Sentiers de L'Artuby 7 - Le toit du Var : Boucle du Mont Lachens - EN

Comps sur Artuby county is made of nine villages ((Bargème, La Bastide, le Bourguet, Brenon, Châteauvieux, la Martre, la Roque-Escalpon, Trigance et Comps-sur-Artuby). Mont Lachens mountain (1714 meters high) - the highest in the Var region – as well as Brouis mountain (1592 meters high) overhang the Artuby valley. This wild and peaceful area , with a rich history heritage, is quite suitable for enjoyable strolls.
Carpark at the church square (from the secondary road D21, head torwards Townhall/ post office)

The circuit walk
circuit walk n° 7. Follow the blue waymarks. (not suited for horse riders or mountainbikers)
• 1 The walk starts from La Bastide church. Follow the tarmac road ( waymarked trail n° 49) going uphill
• 2 Once « Fouan du Bouis » signpost is met, leave the waymarked trail to your right and go onto a smaller pathway : it soon takes you through the undergrowth of the woods and leads to Lachens mountain top. When near Sainte Madeleine Rock, you can pause: ruins of a medieval dwelling can still be seen. After this short break, you need to keep following the trail going uphill until the forest track junction is reached.
• 3 At la Madeleine junction, take a left turn and continue on the waymarked trail.
• 4 You soon reach the road heading uphill to Lachens mountain top. Keep walking uphill (approximately 250 meters further)
• 5 Walk past the tank, and after the bend, take a left turn onto a small pathway that soon crosses the main road. Keep walking uphill until the phone relay is reached
• 6 At the top, a viewpoint indicator set by the Var regional council is there for you to enjoy a panoramic view on the region.
• 7 Retrace your steps downhill to the carpark and go onto Lachens trail heading further down ( south side of the mountain).
• 8 Go back onto the waymarked trail n° GR49, keep walking torwards the place name « Bas Varuins » (0.93 miles further).
• 9 At « Font Galette » signpost, go back onto the tarmac road. Head torwards La Bastide and keep going ahead a further 1.17 meter distance
• 10 - Once you have reached « Les Faisses » signpost, La Bastide village is only 500 meters away.

Natural and cultural heritage to be discovered
- Sainte Madeleine Church (XVIIth century. Restored during the XIXth century)
- View on Bargeme Castle
- Ruins of Sainte Magdeleine château. XIth century
- Mont Lachens viewpoint indicator : Panoramic view on the region°

Sightseeing interests
Middle age village (XIIth century), ruins of the middle age château, Saint Laurent roman church
-: Sainte Marguerite Church (1860) Notre Dame La Roque Esclapon roman church
- Verdon Gorges
Draguignan museums


Recommandations
Keep informed of the weather forcasts at all time
During the hunting season, do not walk away from the waymarked trails.
Go onto the circuit walk only when it is allowed. Get informed of the opening of forest areas, especially in summer time.
Take enough water and adapted walking shoes.

Free guidebook
You can find the 8 detailed circuit walks in “Sentiers de l’Artuby” guidebook ( Council of Var region).