Under the Cross of Provence

The car park is located in St-Antonin-sur-Bayon, in front of the Maison de Sainte-Victoire (Ecomuseum).

(S/E) Leave the car park, head towards the road and turn right onto the tarmac road (CD17).

(1) Look out for multi-coloured hiking markers on the left. Follow the yellow and white and red markings.

(2) At the fork, leave the red and white markings and take the path blocked off to the right. You’ll reach a large cairn facing the Croix de Provence. Continue straight on, towards the Croix de Provence. A few metres further on, there’s a path branching off to the right. Take this path. At the next junction, turn left.

(3) Look out for directional signs slightly to the left and follow the footpath signposts. Head left towards the Cézanne refuge, following the red and white markings.

(4) At the junction, head right. Go round a ruin, then turn left towards the Cézanne refuge. The refuge is closed, but there are tables and benches outside which are accessible. Go round the refuge on the left and you’ll come to a well. Take the path that branches off to the left, in a hairpin bend, going downhill after the well. Follow this wide path until you reach a large crossroads, then continue to the right towards the Bimont dam.

(5) Turn left at water tank number 338. This is a very wide path that leads downhill. Pass a junction on the left and stay on the same path.

(6) At the fork, turn right to join a wide path. Continue along this path until you reach the next major junction.

(7) Head to the right, as if retracing your steps. You will cross a path branching off to the left, but stay on the right, continuing along the wide path until you return to tank 338.

(5) Continue straight ahead, then turn right at the first junction, after the cistern and before the refuge. You will reach a three-way junction.

(8) Turn left to reach a fork. Turn right, continuing along the path that curves (main path). You will come to a red trail and should follow it. You will emerge onto a wide path and continue to the left until you reach the junction with another path, at the signs indicating “Parking du Bouquet”.

(9) Turn left onto this path for a few metres, then take the left at the first fork. Head towards the Maison Sainte-Victoire via Le Trou, passing a wayside shrine. The route in this section is a little complex and temporarily disappears before reappearing further on. Stay alert, then cross a small path with a fairly steep, short slope and follow it. Continuing along the path, where a yellow marker reappears, turn right. Cross a path and keep slightly to the left, following its extension to reach a junction.

(10) Leave the path on the right, crossing a small ford. The path becomes slightly less distinct and climbs very steeply to the left before reaching the junction that marks its end.

(11) Take the Yellow route on the left until you reach the vicinity of the CD17. Follow it on the left until you join the road at the Saint-Antonin-sur-Bayon sign. Take this road on the left for about a hundred metres to reach the car park (S/E).

Suggested by: A.M.I.S Rando Aubagne

The oppidum at (2): a short circular loop to do if you wish.