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Park at the edge of the lake in Monieux.
(S/E) Take the paved road heading north-northeast towards the village of Monieux, following the yellow and orange signs.
When you reach the D942, cross it and take the road opposite on the right towards the castle ruins.
(1) At the next crossroads, take Rue Pré d'Estève on the left, which indicates the direction ofthe GR®9. Very quickly, the tarmac gives way to a small path that runs alongside a house on the right (a large crucifix adorns the gable). The path joins theGR®9, marked in red and white. Continue straight ahead along the mountainside with views of the lake. You will come to a crossroads on a flat section.
(2) Turn left at the sign for Sentier des Chapelles. At the next fork, the path leads to two wider paths. Continue on the left to quickly reach the road (D942).
(3) Cross it and begin the descent into the gorges towards the Chapelle Saint-Michel. A sign warns of danger due to overhanging cliffs, but as long as you stay on the path, there is nothing to worry about.
(4) Once you reach the Saint-Michel chapel, cross the Nesque river towards Saint-Hubert and La Peisse (this ford can be tricky after heavy rain). The trail climbs up the left bank under overhanging cliffs, then offers magnificent views higher up, on the balcony passages. Continue for about 400 m and reach a crossroads after a left-hand bend.
(5) At the crossroads, when theGR® trail indicates to turn left, follow the path to the right, marked by a cairn and a red and white cross. From here, there are no more markings, but cairns here and there confirm that you are on the right track. The path is very visible and well marked and arrives at a crossroads marked by a cairn.
(6) Turn right at a sharp angle to descend towards the Nesque. 200 m further down, at another junction, take the path on the left, as the path opposite on the right leads to the same place but is more dangerous. 150 m further down, you will come to a T-junction.
(7) Turn right to reach another junction, below a fence protecting ancient archaeological excavations. Turn left to descend into the bed of the Nesque. Cables (preferably the one on the left) will help you with the final descent into the stream.
Cross over to the right bank and start the descent on the left. After 50 m, you will see an old blue and red marker on a large rock. Turn right to climb up. The path is less visible than on the other side, but it leads to a large cairn, followed by another, which indicates that you should leave the path and climb straight up to the right.
(8) From there, try to follow the path (not always visible) and the cairns (not always in good condition) to rejoin the D942. At worst, going straight up will lead to the road. On the road, turn left towards the viewpoint.
(9) From the viewpoint, two different stairways lead down (again) to the Nesque. They are marked in blue (old markings) and meet a little further down. Choose one of the two and begin the descent. It will be more technical on this side, with a short section of downclimbing and a passage through a rock crevice walking on a slippery board.
Once you reach the bed of the Nesque, a cable helps you cross it by heading to the left, then the markings tell you to climb up opposite.
You should then head more to the left, looking for the markings, as the path is almost invisible. In any case, the cliff opposite is impassable from the right.
Once to the left of the cliff, you will come to a first climbing section, marked by signs, followed by a second, even more delicate section, but with good handholds.
(10) Once you have rounded the cliff, the path becomes more visible and climbs southwards through a tunnel of greenery where you sometimes have to bend down low as the passage is very narrow. About 600 m higher up, when the valley opens up, the path joins theGR®9.
(11) Turn left onto thisGR® for about 1.1 km, ignoring all the trailheads. You will arrive at the La Peisse sign.
(12) Continue straight ahead towards Monieux and Font de Jean (ignore theGR® trail that descends to the left). The markings become yellow and orange.
At the Font de Jean crossroads, take the path on the left towards the lake.
The path ends gently, then runs alongside the Nesque to reach the lake and the car park where you started (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
