Hiking in France - Day 6 (GR4 Manosque to Greoux-les-Bains)

August 16th, 2006

Read previous "Hiking in France" posts:
Hiking in France - Day 1 (Paris)
Hiking in France - Day 2 (Paris, Marseilles)
Hiking in France - Day 3 (Marseilles, Cassis, Calanques)
Hiking in France - Day 4 (Cassis, les Calanques)
Hiking in France - Day 5 (Marseille, Manosque)

Our first day on the GR4 started out on the highway headed east from Manosque. This was frankly my least favorite part of the entire trip. The road was busy and there was little shoulder for walking. We walked out of town and across the Durance River, then began working our way into the hills toward Greoux-les-Bains. The trail left the highway and we found ourselves in the middle of a rally car race, with little European cars banging their way down the rough dirt track. There were also some telephone company employees out laying line or some such thing. As soon as we ascended into the hills things got better. An old chateau, beautiful poppy fields, the dusty, stony trail…. picture perfect Provence. The trail to Greoux was not too challenging and we arrived at this resort town sweaty but not exhausted.

Despite a great pair of boots for some reason I started getting blisters, which worsened each day for about a week—then my feet figured out the routine and were fine. I’ll blame my sedentary job in the office for that particular inconvenience.

Kayla’s journal recorded:

Another day gone and many euros spent! We actually slept in (awesome) until 7:45 a.m. and left our campground at 9:30. After which we walked along a highway for 1½ hours (too long if you ask me). It was not fun to be so close to the traffic and exhaust, cars passing every few seconds. The GR route finally took off the road but then there was a rally car race! Every minute or so a couple of race cars would pass and kick up a cloud of dust. We had some beautiful meadow views with fields of poppies bright orange-red. Then along the road again into town. All told about four hours on the trail.

We explored the town for half an hour then ate lunch, visited the Office du Tourisme and asked about the camping and got a map of town. The first place was full so here we are south of the Verdon River a bit, at Verdon Parc Campground. Here they have a swimming pool so we took a swim although it was quite chilly. James went back for groceries while I read Da Vinci Code. We ate canned pork and beans with bread and juice for dinner. James also got some cheese and sausage with bananas and bread for tomorrow.

We have 6½ hours ahead of us to hike to Riez! And on Sunday too. Not very exciting—I hope I can do okay. The pack is heavy on my back but my feet are doing fine—no blisters. James’ are quite sore with a few blisters that hopefully won’t get worse.

Pierre Lauvaurs, an entrepid Frenchman who has walked many of the GR trails in France, has an English-language trip description of this stretch here.