Country:
City:
If you are coming from Bandol on the D559, leave this road and take the C9, turning left towards "Port d'Alon - La Madrague - École - Collège Don Bosco". Follow the railway line for a while, then turn right very quickly, still heading towards "La Madrague". You will soon see Don Bosco College on your left. Continue until you reach a large left-hand bend. You will arrive at the entrance on the left marked "École - Collège Don Bosco". You can park along the road on the right where the hard shoulder is very wide.
(S/E) Just opposite the college's private road, we begin our route by turning right into the Nartette estate. We pass the entrance to the driveway leading to the Nartette bastide and climb up to the right, skirting the vineyards.
At the top of the vineyards, you will find the path that descends from the sandy hill opposite. Leave this path and continue along the track overlooking the vineyard. At the end of the vineyard, you will find yourself under the pine trees and arrive at a crossroads.
(1) Our track crosses a path that descends the hill to the right and another that branches off to the left. This will be our return route. For now, continue straight ahead on the almost horizontal track; you can also take the path that runs alongside it on the right, which is not shown on the map.
We soon come to a very sandy open area, which corresponds to the former wind-blown sand from the beaches of Les Lecques that was gradually deposited on top of the hill.
Further on, we leave a track that descends to the left. We continue on the northern flank of the hill.
(2) At the next junction, follow the track that descends to the left, initially running parallel to the track on the right. About 200 m further on, take the track on the left, and soon you will pass close to the Baumelles district on the left. Then leave the track that turns left and continue straight ahead on a very comfortable dirt path, which will lead you about 350 m further on to the Château des Baumelles.
Then turn your back on the château and make a 90° right turn to climb up alongside the vineyard, on the edge of the pine forest. Follow this vineyard to the top and veer left.
(3) You will then find a path on the right that leads into the woods and heads west. It joins a track that leads to the right to an esplanade where there is a cistern. Cross this track and continue along the path, which climbs and joins a wide forest track at a hairpin bend.
Turn left to climb this track to a clearing where there is a cistern and an olive grove. Go around the cistern on the left and walk along the olive grove.
(4) At the end of the olive grove, you enter the pine forest again and join the path that descends from the Crête de la Gâche. Continue westwards, taking the paths that run more or less parallel to the ridge.
You will come to the top of the sandy hill, marked by an information panel and protective fencing. Continue westwards, roughly following the ridge. The path, which is sandy at first, becomes rockier as it descends. The descent offers beautiful views of Saint-Cyr, La Madrague and Les Lecques.
After winding downhill, the path intersects with the track we took earlier.
(1) Take the yellow-marked trail opposite, which descends gently. First, cross a sandy clearing that corresponds to the passage of the track known as the Corniche Varoise. Cross and continue opposite on the trail, which descends more steeply and arrives at a valley not far from the road.
(5) Turn left, following the direction indicated by the yellow markers "Tour de la Bastide". This will take you to the edge of the vineyards, in the middle of which stands the Bastide de la Nartette, and you will walk alongside them. At the end of the vineyard, you will find a small enclosure surrounded by wooden fencing, called "la Pelouse aux Orchidées" (explanatory sign). Go around it on the right, following the road, which you will reach shortly afterwards.
Follow this road to the left to return to the car park (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
Difficult 
Association / Club / Walk leader
