In the footsteps of the trail Between sea and ponds
An exceptional territory, that of the largest salt pond in Europe, the Etang de Berre, a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage status, but also that of the Etangs du Pourra, Citis, Engrenier, Lavalduc and the Mediterranean Sea . A unique biodiversity to discover and preserve. We walk between the forest of Castillon, its Aleppo pines, its magnificent reedbed, where a beautiful diversity of flora and fauna develops. We also discover the Grand Parc de Figuerolles and its houses of rural life; and the classified site of Saint-Blaise and its Gallic remains which take us back to the heart of our roots.
Step-by-step of part 1 of the trail Between sea and ponds from Port-de-Bouc to Massane (Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts).
Departure from Port-de-Bouc station, 20km, 6 hours. Download the GPX file of the trail Between sea and ponds1. Leaving the station, take Rue de la gare opposite. Turn right Rue Charles Nedelec. Continue on your way to Cours Landrivon. Turn right. You follow the Arles canal which opens into the Caronte channel. Continue to the town hall.
2. Here begins the coastal path. Follow him. In this city where all roads lead to the sea, the creation of the coastal path is both for development and environmental protection. Variations of beaches, ports, natural, historical or archaeological heritage, the path is a place of discovery, relaxation and leisure, which associates urban spaces with the sea. Go down the Cours Landrivon towards the sea. right the rue du doctor Pujol. Bypass the Rennaisance port and join the rue de la République, turn left. Walk along rue de la République for 300m. At the next crossroads, turn left into Chemin de la Jetée.
3. Reach the end of the peninsula to admire a view of the Fort de Bouc. The construction was originally on a rocky island, now connected to the land by the development of the petrochemical complex. A fortified and strategic islet, several troops fought over it since the 12th century. Armed with weapons, it was also a prison reserved for political internees. Richelieu also locked up there the president of the parliament of Aix, Laurent de Coriolis, who died there in 1640. Long called Fort Vauban, it was François Blondel, battle marshal in the armies of the King and naval engineer. who signed the estimates, plans and sections of the fortifications in 1651. Perhaps Vauban was the designer, but by far. The subject of several battles, the Fort now belongs to the town of Martigues. Turn around, below the pier, walk along the coast.
4. At the roundabout near the Center Fernand Leger, the coastal path meets the GR®2013. Turned towards the sea and the industrial activities of the territory, the Fernand Léger Plastic Arts Center was inaugurated on October 6, 2012. It takes place in the completely renovated premises of the Château Saint Gobain. This castle was once the residence of the bosses of the St Gobain factory. The latter was built in 1915 on the Lèque plateau and produced around 100,000 tonnes of sulfuric acid for the Powder Service when it opened. The construction of the castle takes place in this time frame, in 1924 to be exact. The factory closed in the 1960s, and the castle became the property of the municipality of Port de Bouc.
5. The two tracks follow each other up to Ours beach. Here, the GR®2013 goes to the right via the Chemin de la Plage. Stay on the coastal path, passing by the Pointe de Vella and the Pointe de la Baumasse. Arriving on Bottai beach, join Avenue Fréderic Mistral. Bypass the Bottai restaurant, and at the end of the turning area, continue your hike on the coastal path. All along the sea observe the boats whose destination is the port of Marseille Fos. Ideally located on the shores of the Mediterranean, the Port of Marseille Fos, France's leading port, is the natural gateway to Europe. In an area as large as the city of Paris, it has spaces and infrastructures to accommodate maritime, logistics and industrial activities. A generalist port, it handles all types of goods: hydrocarbons and liquid bulk (oil, gas and chemical products), miscellaneous goods (containers and other packaging), solid bulk (ores and cereals). It hosts warehouses in two logistics areas near the Fos container terminals (Ikea, Maisons du Monde, Geodis/ Mattel, etc.) as well as industries (refineries, steel industry, chemical industry). Like any world-class port, it provides ship repair activity with 9 forms of refit, including the largest in the Mediterranean, "form 10".
