Around Nans les Pins

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Hike to discover the Piémont de la Sainte Baume along the banks of the Huveaune, with a permanent view of the long summit ridge of the massif.

Details

n°25626
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.19 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 919 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 915 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,637 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,115 ft
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Photos

the Huveaune
the gours
limestone tuffs
Pond teeming with life

Description of the walk

Park in the centre of the village of Nans les Pins, in the Ferrage car park.

(S/E) From the car park, turn left onto Boulevard Térésa Garnier to join the Route de la Sainte Baume (D80). Turn left onto this road and, once you reach a tree-lined square, turn left onto Boulevard de la Mecque. Pass the first three streets on your right, then turn right onto Rue de la Mairie, which continues onto Traverse de la Font Vieille, to reach theGR®9A.

(1) Go to the Foux wash house and take the path behind the plane tree. Continue for about 500 metres.

(2) Turn left onto a dead-end road (leave theGR® signposting), at the round stone covering a manhole cover, turn left to reach a barrier. Take a wide path on the right, which climbs gradually to the Col de Tardeau.

(3) From the pass, leave the "Porte de Tardeau" sign on your left and take the path on the right for 300 m.

(4) Turn left onto a small path (marked by arrow-shaped stones) which follows a small steep-sided valley to the Huveaune river, where you will find theGR®9.

(5) Follow the Huveaune river upstream (on your left), cross the footbridge on your right and arrive at the crossroads.

(6) Leave theGR®9, which branches off to the left, continue for 50 m and turn left onto a path in the woods to go around a small reservoir.

(7) Turn left at a pond to pick up a small path that you will follow to rejoin theGR®9. When you reach a large circular concrete reservoir, go a few metres to the left to find the ford and cross the Huveaune.

(8) Turn right onto theGR®9and continue towards Les Aumèdes.

(9) At the intersection, turn left onto theGR®9Aand pass in front of a large hangar.

(10) At the fork, turn left, pass two roads on your right and join the intersection with the road leading to Jas de Boyer.

(11) Continue straight ahead on Chemin de l'Orge until you reach the intersection with Traverse de la Placette.

(12) Turn right to join Boulevard Teresa Garnier. All you have to do now is turn right to quickly reach the car park at the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,289 ft - Ferrage car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.48 - alt. 1,329 ft - Lavoir de Lafoux.
  3. 2 : mi 0.68 - alt. 1,329 ft - Change direction after the wash house. Turn left.
  4. 3 : mi 1.78 - alt. 1,637 ft - Col de Tardeau.
  5. 4 : mi 1.96 - alt. 1,627 ft - Change direction. Turn left.
  6. 5 : mi 3.04 - alt. 1,115 ft - Junction with the GR9.
  7. 6 : mi 4.26 - alt. 1,348 ft - Crossroads. Leave the GR9.
  8. 7 : mi 4.72 - alt. 1,407 ft - Pond. Change direction. Turn left.
  9. 8 : mi 5.77 - alt. 1,388 ft - Junction with the GR9.
  10. 9 : mi 6.7 - alt. 1,453 ft - Fork. Leave the GR9.
  11. 10 : mi 6.92 - alt. 1,378 ft - Fork in the road. Change direction. Turn left.
  12. 11 : mi 7.57 - alt. 1,476 ft - Intersection with Route du Jas de Boyer.
  13. 12 : mi 8.02 - alt. 1,352 ft - Intersection with Traverse de la Placette.
  14. S/E : mi 8.19 - alt. 1,289 ft - Ferrage car park

Notes

Bring plenty of water.

Worth a visit

Visit the village of Nans les Pins.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 29 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 29612495

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely circular route and, personally, I had no trouble with the route – provided you’ve got the Viso app switched on! It’s actually easy to get lost otherwise.
HOWEVER!! ⚠️ I chose this hike because of the photos shown… My sole aim was to see the magnificent viewing platforms at the spring! Except that this route doesn’t take you there!!! You’ll need to turn right after point 8, next to the wooden sign for ‘Forêt Domaniale’ (a small path with no signposts), and head down to the little wooden bridge, then turn immediately left after the bridge! Carry on for a few hundred metres to reach the springs! You’ll come across quite a few other hikers there, by the way. Luckily, we met a couple who pointed us in the right direction… (you’ll also come to a fork to the right further on towards point 9, with a small sign showing you the way).
Hike done in early June, very little water!

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Chris593012
Chris593012

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk through varied scenery. Thanks to the author.

