QUINSON - Canal Keeper's Path

Sur l'ancien sentier du garde canal, vous aurez le privilège de pénétrer les basses gorges du Verdon pour rejoindre la chapelle de Sainte-Maxime.

From the parking lot, head straight towards the water sports center and the banks of the Verdon River. Turn right along the water's edge and continue to the bridge. Cross the bridge and the trailhead for the lower gorges is 50 meters away.
1 - Go up to the right. Reach a first viewpoint and descend to the water's edge. Continue along the historic path, between the Verdon and the canal, for 1.5 km.
2 - At the footbridge at the "Draille des vaches" crossroads, continue straight ahead. Take two metal staircases along the route. Walk along the canal wall (careful!) before entering the canal and reaching the canal warden's shelter (interpretive panels).
3 - Go through a 120m long tunnel and exit the canal via a metal staircase. Go up the bottom of the Sainte-Maxime valley for 1km, then turn left to reach the plateau.
4 - Go left towards the Sainte-Maxime chapel.
5 - From the chapel, return via the same route. Back at point (4), continue straight ahead, follow the path under the oak trees and reach an old oratory. Take the path to the right, pass in front of a ruin and continue to the left until you reach the Draille des Vaches crossroads.
6 - Follow the path to the right for 1 km, crossing the Mallasoque plateau (this is an open route and should be avoided on very hot days!). (Note: the left-hand route, "La Draille des Vaches," leads directly back down to the footbridge at the crossroads of the same name. This route, with 300 steps, allows you to rejoin the path by running alongside the Verdon River again.) At the end of the plateau, turn left onto the track and follow the path that intersects it. Further down, rejoin the main track and then the road.
7 - Turn left along the canal to reach the departmental road further on. Follow it, cross the bridge and return to the starting point via the same route taken on the way there.