Pontevès, Petit Bessillon and Vallon des Carmes

A loop with three major points of interest:
- the village of Pontevès and its ruined castle at the top of the village,
- the climb up the Petit Bessillon, offering a beautiful view of the Var department, and its technical descent,
- the return to Barjols via the Vallon des Carmes and its waterfalls (currently closed, see practical information).

Unfortunately, the first hour of the hike is mainly on roads in order to complete the loop.

Details

958705
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.60 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,617 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,624 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,188 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 823 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Barjols (83670)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.557618° / E 6.005341°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3343OT, 3344OT, 3443OT, 3444OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the large car park at Place de la Rougière at the foot of the village of Barjols.

Red markings

(S/E) Take the Traverse Raynouard, then the Rue du Barri. Continue along the steps and cross a housing estate to reach the RD560.

(1) Cross the road, continuing to follow the red markings. Go up the small street on the left and turn right onto a path that runs alongside houses, then pass through a tunnel to rejoin the road a few metres further on.

(2) Turn left: cross the road and walk carefully along it between the plane trees for about 300 metres.

(3) At the bridge, turn right to cross a small stream, then immediately turn left onto a small road with little or no traffic.

(4) At the end of this small road, turn right to climb up to the village of Pontevès. Stay on the small road on the right, and after a slightly steep climb, you will soon see the towers of the ruined castle.

(5) At the foot of the castle, walk along the ramparts and take the small staircase that climbs up to the left. Follow the ramparts towards the towers to reach the castle square and its orientation table. Then descend towards the village through the well-preserved gate, pass the church and continue slightly to the left on the Chemin du Bessillon.
After a few hundred metres, you will finally reach a track which you follow, sometimes overlooking the valley, always following the signposts.

(6) At a cistern, turn right heading south to begin the climb to Petit Bessillon.
Be careful, the distance is short but very steep... but it's all on a path without the need to use your hands.
After a few minutes of effort, you will quickly reach the north orientation table with a view of the Verdon peaks.
Continue south to reach the next orientation table (south).

(7) The path then reaches the actual summit, where the remains of a fortification can still be seen.
The descent begins with a few passages where you may need to use your hands. There are a few handrails.
A little further on, a narrow, slightly exposed passage requires you to descend using a chain and then climb back up using a handrail.
You then descend on the left-hand side (south) around the second summit of Petit Bessillon.
The path then turns into a track before reaching a junction.

No signposts

(8) Continue straight ahead, leaving the red markings. The track turns into a path, which is sometimes a little overgrown in the heath.
You will quickly reach a track in the middle of a residential area near the village. Continue along this track, then along the road, in the same direction.

Red signpost

(9) At the next intersection, turn left and follow the red markings on this small road.
At the next crossroads, take the track on the right in a hairpin bend.

(10) Just before reaching a new road, turn left. Follow this road for about 100 metres, then turn right onto a small forest road.
Go through a gate and climb up towards Castellas before descending towards the cross and the orientation table overlooking the village of Barjols.

(11) Retrace your steps for about 50 metres and descend into the Vallon des Carmes on the left. Be careful, as the descent is wet and slippery.
Don't miss the two magnificent waterfalls, Carmes and Gouffre aux Épines.
Continue following the signs through a small housing estate, then turn left into a small street and go through the archway to discover the village.
Walk down through the village with its many fountains to return to the central square of Rouguière (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 840 ft - Place de la Rouguière
  2. 1 : mi 0.29 - alt. 984 ft - RD560 - School
  3. 2 : mi 0.59 - alt. 1,063 ft - RD560
  4. 3 : mi 0.81 - alt. 1,063 ft - RD560 - Fauvéry Bridge
  5. 4 : mi 1.36 - alt. 1,083 ft - RD60
  6. 5 : mi 1.81 - alt. 1,260 ft - Pontevès
  7. 6 : mi 2.83 - alt. 1,594 ft - Citerne - climb up the Petit Bessillon
  8. 7 : mi 3.16 - alt. 2,172 ft - Petit Bessillon
  9. 8 : mi 3.92 - alt. 1,417 ft - At the intersection, go straight ahead
  10. 9 : mi 4.5 - alt. 1,204 ft - Intersection, on the left
  11. 10 : mi 5.17 - alt. 1,135 ft - Fork in the road to the left
  12. 11 : mi 5.75 - alt. 1,155 ft - Castellas Cross
  13. S/E : mi 6.6 - alt. 840 ft - Place de la Rouguière

Notes

The Vallon des Carmes (from (11)) is currently closed due to the risk of rock falls.

Please note that some sections of the Petit Bessillon are a little exposed and require the use of hands.

