Sunflower Books: Landscapes of WESTERN PROVENCE: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Western Provence, 3rd edition (2009); updated 17/06/2010

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Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in western Provence given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

Walk 1: First, you have to pay 4 euro to park in the parking area, apparantly is that also your guarantee to get in, because we parked in the village Rustrel and we were not allowed to do this walk! We had to pay and buy a plan from the car park because it's private land. So we bought a plan in the shop nearby, and did the walk from the parking, to the left passerelle - buvette, sahara and then via the desert blanc back to the parking. The rest we were not allowed to walk in - it was reserved for guided tours! (User, 6/09)

Walk 3: Beyond the Vallon de Ferriere, when the Senancole Valley opens up on the left, you leave the path for a track. Note that at this point there is now a chain across this track and a sign, 'Reserve de Chasse' [hunting ground] - neither of these are meant to deter walkers. (User, 6/09)

Walk 4: After the 1h50min point (sign for Fontbrume) it's not clear which track to take on the left; there is also a blue cross that leads you to a wooden bridge over the little river that goes to the U-turn/curve. [We did not note any choice of forks here, say the authors.] If you take the right one [not sure if by 'right' the user means right as opposed to left, or right as in correct], there is no chain barrier any more, nor any sign for the Colonie de Vacances. Further on we didn't see any other sign for the vacation camp. After the 2h-point, where it says that the "shady path leads you down to the Aigue Brun stream" the text is very misleading because you walk uphill at first, and that part of the path is a lot longer tha described in the book. Still, we thought this was the most beautiful walk. (User, 6/09)

Walk 5: The walk was as described, but we thought we would have a splendid view on the way back to the parking once on the Route des Cretes, but all you see is trees, so we were a little disappointed by that! (User, 6/09)

Walk 7: We found that the road from the car park of the Hotel la Begude was tarmac from the start rather than a track. A minor point but maybe worth correcting. (User, 11/08) + Near the end of the walk, you no longer have to descend a steep embankment to the D981. There is a new, and very welcome, flight of steps. The whole route is now a Petite Randonnee and well waymarked in yellow. The amenity areas at the Pont are now closed November - March inclusive (which meant that we shared the experience with about 30 other people - bliss!) (User, 3/10) + If the cars are racing at the nearby circuit then entire walk will be severely marred. (User, 6/10)

Walk 11: We had great difficulty finding the start of route back from the abbey. Even when we did find it, we found the directions much less clear than anything else we had followed in the book. Around the llama bit there were lots of recent fencing and we failed to find the llamas at all. We muddled through, however, and completed the walk. They seem to have renamed the fire tracks - very new sign and not mentioning fire track 7 at all. We did enjoy the walk but the initial frustation on leaving the abbey spoilt it for a bit. (User, 11/08) + The buses no longer stop in the centre, but skirt the main bit of town. The nearest stop is St Joseph, from where it is 10-15 minutes to walk up to the town. Le Fournil had just re-opened on Weds 17th March, so we were very lucky to find it open and enjoy a lovely lunch there. It is currently serving lunch Wednesdays to Sundays. There were no set menus but a limited carte, perfectly acceptable if a little pricey. On the return leg we got lost after the hairpin bend and ended up coming back to the road. We cut back in again and found ourselves climbing up the Mont de la Mere, not a hard climb, and were rewarded with a wonderful panoramic view from the top. There was a clear path leading down in a north-easterly direction, which we followed, soon meeting up with the Draille du Mas de la Dame and getting back on track. A previous contributor commented that the sign for fire track 7 had disappeared. Indeed it has, but there is now a sign saying "MO104", which may be reassuring although the description of the route is perfectly clear. Back at the windmill, we turned right instead of walking to the main road, and followed yellow waymarks along a wooded road keeping at the same level until we came to the Tour. There was then a flight of steps down and a route through the Vieux Village past place de l'Eglise, coming out under an arch diagonally opposite the Poste. This was a much nicer route than the road past the fire station and I would suggest it for both outward and return legs.
(User, 3/10)

Walk 12, Short walk 2: When you reach the lake, there is a difference between the map and the text. Immediately after reaching the lake the path forks. The text describes the right-hand fork, a wide gravel path which leaves the lake to rise and fall to the road. The map shows the left hand fork which is also a wide gravel path going partway round the lake. This peters out and becomes a very poorly waymarked path over the rocks. It may eventually also reach the road but might require some scrambling. I recommend you stick to the text and take the right hand fork. (User, 3/10) [Sunflower: This user is correct. Unfortunately, the path to take is NOT shown on our map, but is easily found. Just take the right-hand fork: it heads briefly south, then east, to meet the D5 1km south of Les Antiques and the lane to St-Paul de Mausole. Do not continue on the GR6 from the lake unless you are very adventurous; the route involves a steep ascent and climbing a vertical ladder bolted to the rock.]

Walk 30: In May 2010 it was all but impossible to follow the sentier botanique due to storm damage. About 20% of the trees have been uprooted. (User, 6/10)

Walk 31: We loved this walk and on a Sunday afternoon encountered only 1 other person. Unfortunately, we lost 20 degrees the next day and had snow at 600 metres (1st week in May). (User, 6/10)