6. Continue to the nautical base of Port Bouc. The path passes between the central fences. Cross the car park to Fromage beach. In front of you the industrial complex of Fos and the village of Fos. The history of Fos-sur-Mer is written in the stones of the old village, testifying to the strategic place occupied by the place since Antiquity. The medieval site of Hauture is home to a castle, one of the oldest in Lower Provence, located on the rocky promontory. From this privileged point of view, the sea and its ancient memories hidden in the sands of the Gulf of Fos are offered to the gaze. Installed on the highest point of the Hauture, the Saint-Sauveur church and its renovated bell tower, typical of Provençal Romanesque art, rise towards the blue skies. Another historical nugget: the Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer chapel reveals its curves, which are also typical of Provençal Romanesque art. Turn around, leave the beach and join the dyke that separates the sea and the Fos-sur-mer – Port-de-Bouc navigation channel. The Fos-sur-mer – Port-de-Bouc navigation channel is part of the Arles-Bouc canal. Built on the approximate route of an old Gallo-Roman canal, the Arles-Bouc canal began in 1804. Studies began in 1802 with the support of the 1st Consul Napoleon Bonaparte. The site was laborious: the presence of many marshy areas, too resistant sedimentary rock, the "poudingue", which limited deep digging, and the budgetary restrictions caused by the Napoleonic wars slowed down the work. The canal was not put into service until 1834. The project envisaged the draining and sanitation of the marshes in the Arles region. But above all, it provides a link from Arles to Martigues and the Etang de Berre, by extending the Caronte channel. In the middle of the 19th century, the traffic of the canal ensured the town of Port-de-Bouc a real industrial boom. But the success was short-lived: the canal was aging due to lack of maintenance. The vegetation settles, the ceiling of the canal rises and the flow of water is no longer assured.
7. Follow the canal to the Pont du Roy railway bridge. The railway bridge crossing the navigation channel from Fos-sur-Mer to Port-de-Bouc connects the districts of Pont du Roi, on the left bank, to La Baumasse, on the right bank. It is a single-span straight steel truss bridge with a span of over 37 m. A straight staircase, lateral (against the pile-abutment of the right bank), in reinforced concrete, gives access to the footbridge forming a separate sidewalk, attached to the structure upstream. This pedestrian crossing, made up of metal plates, is supported on metal struts. Cross the canal via the pedestrian crossing – again a brief encounter with the GR®2013. The GR®2013 returns to the city, you continue in the direction of Fos-sur-mer. Stay on the dike. The edges of the channel can be dangerous. Quickly you reach the hamlets of Port de Bouc, then the road to the Pavillon du Roy.
8. Follow the road in the direction of Fos on the shoulders. Be careful, the sides under the bridge which passes under the Port de Bouc – Fos expressway are narrowing. To cross the Arcades, the district of Port Bouc, the westernmost of the town, go around the 1st roundabout. Take the 1st street on the right: rue de Lafarge. At the end of the street, pass a barrier and join the rue des Arcades. Pass under the railways and take the rue de Valentoulin on the left. Continue on this path until the last houses in the neighborhood. At the next crossroads continue straight. Go through a DFCI barrier to the junction with the GR®2013.
9. A few meters after the barrier, the GR®2013 arrives from the right. He went along the Canal de Martigues. Leave the road by a small path on the left. Step over a concrete gutter and follow the GR®2013 which runs along the old Martigues canal. This canal is part of the Craponne canal system. Follow the canal that runs along the hills of the Castillon estate. Soon appears on your left the pond of Engrenier.
10. The canal follows the hollow of the hill away from the Etang d'Engrenier. Go up to the right and follow the paved path. Arrived at the top, cross the car park, go around the equestrian center and join the track n° CT100. Or enjoy the picnic tables for a break, and a view of the Etang de Pourra. Also called Massif des Étangs, the national forest of Castillon is located in the south of the department, between the Etang de Berre and the Gulf of Fos and north of the town of Port de Bouc. This exceptional natural area flanked by 4 ponds (Engrenier, Lavalduc, Citis and Pourra) is rich in Mediterranean flora (Aleppo pine, Kermes oak, cistus...) and is populated by many species of birds (Grebe à black, flamingo, heron, swan...). This green lung is also home to archaeological riches with the site of Saint-Blaise and numerous vestiges in the forest such as a troglodyte shelter, rutted tracks, tombs, cultivation terraces, wells...witnesses to past activity of this site.
