Tour of the Lame de Facibelle

Start from the Vélodrome car park to cut the tarmac section in half. (Otherwise, see practical information: alternative start)

(S/E) Take the D900a road northwards until you pass through the Pérouré tunnel. At the exit, take the path on the left.

(1) At a small bridge, keep left (do not cross it, as it is private property) and begin the climb. The shaded path winds in a zigzag pattern with numerous hairpin bends through the forest, where the climb is fairly steep. A first flat section offers a view of the valley floor, then you arrive at the Roche Rousse Sanctuary.

(2) From the sanctuary, continue straight on, climbing. You will reach a fork.

(3) Stay on the hairpin bend that turns to the left, following the yellow markings. The climb ends when you reach the old Orthodox hermitage of Saint-Jean.

(4) Descend through the forest (first fir, then oak and beech), a steep descent with numerous hairpin bends. Cross the Ravin de l'Adret and reach a fork in the path.

(5) Head up to the right, staying in the shade of the forest. (see also practical information)

(6) Option for a short detour to the left, a few metres out of the forest to enjoy the view.
Caution: very loose ground. Continue along the path to a fork.

(7) Turn left, heading due south-east. All that remains of the hamlet of Pudoyer are a few barely visible walls.
Step out of the forest a little and the view opens up to the south towards Digne. Continue to a track leading to the old village of Tanaron, then cross through it.

(8) From the old cemetery, head left to pass in front of the old church and climb towards Rocher Gassendi. Take a short detour to the right towards the rock to enjoy a view of the hamlet and the valley.
A plaque describes the work of Pierre Gassendi.

On your return, continue along the balcony path, facing the Blayeul ridge, before descending into a ravine, then rejoining the contour line.

(9) Just before entering a beech forest, climb a little to the left, off the path, for a better view of the Lame de Facibelle.
Then continue to the foot of the ridge and retrace your steps for a few metres.

(10) Continue down to the right, through the forest, until you reach the footbridge to cross the Bès.

(11) Turn left and follow the D900a with care to return to the car park (S/E).

(11) You can also start from the Viapac car park just after the footbridge crossing the Bès
For the road section, it may be preferable to complete the entire route in the morning from (11) to (1), although there are fewer parking spaces at the footbridge (Viapac car park). (Note: there are approximately 2 km of tarmac: 700 m on the way out and 1.3 km on the way back)

No water on the route

Some viewpoints require you to leave the path: keep an eye out for them (for example (6) and (9))

(5) Before heading back up, you can do a short round trip (10 mins) at the foot of the ridge, allowing you to enjoy the morning light.

There are quite a few forests on the^first section; even in the heat, you’re well sheltered, though there are few viewpoints between (5) and just before (8).

Shorter alternative: from (5), head straight to the foot of the ridge (10) and descend. Distance: 8 km, elevation gain: 660 m, allow 3½ hours.

Equivalent alternative route: from (5), head directly to the foot of the Lame (10) then on to Tanaron (8) and descend to Esclangon, before climbing up the other side, which offers a beautiful panorama of the site and helps you understand why this stack of layers has been named the Vélodrome. You arrive directly at the car park.

Longer route: from (8), (Tanaron), head down to Esclangon and climb back up the other side as for the equivalent route.

The route is within the Haute-Provence Geological Nature Reserve: the largest geological reserve in Europe. The Haute-Provence Geopark is a UNESCO-designated site.
https://www.geoparchauteprovence.com/par...

The artist Herman De Vries created a sanctuary of nature at Roche-Rousse. The site’s name stems from the fact that the grey limestone cliff takes on an orange patina... the colour of the paint that once covered the tops of the posts (barely visible). Only ruins remain; the last ruin on the left contains a vaulted room with a cistern that was likely used to collect water. Around it: terraces with a well.

On the descent along the Lame de (4) to (5), you descend right into the heart of the Vélodrome d’Esclangon without realising its distinctive shape. To see this, you must head to the opposite bank of the Bès from the starting car park (5 km round trip, 380 m elevation gain, an additional 3 hours).

The Lame de Facibelle consists of a stack of layers deposited in a marine bay. Deformed by Alpine thrust, these layers have been uprighted vertically. (3 to 4 m wide and over 50 m high)

The abandoned village of Tanaron: In 1698, the village and its hamlets had between 350 and 400 inhabitants. By the end of the 19th century, Tanaron still had 200 inhabitants. 60 children attended the village school. In 1947, Félicie Endignoux was the village’s last resident. More information on the history of Tanaron: https://tanaron.wixsite.com/tanaron/hist...

Above the village: the Rocher de la Tour or Rocher Pierre Gassendi. During a six-month stay in the village, Pierre Gassendi carried out his observations of the moon in the 17th century. A plaque on site provides further information.