Worth a visit

The village of Pontevès and its ruined castle at the top of the village.
The climb up the Petit Bessillon, offering a beautiful panorama of the Var department, from Sainte-Baume to the Maures massif and from the Montagne de Lure to the Haut-Verdon, and its technical descent.
The return to Barjols via the Vallon des Carmes and its sublime waterfalls.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 40 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
ANDRERANDONNEES
ANDRERANDONNEES

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello everyone,
A lovely, very enjoyable hike – we highly recommend it.
You’ll need good walking boots for the ascent and descent.
We didn’t meet many people, except on the way back when we arrived
at the waterfall (as expected).
Happy hiking to you all.

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Horusanubis
Horusanubis
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent route
Indeed, the climb up Petit Bessillon, although not very long, is quite steep and ‘rugged’ in places, but fortunately there are plenty of handholds and footholds. But the view from the summit is well worth the effort
The start of the descent is somewhat technical (handrail and chain) but is fairly straightforward.
The southern slope of Petit Bessillon, ravaged by fire a few years ago, left me with mixed feelings: a sense of sadness at the aftermath of the blaze, yet also a magnificent patchwork of colours amidst the charred black trunks, the greenery and the blossoming vegetation reclaiming its place… and the azure blue sky of our Provence.
And the end of the route, in the heart of the Vallon des Carmes with its magnificent waterfalls, is simply a grand finale

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jean-pierre83
jean-pierre83

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There’s a stunning view from the signposts; the climb up Petit Bessillon is challenging in places as the slope is steep, so it’s best avoided with children. There’s a tricky section on the descent on the other side, involving a metal chain handrail and a narrow passage as you reach the railing.
Flowering thyme and rosemary perfumed part of the walk before we climbed up towards Petit Bessillon.
The damage caused by the fire is striking. We went straight to Barjols; the fountains and waterfalls will be the subject of a short walk at a later date.
We had sunshine and very little wind, which made for a very pleasant walk.

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Djoulaïe
Djoulaïe
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike on a really windy day, but part of Petit Bessillon was sheltered, which was nice. On the ridge, you walk over the remains of a fire, which is pretty impressive. The descent through the Vallon des Carmes was inaccessible because the valley is currently flooded, but after enjoying the waterfall, it is possible to climb back up and rejoin the start of the route, so the hike is still feasible.

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Raykvisio
Raykvisio

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Excellent tour!

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jean-michel.belouet
jean-michel.belouet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Departure and arrival only from Pontevès to the orientation tables, allowing for an intense loop hike without crossing any roads. On the way back, we took the discovery trail (blue markings) to finish at the entrance to Pontevès.

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Gillou1964
Gillou1964

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

Very beautiful route, be careful of the handrails and chains when climbing down from the little Besillon

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Gilles Fawer
Gilles Fawer

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's a shame that on the way back, the trail is closed by prefectural order at the river crossing, with no detour route

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Ledoux Nathalie
Ledoux Nathalie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The climb is very steep but the view is magnificent

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GdeG
GdeG

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

As stated in the description, there is a lot of road and track :-(
But after the arduous climb up the Petit Bessillon, you find yourself in a beautiful spot with a great view, and when I went there, the rosemary was in bloom.
The waterfall is very pretty and the castle ruins are interesting
As I followed the GPX route on my smartphone, I don't have any opinion on the route description.
It's worth noting that in Barjols, you can take a tour of the many fountains.
Also note that the descent to the waterfall is currently closed due to work to create steps. However, as I was there on a Saturday, I was able to pass without disturbing the work.

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wiske83
wiske83

Do you have any information about this hike as it is closed?

Please note that the Vallon des Carmes has been closed by municipal order since early October 2021 due to the risk of rockfalls.

is this accurate information or misinformation?

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alain04800
alain04800

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with stunning views from the summit. However, a few tricky sections require a little caution. This hike becomes quite challenging from the foot of the summit.

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Tola715
Tola715

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, the route is not entirely reliable, but you just need to follow the red markers for most of the hike. The castle and its viewpoint are really lovely. The highlight of this walk is the climb up the Petit Bessillon, which is very steep and not as short as other reviews suggest. Once you reach the top, the view is magnificent. Crossing the ridge to reach the other side is a little dizzying, but it's no problem. The descent is gentler but can be slippery in places. The Vallon des Carmes is closed, but if you have time, you can at least go as far as the cross and retrace your steps to get back to the road and return to point 3. From there, follow the signs for Vallon des Carmes to rejoin the original route. Please note that this hike is not suitable for dogs, as crossing the ridge is quite dangerous.

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bruno.n
bruno.n

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello
very nice hike. Thank you
B. Nicoine

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jclaine
jclaine
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We saw at the exit of the Vallon des Carmes that crossing it was prohibited, but there was no sign indicating this at the entrance!
A beautiful hike. The climb up to Bessillon is steep and there is a slightly vertiginous section on the ridge.

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