You leave Gassin through Place Louis Collomp, on the north side of the village. Three turns in the narrow streets, then the forest swallows you.
The sentier des Sources descends under cork oaks and umbrella pines. Thick shade, ground that crunches. A beautiful forest of cork oaks, oaks and umbrella pines where silence rebuilds itself, far from the road noise. You pass the source of the Arlatane, whose name probably derives from arelate, a word of Celtic origin designating a place near a pond. A wash house waits there, a picnic area too, if you set off early.
Then the path forks. You descend through the vineyards, before climbing back up past the Bergerie Magnetto and then the chapelle Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolation. The sheepfold bears the name of the last shepherd who used the place, completely restored in 2011. Just above, the chapel dates from 1090 and was once the parish church of Gassin. It stands firm, Romanesque stone under a pitched roof, barrel vault. In summer, classical concerts were held there.
The climb back to Gassin runs alongside the cemetery. Option to detour to the moulin Brûlat (400 m round trip). Otherwise you return to the village via the monument to Saint Joseph, a sculpture that looks like nothing you'd expect. Four kilometres looped, a hundred and fifty metres of elevation, two hours if you dawdle. Or ninety minutes at a good pace. Bring water, especially off-season when the spring can run dry.
