Hiking trail "Bitter Rock Botanical Trail"

Labels allow interested walkers to know the names of the main plants present. Essentially, it is a forest of holm oak, with white oak, cade, terebinth, Montpellier maple and, at the summit, Phoenician juniper. The opening of a track for the exploitation of limestone in a quarry allowed the establishment of pioneer species, which has significantly increased the biodiversity of the site with flowering species that attract many insects. Some plant species are sought after by butterflies because they constitute the food of their caterpillars.
The walk begins on the Chemin des Oliviers (old road to Forcalquier) which is quickly abandoned after about a hundred meters, at the level of a calvary, to take, in a northwest direction, the Chemin de la Tubette, until the Col du Para, 250 meters further. It is advisable to go a few dozen meters towards the East North East, on the Chemin des Seignes in order to enjoy a very beautiful view of the old village. Continue the visit in a northwest direction by the Chemin Notre Dame, for 600 meters, then turn left towards the West. At the end of the path (300 meters), pass between large boulders to begin the ascent of the Roche Amère. The chapel ND de la Roche is about 400 meters away and the summit, occupied by the ruins of the castle, is a little higher, 200 meters further. The Roche Amère botanical trail starts at the level of the rocky blocks and goes to the summit, over 600 meters, but the route from the village to there is not without interest, a good number of species being well represented even though they are absent in the rocky area (from the Town Hall to the summit of Roche Amère: approximately 1.8 km)

Type : Marked round trip

Distance : 1.8km

Elevation : 144m

Duration : 3h

Average altitude : 440m

Max altitude : 584m