WALKS FROM LA PLAINE

Most of the footpaths in France are very well maintained and signposted and even tell you how long they are likely to take you to complete! Look out for yellow marker lines on trees and rocks etc as these help you to keep to the paths.

CHAPEL AND THE SAINTS (approx 1/2 hour)

Leave the house and turn right along road.

Stay on road until you reach a house on your left. Opposite is a little gate with a sign to the chapel and saints.

Go through the gate and up the hill, past the chateau till you reach the chapel with its small graveyard. The family that used to own La Plaine house are buried there.

Continue to the top of the hill and you will eventually reach the statues of the two saints. There is a fantastic view of the lake, the hills opposite, St André town and La Plaine from here. The two saints (Peter and Paul) used to be at the old entrance to the town then, when the lavender fields were flooded to create the lake, the statues were moved up to the top of this hill.

From the brow of the hill, facing the lake, bear off to the right down the hill towards the trees (La Plaine will be on your right). There isn't a set path here but head down towards the woods alongside the lake and you will pick up a path towards the bottom. (Do not climb down towards the lake edge or you will have a struggle to get back up!)

Follow the path which will bear round to the right and will eventually come out right alongside the lake. Cross over the stream that feeds into the lake and up the hill the other side to La Plaine.

CRETE DE SERRES (approx 1hour)

Leave the house and turn right along road.

At bottom of hill you will see a brown sign to the left signposted Crete De Serres. The whole walk is nearly 8 hours to the top of the mountain so this is only a very short part of it!

Follow the path to the left alongside the fence with the farm on your right to the brow of the hill. Cross over a small stream, and then pick up the track that bears off to the right through the trees.

Follow track along edge of field till you go through narrow opening and pass through into the woods. Stay on track (* the walk will bring you back out here eventually ) up through the woods till you eventually reach a gravel pathway. Bear right for about five minutes and then you will see a yellow sign to the right for the Crete De Serres.

Take this path down a steep hill and shortly afterwards take a small track off to the right (there is a tree marked with a big yellow cross) Follow the path and it will eventually come out into a clearing.

Follow track till it flattens out and pick up the path which goes off at a right angle along the bottom of the slope you have just walked down.

Stay on this path and the track will eventually join up with the first track as asterisked above. Follow track back down to road and back up to La Plaine 

ST ANDRE TOWN (approx 40 minutes)

Leave the house and turn left along the road till you reach the iron bridge.

Over the bridge and then turn immediately right and walk alongside the river past the tennis courts then follow the road past the houses on your left.

Go straight over at the first set of crossroads then at the next set take the left turn into a small square with a fountain. Go through the square, up the narrow street across the road and you will come out in the main town square with its bars and shops.

RIVER / LAKE (approx 40 minutes)

Leave the house and turn right along road.

Stay on road, past house on your left, chateau on your right, down hill and then you will see the river running under the road and a clearing on your right with a small stony path.

Turn right and follow the path along and across the river. If you look up to the right you will see the chateau and chapel on the brow of the hill.

The path will eventually come out alongside an inlet from the lake. The path will then climb up along the foot of the hill and follow the inlet right up to the lake.

The path comes out into a small wood and you will be right on the edge of the lake. It is a good sun trap and very peaceful here - great place for a picnic!

COL DES ROBINES (approx 2 hours)

Leave the house and turn left along the road till you reach the iron bridge.

Over the bridge, turn immediately left and follow road along till you reach the Spar supermarket. Cross over the road and turn left and go past the Hotel Lac et Foret on your right.

Just after the hotel you will see a stony road off up to the right signposted to Courchons.

Follow the road up the hill and then after about ten minutes, on a bend in the road, you will see a brown sign off to the right into the woods to Col Des Robines.

Follow this track and at the first main clearing you will see a small track to the right - if you follow this you will have the most amazing views of the town, La Plaine, the lake and the mountain ranges.

Re-join the main track and follow it through the woods till you join a forestry track. After about five minutes you will see a sign off to the right to St André.

Follow this down the hill, and you will come out into a clearing with horses and stables. Continue out of the woods, past a house on your right and the electricity tower on your left.

Turn right down the main tarmac road until you reach the main St André road opposite the Spar. Cross over and follow road back to La Plaine.