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Distance: 9 km Altitude change: 380 m Length: 3 hours Marking: yellow, white-red, yellow
Parking: Church in Monieux or at the bottom of the village
From: Topo-guide "le Pays du Ventoux à pied" - page 71
Today, the Nesque River is a modest little river, but at one point it carved out mighty gorges. A goat trail can be used to go through the canyons, near the impressive hermitage, Saint-Michel.
Circuit description:
At the southern end of the parking lot, go up on the right, using a stone staircase, then along a fairly steep trail, and reach the Combe de Saint André crossroads (722 m). Take the trail which goes down, on the left (great view) for 300 m. At the intersection, go up on the right, for 1.5 km, and reach the plateau. Turn left, a 90° angle, and start the descent. Before Savournin, fork to the left. Steep, rocky slope to the borie. The trail becomes a path and leads to the D942 road at Les Cabanes (730 m). Cross the road and go down in the canyons (careful!) on the steps cut into the rock. The trail goes above the cliff (careful!) then reaches the bottom of the canyons, at the Saint Michel chapel (600 m). Make your way through the trees and cross the Nesque (often dry). The trail goes up the left bank, along the cliff. Make your way and stay far from the edge (be careful), for the trail is often above the cliffs before reaching the plateau. Continue on to the La Peisse crossroads (725 m). Take a left on a horizontal trail. This then goes down, then slightly back up, then back down, goes in front of the Font-de-Jean then turns into a wide balcony road before reaching the banks of the Nesque. Make your way through the boxwood until you get to the upstream entrance into the canyons, at the Bourguet lake (627 m). Take the little route on the left, cross the D942 and go up the main street of Monieux. On the square (a fountain of the Nesque), go up the staircase on the left and reach the church.
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