Le circuit des fermes

Agriculture and know-how

Pastoralism

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This loop trail takes you past a cluster of farms that primarily raise sheep. It’s an easy hike, but the length of the route should be taken into account. An excellent mid-season hike through wide-open landscapes.

Description

In Melve, take the street opposite the church that winds its way downhill between the houses. As you leave the village, continue on to reach the Sigoyer road and follow it to the right.
In the hamlet of Les Baudes, leave the road and turn left behind the houses onto a trail that, after crossing a wooded ridge, runs alongside a brand-new solar power plant, which is still under construction as of today. After a small pass near the Plaines farm, the path enters a pine forest. 800 m further on, it crosses fields (watch out for sheep) and continues along a small paved road. Leave it to the right via a trail near a power line. Descend to the footbridge spanning the Syrièz ravine and climb back up the other side to the road.
A small stone cairn marks the start of this trail. Take the paved road to the right and pass in front of the Masses farm, where the road turns into a dirt track to cross the Syrièz again. A long climb follows to reach the road from Melve to Sigoyer. Follow it 150 m to the right and take a dirt track, then a trail that cuts across a bend in the road to reach Sigoyer.
In Sigoyer, below the school, head up to the church square. An orientation table offers a panoramic view of Mount Lure, Mont Ventoux, and the Baronnies Provençales. An interactive kiosk tells the story of the castle. Take the stairs below the orientation table to reach a trail on the right that leads beneath the castle to the Corpatasse ridge.
At Corpatasse (760 m), continue along the trail, leaving the path descending toward Les Sagnières on your right. After 200 m, the trail ends and turns into a footpath as it enters the pine forest.
Once in Chantemerle, ignore the trail descending toward Thèze and Le Mouson and take the path to the right, which turns into a trail just below the old Mitouret farm. Head back up the paved road, passing in front of the Fouquetis farm, and leave it at the next bend. A trail crosses a small ravine and leads to a water intake. Continue along the track, turning left twice. Pass in front of the Verdillon farm and, still following the track, reach the Cabusse and Prédannau farms. Leave the paved road on your right and, staying on the trail, arrive at the Forest farm. Across from it, take a trail that is barely marked at first and leads into the woods until it reaches a draye (an ancient path used by sheep herds); follow it up to the ridge and continue left toward the Tât farm. Pass by a water reservoir and you’ll quickly reach the hamlet of Les Baudes, where the trail rejoins the starting point of the hike.

Departure : From Les Baudes, facing due south, Melve
Arrival : From Les Baudes, facing due south, Melve
Towns crossed : Melve and Sigoyer

Forecast

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

WARNING: On this route, you may encounter livestock guard dogs protecting herds from wolf attacks.
It is strongly discouraged to bring a pet dog, even if it is on a leash.
If you encounter a herd, stay calm: stop, let the guard dogs get a good look at you, then give the herd a wide berth without making any sudden movements.

→ To learn the proper precautions to take when encountering guard dogs, visit: https://rando.sisteron-alpesprovencales.fr/information/14-Les-patous-et-nous-!

Information desks

04250 Le Caire

viaferratalecaire@sisteronais-buech.fr 04 92 68 40 39

Transport

Let’s limit our trips and use public transportation and carpooling: https://zou.maregionsud.fr

Access and parking

From La-Motte-du-Caire (5 km), take the D 104 to Melve.

Parking :

Town hall or Les Baudes parking lot, Melve

More information

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