Plateau Saint-Barnabé

Walk around the Plateau Saint-Barnabé to finish in the "Champ des Idoles" (Field of Idols), a curious landscape of rocks sculpted by nature. A family walk with no elevation gain.

Details

517041
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.21 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 71 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 71 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,024 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 943 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: From Vence, head towards the Col de Vence via the RD2. After the pass, turn left towards Saint-Barnabé, pass the Saint-Barnabé sign and park in the car park on the left.

(S/E) From the car park, turn left towards the hamlet, cross it to reach a crossroads.

(1) At marker 156, continue straight ahead. The tarmac road becomes a dirt track that climbs slightly to a crossroads.

(2) At marker 155, there is a shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph on the right. Turn left onto a path blocked by a removable barrier. It descends slightly to another shrine dedicated to Saint John the Baptist at a crossroads.

(3) At marker 86, continue straight ahead until you reach a fork in the road.

(4) At marker 85, turn left, pass a house on the right and continue to an electricity pylon.

(5) From there, leave the track and head towards the rocks. You may find a small path, but you can also walk easily through this countryside. Visit the "Champ des Idoles" or "Village Nègre". Finally, cross the countryside to pass perpendicularly across the high-voltage line and arrive at a track.

(6) Take the track on the right. It splits into two several times, but don't worry, the two branches come back together and you will arrive at the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 967 m - Car park on the edge of the D302
  2. 1 : km 0.54 - alt. 966 m - Marker 156
  3. 2 : km 1.66 - alt. 1,024 m - Marker 155
  4. 3 : km 3.02 - alt. 955 m - Marker 85 Oratory of Saint John the Baptist
  5. 4 : km 3.52 - alt. 947 m - Marker 85
  6. 5 : km 4.2 - alt. 949 m - Electric pylon
  7. 6 : km 5.24 - alt. 943 m - Track on the right
  8. S/E : km 6.21 - alt. 967 m - Car park on the edge of the D302

Notes

Variation
(5) You can continue straight ahead on the track to resume the route at (6)

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 27 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
mario robert
mario robert

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely weekday hike with my granddaughter. We took a shortcut via the GR 5.6 km, which was perfect for her first hike😊

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Ulya
Ulya

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant walk in beautiful winter sunshine, but best avoided on Sundays.

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PMERLINO
PMERLINO
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike that is easy to do with children (on foot or by mountain bike)
The marker numbers do not correspond to those in the description

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Pieralpin
Pieralpin

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant location, but it is preferable to follow the dirt track rather than cutting across the middle of the plateau.

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Soizik
Soizik

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

No more traces from the arrival point in the rocks. We walk with our noses glued to our phones on terrain that is uneven to say the least! It is better to continue on the dirt road to the car park.

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anniebayard
anniebayard

why do the markers not correspond to the description of the hike?

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NELLY J
NELLY J

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The marker numbers indicated do not correspond to those on the trail. From stage 4 to stage 5, there are no more markers... we turn, we veer... We find ourselves on a path. Geolocation is disrupted... Loss of time and bearings...What's more, the route is rather monotonous and it's difficult to find the field of idols....

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Mario Simard
Mario Simard

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike through a strange landscape, the scene of a bitter battle between humans and minerals, with stone gradually winning out through wear and tear. The environment is made even more enigmatic by the occasional presence of gigantic pylons, incongruous, undoubtedly placed there by extraterrestrials. And these idols emerging from this sea of rock...

On the practical side, between points 5 and 6, there is no path as such, but it is easy to follow the GPS, especially as the view is very clear and you can't get lost for long. I've been there twice (a sign that I really liked it) and between the village of idols and point 6, it seems to me that rather than following the suggested route, it's easier to retrace your steps towards point 5 and take the small path that leads to point 6 and eventually to the car park. Also note that a few hundred metres past the hamlet of Saint-Barnabé there is a large car park (where the hike starts).

A must-do!

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clapotis
clapotis

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I looked at your map because I know the Plateau de St Barnabé and the Village Nègre, but I am unable to get there "directly".
The route you suggest is straightforward up to marker 4, but between 5 and 6 it's unclear because there isn't a very clear path. We found it anyway because we know the area.
No matter, it just means a bit more walking.
Thank you!
PS: yes, the markers no longer have the same numbers...

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toledid
toledid

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello
No problem doing this nice little hike. I just wanted to point out that the marker numbers in your description do not correspond at all to the marker numbers on site. Sorry, I didn't remember the numbers, but, among other things, at the St John the Baptist Oratory, the marker is 200-something... In fact, it doesn't make much difference, as it's impossible to get lost!

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danicourt
danicourt

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, very easy route for a two-hour walk on a day that is not too hot (there is no shade).

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BOMEL
BOMEL

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike with stunning views. Best done when it's not too hot

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jmgrislain@hotmail.com
jmgrislain@hotmail.com

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a pleasant and easy hike outside of summer as there are no trees.
beautiful, peaceful scenery, except near the car park (picnics)

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LBERGÈS
LBERGÈS

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Hike taken after the lockdown.
Quite a few people on the plateau, but it was still a pleasant walk.
There is a slight confusion in the printable description: the marker located at the St Jean Baptiste oratory is number 86, and number 85 is located between 600 and 800 metres further on. For those unfamiliar with the area, it would be good to point out that the trail exits at the electricity pylon on the right.
Apart from these details, there is no risk of getting lost, given the potential number of visitors to the site
Finally, the village of "idols" or "negroes" is a curiosity of limited interest, proportional to the imagination one develops!
This remains an easy, fun and very accessible family walk.

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galli06910
galli06910

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Hello, this is an easy hike that I did with my wife, who has had knee surgery. There is little elevation gain, and you pass through the picturesque hamlet of St Barnabé. Above all, don't hesitate to visit the impressive and magnificent Champ des Idoles

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