Siréniens site at the start of the Col des Lèques

Hidden within the Tabori Ravine lies one of the most remarkable sites in the Haute-Provence Geological Nature Reserve. A veritable marine graveyard dating back 40 million years, the Siréniens fossil site contains over two hundred bones of marine mammals closely related to today’s dugongs.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.50 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 276 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 262 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,009 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,750 ft

Description of the walk

Park at the designated car park at the Col des Lèques (1,146 m).

(S/E) Follow the track that runs alongside the campsite fence. Ignore the track on the left and continue to the next junction near a house.

(1) Ignore the two tracks to the left and right and take the path opposite, which runs alongside the house and then joins a meadow a little further up. Walk along the right-hand side of the meadow, parallel to another track on your left, until you reach a crossroads of tracks.

(2) Take a short first turn left then right to head towards the wooded area. The path continues to climb and immediately leads to a junction. Leave the Chemin de la Baume on your right and continue straight on along the flat, shaded track. After passing a ruin, the track turns into a path which crosses the Ravin de Reissacier via a footbridge, climbs through the pine forest, crosses a second ravine before emerging into a cleared area and reaching another junction.

(3) Head down to the left, then turn right about a hundred metres further on. You will then reach the Ravin de Tabori and follow it down to arrive at the Siréniens site.

(4) Follow the route taken on the way out in the opposite direction to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,773 ft - Car park - Col des Lèques
  2. 1 : mi 0.18 - alt. 3,750 ft - La Haute Sionne – junction
  3. 2 : mi 0.42 - alt. 3,835 ft - Crossroads of tracks
  4. 3 : mi 0.98 - alt. 4,003 ft - Junction, turn left
  5. 4 : mi 1.25 - alt. 3,967 ft - Siréniens site - Les Siréniens (Castellane)
  6. S/E : mi 2.5 - alt. 3,773 ft - Car park - Col des Lèques

Notes

(S/E) At the pass, the car park is different from the one at the restaurant.

Worth a visit

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