leave the Trescaïre Tunnel, you can see the Gorges narrowing between the Escalès walls on the left and the Duc and Encastel walls on the right.
(7) Then comes the last tunnel, the 670-meter-long Tunnel du Baou. This tunnel is curved, and shortly after its entrance, at about 250 metres, a window cut into the rock gives access to the Baume aux Pigeons. At the end of this last tunnel, go down to the banks of the Verdon at a place called Le Solitaire.
(8) Cross the Bau via the new footbridge and climb back up to the Couloir Samson parking lot. Then reach the Point Sublime by following part of the GR®°4 path which joins the edge of the cliff and then climbs 110 metres to the Point Sublime parking lot (E).
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