11. Pass the barrier, leave immediately after the careers of the equestrian center the track. Take a path to the left. After about 200m it joins a path. Turn left. 200m further, a directional panel invites you to leave the path by a path. It first stays on the board, and descends quickly. Caution: slippery passages. You rejoin the Martigues canal again. Turn right, and follow it to the archaeological site of Saint Blaise. It again runs along the Engrenier pond and the Lavalduc pond. The Lavalduc pond is a body of water very laden with salt, at variable levels. Property of the Salins du Midi, who have made it a brine storage basin, the pond straddles three municipalities: Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts, Istres and Fos-sur-Mer. Its iridescent blue-pink coloring is due to the presence of small Artemia salina crustaceans. Located at an average altitude of about 10 m below sea level, it is the lowest place in France.
12. Near the archaeological site of Saint-Blaise, the path leaves the canal and climbs towards the parking lot of the site. Cross the parking lot. At the information panel of the site, continue on the left along the path which goes down the RD51. Saint-Blaise is the name of the chapel located in the town of Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts, at the northern end of the Castillon forest, on a rocky plateau, between the ponds of Citis and Lavalduc. Today, Saint-Blaise designates the archaeological site and the long existence of disappeared habitats spread over 5.5 ha: a vast Gallic oppidum protected by an enclosure made of a large Greek-type device. (6th - 2nd century BC), the late-antique agglomeration of Ugium (4th - 9th century AD) and the castrum of Castelveyre (12th - 14th century) . So many agglomerations alternately flourishing, destroyed and forgotten, whose vestiges tell the story of Provence. The path descends on the edge of the forest towards the pond of Citis. Always bypass an open space on the edge until the RD51. Caution. Cross it and take a path opposite that heads towards the Etang de Citis and the Ranquet farm. The Citis and Pourra ponds are part of the string of inland ponds between the Etang de Berre to the east and the Mediterranean to the west. They constitute one of the last wetlands of remarkable ecological and landscape quality, in a highly industrialized sector. Bordered by magnificent reedbeds and surrounded by the forest of Castillon, they offer a beautiful diversity of flora and fauna, both aquatic and terrestrial. Finally, part of their shores is still occupied by traditional agricultural activities (Ferme du Ranquet at Citis cultures at Le Pourra) and hunting. The path, also frequented by mountain bikers and horse riders, quickly leaves the plain and climbs on a small plateau.
13. Arrived at the edge of the plateau, continue straight ahead towards the first houses of Saint Miter les Remparts. You are in the Emplaniers district. Follow the chemin des Emplaniers to the Vieux chemin d'Istres. Turn left as far as the small housing estate "Les residences de Citis". Turn right into the street that leads to the subdivision. Pass between N° 1 and 3. The crossing takes you to an underground passage which allows you to cross the expressway between Saint Miter and Istres.
14. Coming out of the underground, turn left. This street takes you to the RD52. Arriving on the RD52, turn right onto Antonio Vivaldi street (former rural road) and follow it for about 150m. In the next bend, a path descends to the left towards Avenue de Varage (RD52). Follow it for about 150m. Caution: Cross it to take the beach promenade on your left which will take you directly to the edge of the Etang de Berre. Follow the beach promenade on the right and leave it to take Allée Jules Dassin on the right. At the next crossroads, continue straight. The dead end takes you to the Allée Pierre Bondietti. In a turn of the Pierre Bondietti alley, on the left, a staircase allows you again to reach the edge of the pond. The boardwalk is now called Waterfront Driveway.
15. Continue along the seafront to Massane Beach, near Avenue de Massane. You have arrived at your destination.
The Between Sea and Ponds trail is made up of 8 independent loops. Classified by level of difficulty, these 8 loops cover the territory of Port-de-Bouc, Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts and Martigues.
Loop of the forest of Castillon-ponds of Pourra and Engrenier - Departure from the car park of La Manare, 7km, 80m of difference in altitude. Download GPX file
By this circuit, very close to the village, we reach, in an incredibly beautiful world, the calm of the forest. It leads along the reed-lined canal and offers magnificent hillside views.1. From the Place de La Manare car park, turn right then turn left into rue Irénée Sabatier, opposite the Pharmacy. Pass in front of the mill, the crèche then at the crossroads continue straight.
2. Go down the Chemin du Crépon to the left. Go through the barrier. The path descends to the plain.
3. At the intersection, go right. Follow the small canal to the houses.
4. Take the forest track to the right at an acute angle. She climbs in switchbacks. At the intersection with a wide track (Chemin des Calieux), turn left then immediately right. The path winds its way along the foot of the Saint Mitre plateau. Follow it to a fork made up of 2 paths of the same size. Go right and climb a steep path. Go straight. After 100 m, at the fork, go up to the right. We join the ascent of the Fontaine du Loup (former Roman road). Arrived at the top, take the paved track for 100 m.
