Bastidon Trail

de fr

This trail contrasts the scorching heath of the Verdon with the cool, shady forest on the north-facing slopes of Barbin; you will walk through a wild and magnificent landscape.

Details

n°53270947
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 16.19 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 966 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 958 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,380 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 700 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

Maireste viewpoint
Bastidon Trail
Bastidon Trail

Description of the walk

The walk starts at the Vignal car park.

(S/E) With the church on your left, continue along the main road, Rue Grande, until you reach the junction with the D123.

(1) Continue along the same road until you reach theGR® path.

(2) Take the path on the left just before the Bourbon campsite (GR®4towards La Maline). Join the Route des Crêtes (D23) and follow it to the right as far as the pumping station.

(3) You can take the track on the right. Otherwise, continue left on the B-road until you reach the start of the Sentier du Bastidon at a car park.

(4) Leave the road and head down to the right via the Sentier du Bastidon to reach the Ravin de Mainmorte.

(5) Then head back up across the slope to reach a small pass. Continue along the hillside.

(6) After crossing the Ravin de Ferné, leave the gorges via the path. Pass through several ravines (the tricky sections are secured) and arrive at the access point to the viewpoint.

(7) You can turn left to reach the access point for the Mayrestre viewpoint and admire the view. Alternatively, join the D952 and follow it uphill to the bend.

(8) Leave the road and go straight on at the first bend, passing a series of hairpin bends.

(9) Turn left into the Brusc valley. Climb up a rocky gully and emerge into the Grinhan ravine, joining theGR®4.

(10) Join the track on the right, then keep left and go straight on to cut across the bend in the track. Descend into the ravine and continue left until you reach the Jas de Barbin crossroads.

(11) Continue along the track to the right through the woodland, then take the path to the right. Continue to a fork (the path changes sides).

(12) Continue along the Barbin mountainside and, after passing a ruin and a captured spring, descend the winding path. At the foot of the hill, cross a track and join the village road below.

(13) At the wayside shrine, continue straight on to reach La Palud-sur-Verdon.

(1) Then turn left at the end of the street to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 920 m - Vignal car park - Église Notre-Dame de Vauvert (La Palud-sur-Verdon)
  2. 1 : km 0.3 - alt. 934 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 0.41 - alt. 941 m - GR4
  4. 3 : km 1.16 - alt. 899 m - Junction
  5. 4 : km 3.15 - alt. 810 m - Start of the Bastidon Trail
  6. 5 : km 3.8 - alt. 707 m - Mainmorte Ravine
  7. 6 : km 6.36 - alt. 729 m - Ferné Ravine - Verdon (rivière)
  8. 7 : km 7.92 - alt. 805 m - Access to the Mayreste viewpoint - Belvédère de Mayreste
  9. 8 : km 8.49 - alt. 834 m - Bend in the road
  10. 9 : km 8.93 - alt. 947 m - Brusc Valley
  11. 10 : km 10.01 - alt. 1,200 m - GR4
  12. 11 : km 11.25 - alt. 1,214 m - Jas de Barbin
  13. 12 : km 12.47 - alt. 1,374 m - Crossroads
  14. 13 : km 15.61 - alt. 962 m - End of the trail
  15. S/E : km 16.19 - alt. 920 m - Vignal car park - Église Notre-Dame de Vauvert (La Palud-sur-Verdon)

Worth a visit

(7) Mayreste Viewpoint

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.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
JF
JF

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2025
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 2 September, the day after a rainy day, in sunny weather. We did the route in the opposite direction to the recommended one. It was dry from the morning onwards and the climb up to Le Barbin is easier, but be careful, the descent to the Maireste car park is technical and difficult. The Bastidon trail is beautiful and relatively easy, despite one or two handrails. The landscape over the limestone gorges is wild and spectacular, with no view of the Verdon. It's a beautiful hike to do before the summer heat or in September.

Machine-translated

User 3374394

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did this route in the opposite direction, so that we could tackle the climb in the morning. I recommend doing it this way because of a very technical descent. Otherwise, there are some stunning views in the gorges, with the chance to spot griffon vultures.

Machine-translated

degavroche
degavroche

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We set off from the Mayrestre viewpoint heading towards Le Bastidon. I think it’s a good idea to save the steepest descent for last. And for food lovers, it gives you the chance to stop for a bite to eat at La Pallud. The scenery is fabulous and the view over the gorges is well worth it. It’s worth noting, though, that you can only see the Verdon in the distance from the Mayrestre viewpoint.

