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Departure from the old cemetery of Allauch near the Boule de Craie playground.
(S/E) With your back to the cemetery, take the track that climbs to the left, towards Notre-Dame du Château, via a gentle, well-maintained slope.
(1) Once you reach Notre-Dame du Château, take a moment to admire the chapel, visit it if possible, and enjoy the splendid view over the rooftops of Allauch and the harbour of Marseille.
Climb to the highest point, then begin the descent from Notre-Dame du Château and head for the crossroads at the bottom of the valley.
(2) Continue straight ahead and begin the ascent towards the ridges. Take the opportunity to observe the ruins of the Sainte-Croix Chapel (elevation 379). Continue along the path and descend into the valley. At the crossroads, turn left and, near the houses, join a track. Turn right and start the climb towards the Col du Puits Rouge. When you reach the pass, you will see the Peynaou overlooking you on your right and the Grande Tête Rouge in front of you. Continue along the track, pass a turn-off on the right and find the path leading up to the Grande Tête Rouge on the left.
(3) Continue along the track, passing a turn-off on the right, and continue until you reach a path on the left just before the four-way junction. Climb a few metres to reach the magnificent Source du Laurier.
(4) Descend and go to the other side of the track to discover the other spring. Then return to the crossroads at the start of the Grande Tête Rouge ascent.
(3) Climb up to the right along the fairly steep path. At the top, enjoy the magnificent view and, if you wish, take a break and admire the landscape.
(5) Leave the summit and continue north. Pass a path on your left and continue along the path that follows the cliff. When you reach the small pass (elevation 454), continue straight ahead. Pass a field on your right, cross another track and you will reach a three-way junction. Follow the right-hand branch which descends, turns into a path and joins the Pas dei Meinoun.
(6) After Pas dei Meinoun, continue for about 50 metres on the path, then turn left for a round trip to the Grotte du Berger. Enjoy the frescoes painted on the wall.
Retrace your steps and begin the descent to the bottom of the valley. Continue for about 200 metres and you will find a path on the right.
(7) Follow the path on the right for another round trip and reach the Grotte de l'Étoile. If the group of hikers is large, split it into groups of 10 as it is difficult to pass each other. Admire this cave, which resurfaces when there is heavy rain. The more adventurous can enter the tunnel. You will need to crouch down at the start, but then you can stand upright. The tunnel is quite long, about thirty metres, and then we stopped our progress. Bring headlamps as it is completely dark.
After the visit, return to the previous junction.
(7) Descend to the bottom of the Vallon des Escaoupres. Take the path opposite and observe the Source du Chien as you pass. Reach the edge of the woods and a crossroads. Continue to the right on the path that follows the bottom of the valley. At the track, follow it to the right and then continue to the Pas du Bœuf.
About 40 metres before the hairpin bend, turn right onto the path that leads to the stream bed (in dry weather, of course) and walk down it. You will need to sit down on your bottom for a few sections, but it's passable.
(8) When you reach the end of the stream, take the path that goes up to the right ( be careful! Do not attempt to go any further as the terrain changes and becomes dangerous). Continue along the mountainside, cross a gully, pass a path on your right and continue towards the foot of the cliffs. After passing the second cliff point, find a track and continue to the next crossroads. Turn right uphill, walk about 50 metres and you will reach a hunters' hut.
(9) A few metres before the hut, turn left and follow the path, which is overgrown with vegetation. It's quite thorny, but the path is visible under the Kermes oak trees (long trousers are highly recommended). The path then turns right and begins a steady climb.
(10) Near the ridge on the right, where the rocks become more visible, follow the path that branches off to the left and reach the top of the ridge on the left (elevation 349). Cross over to the other side and descend into the valley. At the fork, located about halfway up the slope, take the path on the right that crosses above the hamlet of L'Oasis and joins a DFCI track.
(11) Follow this track to the left. At the fork at the bottom of the hill, turn right and head for the first houses in the Craie district of Carlevan.
(12) When you reach the tarmac road, turn left (the path that avoided this tarmac road is now private, forcing you to walk a short distance on the asphalt) and follow Chemin de la Craie for about 650 metres. Take the opportunity to admire the beautiful properties.
At a small bend to the left, turn right onto Chemin de la Pauvre Bête (there is a fire hydrant at this crossroads). Pass a car park on your right, ignore Allée des Lauriers on your right and reach the next fork a few metres further on.
Follow Chemin du Val d'Aubergue (second branch on the left) to the next hairpin bend. Leave the tarmac and continue straight ahead to pass under the electricity pylon. Immediately afterwards, ignore a turning on the right and continue to a hairpin bend. Continue for a few metres and turn right. Pass under the power line and after a few metres you will find the start of a path on the left. Follow this path, pass under the power line again and join a track.
Continue right along this track, which turns into a path. Reach the crossroads below Notre-Dame du Château, which you passed on the way there.
(2) Continue straight ahead, rejoining the road and the car park near the cemetery (S/E).
Visorando member
Easy 
Moderate 
