The Tour of Défens des Colettes
Soleilhas

The Tour of Défens des Colettes

A lookout, a viewpoint
Flora
Heritage and history
Embed this item to access it offline

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.


Information desks

House of the Verdon Regional Nature Park

Domaine de Valx, 04360 Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

http://www.parcduverdon.fr/info@parcduverdon.fr+33 (0)4 92 74 68 00

House of the Verdon Regional Nature Park

Find out more

OTI Verdon Tourisme

Rue nationale, 04120 Castellane

http://www.verdontourisme.comcastellane@verdontourisme.com+33 (0)4 92 83 61 14

Transport

Limitons les déplacements en voiture, pensons aux transports en commun et au covoiturage. Tous les transports en commun sur www.pacamobilite.fr.

Access and parking

22km from Castellane by the D955 towards Saint André then take the D102 towards Demandolx and Soleilhas.

Parking :

Village centre

Report a problem or an error

If you have found an error on this page or if you have noticed any problems during your hike, please report them to us here: