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Access: Take the road opposite the Rochefort-Samson town hall and head for the Parking Escalade car park (that's its name), at the junction of Chemin des Ducs and Route de la Montagne in the hamlet of Les Ducs.
Yellow signposting
(S/E) With your back to the signpost, turn left onto Chemin de Saint-Genis (tarmac). At the first bend, leave the road and continue straight ahead on the small path. 30 metres further on, go through a gate and follow the path under the trees.
Turn right and go through a gate that leads to the paved road at the Château d'Eau signpost. Follow this road uphill to the left towards Pas du Loup. After the right-hand bend, you will arrive at the Col de Saint-Genis signpost.
Red-yellow signposting
(1) Leave the road and turn right onto the path towards Coquat. The path climbs gently for about 400m and joins an esplanade at the Coquat Nord signpost (you can make a return trip to the right to the ruins of the Château de Rochefort).
Continue straight ahead on the main trail, ignoring a faint path on the right shortly afterwards, to arrive at the Coquat Sud signpost 80m further on.
Yellow signpost
(2) Turn left towards Grimeaud and immediately after, ignore the path that branches off to the left. The trail continues through the boxwood (or what remains of it!) and reaches a gate 300m further on.
N.B. At this point, a prefectural decree informs you that dogs must be kept on a leash and that you are entering a private area, but that crossing rural path no. 17 is permitted. Please follow the instructions and close the gates behind you.
Climb over the gate (this requires climbing three steps) and continue along the path. A little further on, there is a shelter (for hunters or shepherds?) in the middle of the path, which you must cross to continue on your way. You will arrive at a flat area with a view of the Montagne du Mussan.
Continue along the path and shortly afterwards, a trail parallel to the path allows you to bypass a spring that flows (depending on the season) in place of the path. The trail rejoins the path about 300m higher up, just before an esplanade with two hunting posts.
(3) Continue along a relatively flat section. N.B. All the paths on the right, visible on the map, are not accessible as they are blocked by a fence. Join a wider path which narrows further on, then go through the exit gate (3 steps). Join the Grimeaud signpost.
(4) Follow the path downhill to the right, leaving the path on the left that leads to Les Combes. Walk along the fence, pick up a path coming from the left and reach a house. Continue along the path, turn left and look for a trail on the right a few metres after the turn.
(5) Leave the path and turn right onto the trail (Bouvaret sign). Go through a fence and follow the trail uphill until you reach a path. Turn left onto this path until the next crossroads. Take the right-hand track and begin a gradual climb. A little further on, a logging track coming from the left crosses the path for a short distance (not visible on the map) then moves away, ignore it. Continue climbing, cross a fence and you will reach the Courbière signpost.
(6) Take the path on the right towards Pas de Bouvaret. The slope becomes steeper and, after a few hairpin bends, arrives at Pas de Bouvaret. A return trip along the small path on the left leads to a rocky outcrop with a view of the valley.
(7) Back at Pas de Bouvaret, continue straight ahead on the path that descends, turns left and joins the Bouvaret signpost.
Red and white signposting
(8) Continue straight ahead towards Sous le Pas de la Pierre, through an area of meadows and beech groves. Go through a wooden gate and continue downhill to the signpost.
Red-yellow signpost
(9) Turn left towards Pas de la Pierre, staying on the main path. At the next fork, the path turns sharply left and begins a steep climb to Pas de la Pierre. Make a round trip to a viewpoint by taking the path on the right.
Yellow markings
(10) From Pas de la Pierre, begin the descent by continuing straight ahead. The start of the descent is very steep, so take care, but the slope gradually levels out to reach a flat area (hunting lodge). 100m further down, you will come to a path. Follow it to the right until you reach the Pourcel signpost.
(11) Leave the path that branches off to the left and the trails that branch off to the right of the signpost (not very visible). Turn left at this signpost to find a small trail that descends just after it on the right (yellow cross, but you will find the yellow markings further on!). The path is slightly steep at first but becomes steeper when it reaches the boxwood trees. Continue to a crossroads, ignore the paths on the right and left and continue straight ahead across a meadow. You will arrive at an esplanade with the Col des Tourniers signpost.
(12) Leave the path opposite towards Pas du Loup and turn left at an acute angle onto a path towards Éperon des Ussets. A few metres further on, leave the path that continues into private property and turn right to descend onto a path that runs along the hillside. At a crossroads, continue to the right on more or less flat ground, ignoring the tracks that climb steeply to the right. Continue the gentle descent to the Éperon des Ussets junction.
Red-yellow markings
(13) Leave theGRP® on your right and continue straight ahead towards Les Combes. Go through a fence and continue downhill. The trail widens and further down you have to cross another enclosure. The descent ends as you approach the hamlet. Leave the access to the climbing site on your right and continue straight ahead until you reach the asphalt road at the Les Combes signpost.
(14) Turn right onto the road that climbs back up to the Col de Saint-Genis (beautiful view on the right of the Montagne de Morettet climbing site).
(1) When you reach the Col de Saint-Genis, turn right onto the road to follow the same route as on the way there and return to the car park (S/E).
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