Pey Gros and Les Auber

Drive to the Col de l'Ange car park on the N8 towards Cuges-les-Pins, opposite the Boulangerie au Moulin de Sophie bakery.

(S/E) Take the path at the far end of the car park on the right, from where you can see the forest barrier and the SB 108 DFCI track. Take the very wide path that climbs immediately to the left after the forest barrier. You will soon come to a fork, but continue straight ahead on the path, which narrows slightly and is still marked in white and red, and which leads to a crossroads.

(1) Take the narrower path straight ahead and climb uphill.

(2) At a cairn on the right, with a Y-shaped junction, take the path that climbs slightly to the left along the mountainside. You will come to a path on the right that climbs but does not appear on the map. Leave it and continue on the left, more or less downhill, or even on flat ground. Follow the widest path, still on the mountainside, still marked in white and red. Stay on the ascending path, crossing a path that descends to the left. Cross another path and at the junction, by the large rock, take a path on the left that appears to descend. You will see ruins in the distance.

(3) Pass close to the ruins on a very narrow path for about 50 metres, keeping slightly to the left to reach a very wide path. At the junction, follow the path on the right which climbs uphill. You will soon come across signposts indicating the Col de Gémenos, the Pic de Bertagne, the Mont du Cruvellier and the Col du Pilon. Continue straight ahead on the path that climbs uphill, ignoring all the small paths on the right or left, most of which are not shown on the map. The markers are white, red and yellow. You will come to a forest barrier on the right, but continue on the wider path on the left, towards the small, very pretty stone cottage.

(4) At the crossroads, follow the very wide path that turns right at a right angle (even though there is a white and red mark on a rock with an arrow pointing to the left). There are some beautiful panoramic views.

(5) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead on the very wide path. Ignore the path on the left and pass cistern number 16, which is buried on the right. Go straight down the very wide path, which turns left to cross the SB 108 track. Ignore it and go straight ahead. There are several possible paths, but keep to the widest one, which turns slightly to the right and goes uphill. Look for marker SB 105 and go straight ahead. There is a path going uphill on the left: go straight onto the SB 204 track, which goes downhill.

(6) At the big bend that turns to the left, look for a large rock on the right and two fir trees. Between the two fir trees there is a narrow path that descends: take it, pass a ruined house, which you must walk alongside, and look for something that resembles a well. Take the narrow path that descends to the right. It is not very visible at first. Turn left at the small stone wall and continue along this fairly narrow path that descends. On the right, look for another structure that looks like a well, which has been taken over by vegetation. You will soon come across a path ascending on the right.

(7). Take the path on the left, which seems to take you back a little as it climbs. The vegetation has taken over at one point, giving the impression that the path is blocked. In fact, it continues on the left, climbing even more steeply, until you find yourself face to face with some small ruins. Descend a few metres to the left to rejoin the path that branches off to the right, which becomes a slightly clearer track on the mountainside, with beautiful scenery and then a very wide path. At a car wreck, take the path that climbs and eventually widens, turning 90° to the right. Continue along the same very wide path to arrive in the middle of a large bend.

(8) Continue straight ahead on this track until you reach a crossroads, then take the SB108 track on the right. Keep going until you reach the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(1) Return to the car park by following the same route you took on the way there (S/E).

An easy hike overall with a few short sections of steep climbing. Walking poles are recommended to help you slow down on the descents and assist you on the climbs. Of course, allow around 2½ to 3 hours without a lunch break.

Proposed by A.M.I.S Rando Aubagne