The Tour of Défens des Colettes

A lookout, a viewpoint

Flora

Heritage and history

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On the trail of the Tour of Défens des Colettes, you will reach old plasterwork remains of a craft no longer practised, near the travertin waterfalls.

Explore Soleilhas, its fountains and wash houses take the GR 4 to rise to Mount Saint-Foujasse. You will reach old plasterwork remains of a craft no longer practised, near the travertin waterfalls. The return trip to the village is through a path lined with chapels that emphasize the pilgrimage to Saint-Peter's chapel.

3 points of interest

Panorama
View on the Teillon
Breathtaking view of the Teillon mountain range.
Patrimony and history
The Hamlet of Verraillon
On the tour, you will find the ruins of the abandoned hamlet of Verraillon.
Flora
The Turban Lilly
It is the king, "the emperor" of the south-facing limestone slopes. There can be up to 17 flowers per stem (and it can measure more than a metre in height). It is very different from the Turk's cap lily, by its colour and its leaves. It is found only in dry rocky hillsides of the Alpes de Haute Provence, the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes.

Description

When exiting the car park, turn right and at the end of the street, take another right and follow the main street Saint Roch on the D102 for some hundred metres.

1 - Before the mission cross, turn right on the variant of the GR 4 (chemin de la sagne) then cross a bridge and a field. At the first corner, take the GR and follow the track to switch to the other side. Continue on the path between meadows and woods of Scots pines and continue rising amid the broom on the opposite slope. Continue until an intersection.

2 - Take a right on the GR.. Further down, descend on the trail of the ruins of Veraillon.

3 - Under the ruins, turn right, in the meadow and along the creek. Go left, over the canyon (area wedged between two mountains). Go down through the pubescent oak (900m).

4 - At the intersection of two paths, continue straight and follow the path through the rocks, then head to the St. Peter Chapel.

5 - From the St. Peter chapel, follow the direction of Soleilhas (under the chapel). 20m before the waterfall, turn right onto the rocky and steep path rising above the canyon. Pass the ford at 100m and reach to Soleilhas. At 2.5km, reach the trail.

6 - Turn right in front of the oratory and reach the village by the track.

Departure : Rue Saint Roch, Soleilhas
Arrival : Rue Saint Roch, Soleilhas
Towns crossed : Soleilhas

Forecast

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Avoid high summer temperatures, leave early. We recommend: 2 L of water per person, a hat and proper hiking shoes. At some points of the route, the trek can be quite technical, especially in the canyon.