All in Cardboard

Park in the village of Heyre.

(S/E) From the village, follow the track towards Prads as far as the hamlet known as “Les Handicapés”, easily recognisable by the three larch trees on the left and the steep track leading up to the right – the only one from the village of Heyre. It is also possible to reach this point, on foot or by mountain bike, via the^PR® “Tour du Carton” trail.

(1) Take the track branching off to the right, initially heading straight towards the mountain up a short, steep slope, then turning right to climb more gently. Follow this track to a flat area (Clot Mégi), the start of the hidden plateau.
Continue along the track, which takes a sharp bend to the left and heads back northwards, climbing a little further before following the contour line. As you pass a murky spring, look out for deer tracks. When red and green markings become visible, there’s a beautiful panoramic view to the left, over Blégiers, Heyre and as far as Mont Ventoux.

(2) As you round the ridge, follow the red markings on the right as they climb steeply, first to a flat outcrop, then across a scree slope, then through the forest (admire the two laburnums on the left), along the ridge and finally along the edge of a meadow, up to the crest. A steep and at times slightly exposed climb. Where the slopes change, there are frequent opportunities to spot chamois. (Red markings).

(3) Follow the long ridge to the successive summits (a magnificent and varied panorama, dotted with larch trees, typical of the ‘Roof of the World of Haute Provence’, as Alexandra David-Neel and Pierre Magnan described it), then continue downhill to the Col de la Baisse.
Just before the pass, join a well-marked path below on the right.

(4) Follow the^PR® Tour du Carton to the right until you reach the junction with a track (yellow markings).

(5) From here, you can continue along the^PR® Tour du Carton, but this adds to the distance and involves a descent followed by an ascent. It is easier to follow the track to the right, which roughly follows the contour lines.

(6) Join the^PR® Tour du Carton (yellow markings) again, and cross the Col de la Colle, where there used to be an abandoned village following an avalanche. Shortly afterwards, turn left – don’t forget to stop for a drink at the spring marked on the left – then turn right. The path climbs up past some water channels, then descends back to the starting point (S/E).

Make sure you have good walking shoes, plenty of water and something to eat. Apart from in summer, the ridge may be snow-covered. Avoid this route during thunderstorms, as there is a risk of lightning on the ridge.

A ‘carton’ was traditionally a quarter-log used to support round roof tiles. This is where the mountain gets its name, as the village of Heyre has always been covered with Provençal roofs featuring Romanesque tiles.

It is also possible to walk along the Carton ridge starting from Tercier.
Head to the point (4) via the^PR® Tour du Carton and follow the ridge in the opposite direction.
However, the descent from the point (3) to the relay mast, where you join a track leading down to Tercier, is poorly marked and extremely overgrown.