5. At the bend, go left through the barrier. Follow the hillside path, the views are stunning. At the crossroads, turn right in front of the ruined wall and climb a steep path. Head to the right and pass to the right of the electricity pole. Near the houses, walk a few tens of meters on the asphalt then, be careful, take the small path on the right, just before n°18. In switchbacks, you arrive on the Plaines d'Arnète plateau. Take the crossroad between the houses, turn left. Take boulevard Louis-Aragon then opposite boulevard Clovis-Hugues which leads to the city centre. Reach the car park via rue Bellefont. A detour through the old center, inside the ramparts, will allow you to discover the church, the wash house, the small alleys...
Loop the peninsula - the coastal path - Departure 20, Cours Landrivon, 4km, 0m drop. Download GPX file
In this city where all roads lead to the sea, the creation of the coastal path is both for development and environmental protection. Variations of beaches, ports, natural, historical or archaeological heritage, the path is a place of discovery, relaxation and leisure, which associates urban spaces with the sea. A route accessible to all which expresses the whole history of Port de Bouc, where women and men have come from all over the world to tame the energies of the sea. A coastal path to explore with family, friends or alone.
1. Go down Cours Landrivon along the Canal d'Arles à Bouc, towards the sea. Turn right into rue du Docteur Pujol.
2. Walk along the Port de Plaisance and join the rue de la République
3. Walk along rue de la République for 300m. At the next crossroads, turn left into Chemin de la Jetée.
4. Go to the end of the peninsula to admire an exceptional view of the Fort de Bouc
Turn around and walk along the coast parallel to Avenue du Golfe.
5. Pass near the Industrial and Port Zone.
6. Continue along the coast to reach point 7 of the route.
7. Continue along the beach to the Center d'Arts Plastiques Fernand Léger, at the intersection of avenue du Golfe/boulevard Dominique Nicotra.
8. Turn right onto Boulevard Dominique Nicotra. Cross avenue Maurice Thorez and continue along rue Charles Nédelec
9. Arriving at the intersection of avenue Charles Nedelec / avenue de la Mer, you will see Port Bouc station on the left. Turn right onto Avenue de la Mer and discover the "Respelido" fresco, the "Provence" boat, symbolizing the activity of the old shipyards and a panoramic view of the Port de Plaisance dock. At the crossroads of rue Denis Papin / avenue de la Mer, turn left to the Cours Landrivon bandstand.
Figuerolles loop - Departure from the Grand Parc de Figuerolles, 6km, 125m drop. Download GPX file
Nature walk to discover the agricultural heritage of the Grand Parc de Figuerolles. Loop that allows you to walk along the Etang de Berre.
1. Turn right towards Mediterranean Gardens. On your left you will see an ornamental aquatic basin. At the first intersection, turn right then walk along the fence of the park enclosure. On your left you will see the orchard of old varieties and the Mas de Verville.
2. Pass behind the Cabanon de l'Ane. Continue straight, follow the path to the left, pick up the path and leave the Espace Equestre Municipal on your left. Follow the road to the intersection, leaving the educational farm on your left.
3. At the intersection, turn right, follow the road, you can see on your right a circular threshing area in front of the dinosaur playground.
4. At the intersection, cross the road and pick up the fitness trail. Leave the terraced path on your left. Follow the path that passes in front of the mountain biking area. Take the path on your right and continue straight for 1 km, you will cross the scrubland and the pine forest. The path descends to an orientation table with a view of the Etang de Berre.
5. At the intersection, turn left, continue straight until the directional post that tells you to go down
on the GR towards the cove of Figuerolles. Continue the path on your left to the beach. After the pirate ship playground, go up the paved road. When you reach the top, take the path that goes to the right. Before the D.F.C.I. barrier, stay on the path on the left. Go behind the olive trees, follow the path above the mound towards the D.F.C.I. Take the path that goes down on your left and keep to the right. Continue straight through the pine forest. At the bottom of the path, keep to your left.
6. Continue the path to the water tower, leaving the educational apiary on your left. Follow the trail to the main park entrance.
Loop Les tours gros - Departure 9, avenue Charles de Gaulle, 7 km, 189 m drop. Download GPX file
Pretty family walk with magnificent views of the Etang du Pourra and the village. Do not forget your binoculars to observe possible pink flamingos and other mallards.
