Hours of walk: 6.30
Rise: 1150 m
Drop: 1400 m

Itinerary

From the western side of the town, a path descends to the carriage road on the south of the village. You walk along the road for a short while, heading to the north-west, to then turn left on the asphalted road to Haut Chardavon (1140 m), thus crossing the whole plain of the Blanche. The small rural hamlet has a church and buildings covered in terracotta flakes and the traditional roofs are often replaced by metal sheets, due to the difficulty of finding the terracotta. The route proceeds towards the west from the hamlet on a forest track which then suddenly bends to the south and reaches the Plateau d’Iroire, a wide plateau used for grazing. You go on along a quite winding way of the PR (promenade randonnée), touching the mountain pastures of Lauzerot (1696 m), the ruins of Garnier (1692 m) and la Cabane de Gau (1728 m). There are many flocks and herds in the area, organized within wide fencings. It is worth to notice the barren sides of the Montagne de Val-Haut, furrowed by ravines (calanques) in the grey marls. Below the Cabane de Gau the route joins again the GR Tour des Monges for the long descent to the valley floor of Bès, wholly covered by the woods of Pinée. The asphalted road (D 7) is then reached, but almost immediately left to carry on along the mountainside, above the road, on a panoramic track on the gorges of Verdaches, and on the meanders of its torrent. The asphalt (D 900 A) is found again at 1,5 km above Barles (985 m).

Food and accommodation

-In Barles, on the provincial road crossing the town:

Bar – Hotel Restaurant Mr and Ms Amielh,
tel. 33 (0)4 92350552.