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jeanninebonche
jeanninebonche

I SPENT THREE DAYS AT THE HOSTELLERIE DE LA SAINTE BEAUME. I HEARD THAT THERE IS A HIKE (LES SOURSES DE L'HUVEAUNE) THAT STARTS FROM THE HOSTELLERIE, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY SIGNS INDICATING THE ROUTE, WHICH IS A SHAME BUT I GOT OFF AT NANS LES PINS AND PARKED MY CAR IN THE U EXPRESS CAR PARK. FROM THERE, I FOUND MY WAY (HATS OFF TO THE SIGNS) GREAT DISCOVERY (LES SOURSES DE L'HUVEAUNE) BUT IN OCTOBER THERE WASN'T MUCH WATER

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genevi83
genevi83

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

luckily I had the route on my phone because I think I would have got lost. I had already gone back several times to see where I was and whether to turn right or go straight ahead. Anyway, it's still nice for the person who did it.
the part in the woods is very pleasant, with no one else around. But there's nothing to see (except for a beautiful old well at the pass) other than nature, which is fine. I'm sure it's more enjoyable in summer because I think it's a walk in the shade of the trees. For me, it was rainy, but it was still nice. When I arrived at the Cartelette valley, I went up to the left along the Huveaune to the resurgence of the spring, then I went down the right side and resumed the route (it's true that being so close, it seemed a shame not to do this very beautiful section (access is regulated and many places are no longer accessible, and dogs are now prohibited, whereas until recently they were allowed on a leash, but that's no longer possible). It's always a beautiful sight to behold.

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Claude 13720
Claude 13720

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Easy hike, no particular problems...

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Jean- luc p
Jean- luc p

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The start of the hike is a bit far away

from the car park

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inaleo
inaleo

I was inspired by your journey, but I modified it

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pilnous
pilnous

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

nice hike. Be careful at point 5: do not cross the bridge as suggested by the GPS route, but continue up the left bank of the Huveaune.

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Janine13
Janine13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike starting from the village with a short tour of the pretty streets of Nans les Pins. Different route around the headwaters of the Huveaune. Very pleasant and easy.

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vaudagne
vaudagne

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent route.
We modified it slightly to go to the source of the Huveaune.
Instead of crossing the Huveaune at point 8, we turned right to follow the left bank up to the source. We crossed and rejoined the route on the right bank.
And honestly, it would have been a shame to miss it, it's so beautiful

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cardenas didier
cardenas didier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice hike, very accessible.

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ALAIN 83470
ALAIN 83470

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice winter hike, it's best to rely on GPS or a map, as the description may be a little out of date. Beautiful section along the Huveaune.

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Gérard MANELLI
Gérard MANELLI

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Too many people on this circuit

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jps83170
jps83170

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very pretty hike, no difficulties, varied landscapes. I didn't encounter any problems with the route until Huveaune, after which I followed the river the footbridge is more dangerous than useful in its current state. The second part of the hike is a return to the village, partly through the woods. After the equestrian centre, the turn to the left is not very visible. The entrance and crossing at the top of the village are charming and very quiet.

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Izza
Izza

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, bucolic hike done with GPS because my sense of direction failed me.
Along the Huveaune river.
Flax, passion flowers, bellflowers, Damascus nigella, chamomile, viper's bugloss...
Mint, thyme...

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Other walks in the area

Walking Huveaune Springs Circular Trail

Visorando Member
Boucle des sources de l'Huveaune
↔6.31 mi ↗+1,417 ft ↘-1,575 ft ◔4h 10 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Nans-les-Pins (Var)
This is an easy hike that takes you to the sources of the Huveaune river, then along a return path with beautiful views of Sainte-Baume. It is best not to do this hike in summer if you want to see the pools full.

Walking Sources of the Huveaune from Nans-les-Pins

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↔7.83 mi ↗+1,588 ft ↘-1,588 ft ◔5h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Nans-les-Pins (Var)
The Huveaune river has its source in the Sainte-Beaume massif at the Castelette cave. It is actually several resurgent and petrifying springs.

Walking Source of the Huveaune, the Oratoire de Miette and the Castelette cave

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If you would like to discover a pretty spring in the South of France, I recommend a circular route starting from the Plateau, passing by the Oratoire de Miette, the Tumulus des Béguines and the Chemin de Rois. You will discover the spring and its magnificent colours and the Castelette cave on the way back.

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An easy hike around the Fontaine des Genièvres with beautiful views of the Nans-les-Pins plain and, above all, the eastern part of the Sainte-Baume mountain range. A curiosity: the Petit Saint-Cassien karstic cave.

Walking Circular loops of the Huveaune springs via Pas de Peyruis

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Walking Huveaune via the Pas de Peyruis

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↔5.22 mi ↗+912 ft ↘-892 ft ◔3h 10 ▲Moderate
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This is a family hike that allows you to visit the Huveaune springs via a rather unusual route starting from the Hôtellerie de la Sainte-Baume.

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