1. From the Town Hall car park (Avenue Charles de Gaulle), cross the RD5 via the pedestrian underground (not the car tunnel). At the exit, turn left, follow the slide to the Impasse des Oliviers.
2. Turn right onto Impasse des Oliviers. Follow it for 100 m, then aim straight ahead. A small path looms straight ahead and descends slightly to join the old Fos path.
3. To visit the Chapel of Saint-Michel, go up the old Chemin de Fos to the RD5. Immediately take the path to the right. Do not pass between the hives. There, go down to the left. Leave the Chemin de Péricard and continue down to the RD51a.
Caution: Cross the RD51a and go another 50 m.
4. Turn right, behind the abandoned cottage. Walk along the Etang du Pourra under the EDF lines.
5. Between the 3rd and 4th pylon, at the cairn take the track to the right after the ruin. She climbs in switchbacks for 10 min. Courage ! Ignore the horizontal path that goes to the right, continue to the intersection. There, turn right. For 250 meters, the views of the pond and the sea are very beautiful. At the intersection, go left. A slight climb leads to the Tours Gros plateau. Follow the path and at the fork turn right. Nice view of the village. Go down a steep path then follow the main track on the right for 250 meters. Be careful, take the small path on the left between the trees.
6. It descends in switchbacks to the RD51a, which you cross again (Caution). Go through the barrier to the left (ignore the sign) and go up the country lane which leads to the underpass. Go through the tunnel, go up rue Roqueplate and turn right. Pass in front of the cemetery and the cross of Aymard. Cross the city center to find the car park. A detour through the old centre, inside the ramparts, will allow you to discover the church, the wash house, the small alleys...
Castillon Forest - Saint-Blaise loop - Departure from Saint-Blaise car park (archaeological site), 7km, 146m drop.
Easy and very beautiful walk in the undergrowth of the forest of Castillon, green lung between the ponds, to discover the ancient and medieval past of the region.
1. Climb the paved road, pass between the chapel and the enclosure. Pass the DFCI barrier and walk along the fence. Admire the surrounding walls from the different eras of the site, including the famous Hellenistic wall.
2. Go to the left, a pleasant path leads into the beautiful forest of Castillon. Follow it by identifying yourself with the blue markings. At the first intersection, turn right. At the crossing of the cistern, continue straight.
Alternative: turn left, due south to discover the path of the ruts. This variation takes you to point #6.
3. Follow the track, it makes a sharp bend further along a large protected plain. Climb a steep path and on the flat, turn right, a slight descent leads into the forest. Head towards the equestrian center by a small path to your right left.
4. Go left and then take the small blue marked path on the right. The return is made by alternating tracks and small paths. Magnificent views of the ponds and the Alpilles follow one another. A short detour to old rural buildings on the right side of the track is worthwhile. Retrace your steps and continue towards the Etang de Pourra.
5. You can easily find the car park by taking the same path as on the way out. But before, do not hesitate to visit the archaeological site of St Blaise.
By this circuit, very close to the village, we reach, in an incredibly beautiful world, the calm of the forest. It leads along the reed-lined canal and offers magnificent hillside views.
1. From the Place de La Manare car park, turn right then turn left into rue Irénée Sabatier, opposite the Pharmacy. Pass in front of the mill, the crèche then at the crossroads continue straight.
2. Go down the Chemin du Crépon to the left. Go through the barrier. The path descends to the plain.
3. At the intersection, go right. Follow the small canal to the houses.
4. Take the forest track to the right at an acute angle. She climbs in switchbacks. At the intersection with a wide track (Chemin des Calieux), turn left then immediately right. The path winds its way along the foot of the Saint Mitre plateau. Follow it to a fork made up of 2 paths of the same size. Go right and climb a steep path. Go straight. After 100 m, at the fork, go up to the right. We join the ascent of the Fontaine du Loup (former Roman road). Arrived at the top, take the paved track for 100 m.
5. At the bend, go left through the barrier. Follow the hillside path, the views are stunning. At the crossroads, turn right in front of the ruined wall and climb a steep path. Head to the right and pass to the right of the electricity pole. Near the houses, walk a few tens of meters on the asphalt then, be careful, take the small path on the right, just before n°18. In switchbacks, you arrive on the Plaines d'Arnète plateau. Take the crossroad between the houses, turn left. Take boulevard Louis-Aragon then opposite boulevard Clovis-Hugues which leads to the city centre. Reach the car park via rue Bellefont. A detour through the old center, inside the ramparts, will allow you to discover the church, the wash house, the small alleys...
