Circuit de randonnée “Les Graus”

From Place des Tilleuls, follow Rue Victor Maurel through the village to Route de la Gordolasque (b.91). Follow this fairly narrow road for almost 500 metres as far as the Chapelle St Blaise (b.251). Take the road downhill for around a hundred metres, then fork left onto a dirt track that you should follow for around 1,500 metres and cross over a concrete bridge over the Gordolasque. Reach waymarker 253 and turn left onto the path that climbs towards the Adrets district, first joining the feeder road (b.261) and then following it through two major switchbacks. Marker 260 takes you off the main road and onto the path that runs to the east of the Aiguille (1082m). Two major junctions are marked by waymarkers 259 (1150m), one heading towards the Pont de Frêne and the other towards the Clot de l'Eve. Continue eastwards up the ridge towards the Terres Rouges. Marker 258 interrupts the climb and you turn right, remaining almost level. Pass through a number of small talwegs and under the Mouliere barns, as well as the 1342m marker (high point of the route), as the path bends to reach the Graus track (b.256).

Use this track to the west (right) to pass the Graus barns (1263m) and less than 500 metres later leave this track (b.255). This path leads down through the Graus valley (1193m) and along its left bank under the steep slopes of Mont Péla. The gently sloping route avoids the meandering valley and leads more directly to the Candoulent district (950m - b.254). Its name comes from the Provençal: candolent = cold place, land covered in frost; or field of pain. Some locals think that the persistent wind imitates the sound of a dog in pain or tired? A steeper descent, with many twists and turns, leads once again through the Graus valley and westwards to the Cougnas district (b.253), a Provençal name meaning: corner, angle, small secluded area, in a wedge between two ravines. Follow the same route back to the village.