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Coming from Nice, take the Var valley and then, on the right, the Tinée valley. At the Clans bridge, turn left to reach the village of Bairols. Park in the car park at the entrance to the village.
(S/E) Continue along the road to the entrance to the village. Leave the return road on your left at marker 188. At the end of the road, turn left twice. Then turn right and walk back and forth to admire the first view of the Tinée valley.
(1) Continue climbing up through the village, retracing your steps and taking the second right onto a small cobbled street that still overlooks the Tinée. Continue straight on until you reach the church. Go past it and continue to the crossroads and marker 200. Climb up to the Saint-Roch chapel and marker 201.
(2) At the chapel, head north towards the Col de l'Espella. Most of the climb, which is a little rocky, is here. Continue straight ahead until you reach the pass.
(3) When you reach the pass (marker 197), take the path on the left, which will take you along a long south-facing balcony to the Lac plateau. Ignore the path on the right and, at marker 195, continue straight on to the Lac plateau.
(4) Retrace your steps to marker 195 and take the path on the right. Keep left until you reach the road. Turn left towards the crossroads with the well-restored Saint-Martin Chapel.
(5) Make a return trip to the right. Back on the tarmac road, follow it to the right for about 100 metres before turning left onto the pleasant Sentier des Châtaigniers (Chestnut Tree Trail), which takes you to Bairols, crossing the tarmac road twice. Continue to marker 189.
(6) Go down the road and return to the village and the car park where you started, keeping to the right (S/E).
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