Loop Le balcon du Cadéraou - Departure from the waterside driveway (Massane), 14 km, 397m drop. Download GPX file
Very nice walk to discover the Etang de Berre, along its beaches or overlooking it, thus offering a magnificent panorama of this immense body of water, the Nerthe chain and the Sainte-Victoire mountain or the surrounding towns. Since time immemorial, people have populated the shores of the Etang de Berre. On your way, the small town of Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts bears witness to this historic occupation: it has retained its 15th century ramparts, pierced by two gates. A maze of small streets leads to the church from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Etang du Pourra. Not far from the centre, the archaeological site of Saint-Blaise, inhabited since the 7th century BC, is worth a detour after the walk! Shaded hills, exemplary tranquillity, forgotten landscapes, are all good reasons to discover the Balade de l'Etang.
1. From the car park go up towards Avenue de Massane (RD52) via Allée Bernard de Palissy. Turn left.
Follow Avenue de Massane (D52) east. Turn left (Allée de la Plage d'Arthur) and continue. Cross Place du Commandant Cousteau to a small beach: La Patorque
2. From the beach, the path runs along the edge of the pond. Leave the edge of the pond at the level of the next beach to go up to the right towards the balcony of Caderaou
Follow the path marked in blue to the edge of the Etang de Berre
3. Near the place called Figuerolles, leave the edge of the Etang de Berre by taking the path that turns right and heads back up the hill. Bypass the ruin of Figuerolles and continue on the main track. Admire a very beautiful multi-centenary oak tree.
4. After 600m turn right and continue on a track to the Loubière cistern.
5. At the Loubière cistern, turn left. 50 meters later there is a fork, take the left lane (cement track). Leave it to the right, then continue on the main track. At the bottom of a descent, 50 meters before a large cypress hedge, turn right at a hairpin. The path crosses a second cypress hedge and joins a lane that serves private property.
6. Go around the Collet Long hill. Cross the secondary road (D52). After the equestrian centre, turn left up the calade towards Saint-Mitre.
7. You then arrive at Saint-Mitre-les Remparts, a charming town to discover. Go straight to the city center (Boulevard de la Fontaine du Loup then rue des Paillières).
At the Place Neuve: beautiful view of the ramparts and the North portal which allows you to visit the old centre.
8. To return to the starting point, then take rue Bellefont, turn right on rue Irénée Sabatier then straight on rue du Moulin and chemin des Calieux.
9. From here go down to the edge of the pond. When the path joins the first houses of Varage, follow the Léonard de Vinci alley. Arriving on the D52 (route de Massane), turn right towards the waterfront alley.
Useful information
- The path Between sea and ponds is covered in 3 days of walking. But then, where do we sleep? The FFRandonnée 13 is part of the Compagnons de Route movement, which includes accommodation located near major hiking trails, including the one located around the Etang de Berre. Hotels and campsites are available in the heart of the three municipalities. The area north of Port-de-Bouc (Forêt de Castillon, les tours gros and du crépon aux rocaladès) does not benefit from accommodation. Make your arrangements!
- The guidebooks in paper format are rare, we advise you to print them before your departure. Each topo-rando is offered by Provence Tourisme. And for the more eco-friendly among us, we provide you with GPX files to follow your route on your smartphone. A GPX, kezako? We explain everything to you via this procedure. You won't be able to do without it!
- Our hikes are also on Visorando. You can download a PDF to take with you or download the application to follow the GPX on your mobile.
- The Castillon forest, the Grand Parc de Figuerolles and the massifs around the ponds are subject to forest massif regulations from June 1 to September 30. Check that you have the green light to set off on the trails. Be prepared in case of high heat (cap, water bottle, sunscreen, good shoes, picnic, garbage bag, portable ashtray, etc...). There are no water fountains or garbage cans on the various loops except near the beaches (toilets, showers, garbage cans and convenience stores).
- The part between Port-de-Bouc and Massane can be done on foot or by bike (mountain bike) knowing that there are places with stairs that require carrying the bike. On the other hand, the part between Massane and Figuerolles, as well as the "Balcon de Caderaou" loop cannot be done by mountain bike.