Machine-translated

ddragon
ddragon
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The Bastidon trail is very well maintained. I didn’t come across a single person – surprising for a Saturday in early September (all the hikers were on the Blanc Martel trail!!) If you’re hoping to see the Verdon river flowing, you’ll be very disappointed, as you only catch sight of it after a two-hour walk.The gorges are too steep-sided to see the Verdon at this point, but the site is remarkable for the scale and colour of the cliffs. The Mayreste viewpoint offers a beautiful 180-degree view.
I extended the route by 6 km to the Barbin plateau by making a return trip to the Col de Plein Voir, which is 3 km away with no additional elevation gain.
The view from the ridge path there is superb. So, at point 10, take the track to the left; you’ll head to the Col de Plein-Voir via the GR4 and back. It’s well worth it. If you’re up for an extra 6 km, that makes a total of 22 km. On your return to point 10, rejoin the original route.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Chemin du Belvédère de la Dent d'Aire

Tourist office
Chemin du Belvédère de la Dent d'Aire
↔7.61 km ↗+353 m ↘-358 m ◔3h 10 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from La Palud-sur-Verdon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
This route offers remarkable views of the village of La Palud and the surrounding mountains, as well as the Grand Canyon. It is the only trail that provides access to the highest viewpoint above the Gorges du Verdon.

Walking The old village of Châteauneuf-les-Moustiers

Visorando member
Ancien village de Châteauneuf-les-Moustiers
↔2.78 km ↗+135 m ↘-135 m ◔1h 10 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from La Palud-sur-Verdon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
A short walk to the abandoned village of Châteauneuf-les-Moustiers, ideal for a picnic with panoramic views of the Montdenier massif, the heights of the Verdon or the Mourres area. Châteauneuf-les-Moustiers was abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century. The remaining ruins are impressive in size and number.

Walking Roman roads of Pays du Verdon

Visorando member
Les voies romaines du pays du Verdon
↔14.36 km ↗+411 m ↘-418 m ◔5h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from La Palud-sur-Verdon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
A hike in Pays du Verdon that takes ancient Roman roads, runs alongside an abandoned village and a chapel sheltered by rocks with magnificent landscapes.

Walking Gorges du Verdon – Blanc-Martel Trail via the Estellier footbridge

Visorando member
Gorges du Verdon - Sentier Blanc-Martel par la passerelle de l'Estellier
↔13.63 km ↗+1,266 m ↘-1,522 m ◔7h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from La Palud-sur-Verdon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
A magnificent hike starting from the Chalet de la Maline, following the Verdon riverbed upstream to the road at Saut du Baou (Couloir Samson car park), with two short extensions: one towards the superb Estellier footbridge, downstream at the foot of La Maline at the start of the route, and the other towards the beautiful Verdon/Artuby confluence at La Mescla. 

Walking Gorges du Verdon - Sentier Blanc-Martel

Visorando member
Les gorges du Verdon - Sentier Blanc-Martel
↔13.10 km ↗+1,160 m ↘-1,294 m ◔7h 05 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from La Palud-sur-Verdon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
A beautiful walk up the Verdon by its bed ! A feast for the eyes from start to finish ! ⚠️The Sentier Martel is not very difficult for regular walkers, but you have to be careful. However, the trickiest part is the Imbert ladders (6 ladders, 252 steps), which are difficult for hikers prone to vertigo. The difference in altitude is overestimated. See comments at the bottom of this page

Walking The Samson Corridor tunnels and the Trescaïre towers

Visorando member
Les tunnels du couloir Samson et les tours de Trescaïre
↔2.80 km ↗+687 m ↘-687 m ◔2h 45 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Rougon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
This round trip route takes you to the Samson Corridor, which marks the entrance to the Grand Canyon. It will take you through the tunnels of the Blanc-Martel trail to the Trescaïre viewpoint.The trail follows the Blanc-Martel trail, but is much more accessible and offers a unique experience thanks to the tunnels.The indicated elevation gain, calculated automatically, is incorrect.See the practical information section for details of the minimum equipment required.

Walking The Suech Plateau

Visorando member
Le Plateau du Suech
↔8.46 km ↗+379 m ↘-379 m ◔3h 30 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Rougon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
Overlooking the village of Rougon and located at an altitude of over 1,200 metres, the Plateau du Suech offers beautiful panoramic views where, with a little luck, you can admire the griffon vultures of the Verdon.

Walking Rougon via the bridges of Carajuan, Sautet and Tusset, passing through Trigance

Visorando member
Rougon par les ponts de Carajuan, Sautet et Tusset, en passant par Trigance
↔19.90 km ↗+947 m ↘-954 m ◔8h 25 ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Rougon (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence)
A beautiful circular loop for admiring the Gorges du Verdon in a more intimate way and from different viewpoints. Sumptuous panoramic views of the Grand Canyon and Colle de Breïs and, of course, Point Sublime. A challenging route, well suited to trail runners: it climbs for most of the route but with a reasonable gradient. Then comes a short but fairly steep descent, which proved less difficult than it looked.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.