GR 653A and GR 653D on IGN

[caminka]

GR 653A (via aurelia, menton - arles) and GR 653D (via domitia, montgenevre - arles) are now on new IGN maps. enjoy them here:

http://www.geoportail.fr/?c=7.3583,48.24166&l=Scan(100)&z=7

Correction: Apparently I was so lucky I stumbled only upon the waymarked parts when I criss-crossed the maps.

GR 653A is marked from Menton to Col du Notre-Dame in Massif de l'Esterel.

GR 653D is marked from Montgardin (after Chorges and before Gap) to Fontvieille (with a small portion missing between Cavaillon and Orgon, and a confusion between Eygalieres and Tarascon where a whole lot of GR 6s are mistakenly marked with scallop shells).

 

[newfydog]

I tried to follow gr653A near Carces on the IGN map but it wasn't on it yet. The Amis de St Jacques PACA still just offer their sketch maps:

http://www.compostelle-paca-corse.info/ ... s/VAur.pdf

 

[Peter Robins]

where do you see these, caminka? The coordinates you give on the geoportail link are in Alsace, and nowhere near the GR653

The way this works is that the FFRP give the IGN the route of GRs when they are complete, the IGN then enter the route on their computers, and this appears on the printed 1:100,000 and 1:25,000 maps when they are next updated (1:50,000 maps don't show GRs), The geoportail maps are updated at the same time as the printed maps. 1:100,000 maps are generally updated much more often than 1:25,000.

 

[newfydog]

The coordinates you give on the geoportail link are in Alsace, and nowhere near the GR653
.

I used the geoportail link and it took forever to get from Alsace down to the south of France. Peter's website loads faster than their own! Nice tool you gave us, Peter.

http://maps.peterrobins.co.uk/f.html

 

[caminka]

there is a small window above the map window, marked with 'ville', where you can enter the town and get there a lot faster then mousing. geoportail always drops you on this secion when you open it. at least it drops me there.

I checked the course of both routes and yes, they are not yet all there. apparently I was lucky when browsing.

GR 653A is marked from Menton to Col du Notre-Dame in Massif de l'Esterel. (there are some differences to yours route, peter.)

GR 653D is marked from Montgardin (after Chorges and before Gap) to Fontvieille (with a small portion missing between Cavaillon and Orgon, and a confusion between Eygalieres and Tarascon where a whole lot of GR 6s are mistakenly marked with scallop shells).

 

[newfydog]

Any difference between the track on Peter's site and the maps is due to the fact that Peter only had a track I made in Google Earth from the preliminary 2009 sketch maps of the Amis St Jacques.

They were aiming for a guide book and full marking by 2012. We'll see if they make it. It is interesting that at the moment, much of what is on the IGN maps is poorly marked on the ground, and much of what is not on the maps, is marked fairly well on the trail.

 

[caminka]

I know. and I also know how difficult it is to match the general ACIR maps with google maps because I've done it for the whole GR 653A. I heavily relied on all PRs and GRs that could possibly match and used paths and tracks wherever possible. peter used a bit more roads but generally we were both remarkably spot on.
although he was much better on via della costa (ligurian via francigena) in finding all the hidden stairways and passages. thanks a bunch!

I do hope very much the waymarking will be complete till this summer.

 

[Peter Robins]

although he was much better on via della costa (ligurian via francigena) in finding all the hidden stairways and passages. thanks a bunch!

no credit to me - I just took the files from http://www.viadellacosta.it/

I do hope very much the waymarking will be complete till this summer.

according to http://www.compostelle-paca-corse.info/ ... slesa.html the waymarking is supposed to be complete now

 

[Peter Robins]

geoportail always drops you on this secion when you open it. at least it drops me there..

leave out the coordinates http://www.geoportail.fr/visu2D.do?ter=metropole

GR 653A is marked from Menton to Col du Notre-Dame in Massif de l'Esterel. (there are some differences to yours route, peter.)

GR 653D is marked from Montgardin (after Chorges and before Gap) to Fontvieille (with a small portion missing between Cavaillon and Orgon, and a confusion between Eygalieres and Tarascon where a whole lot of GR 6s are mistakenly marked with scallop shells).

ah yes, interestingly only on 1:25000 at the moment. I'll take a look at these. The 653D is a large gap on my mapping at the moment.

 

[caminka]

no credit to me - I just took the files from http://www.viadellacosta.it/

it still helped me a lot. I don't have google earth (messes with my computer too much) so I had to rely on the small maps and the description, which is quite a challenge when you are going in reverse.

leave out the coordinates

oo, it works!

ah yes, interestingly only on 1:25000 at the moment.

er, well, I usually think of 25.000 when I talk/write about IGN. the ones useful to walkers.

 

[Peter Robins]

ok, I have now:

• amended newfydog's original route line for the Aurelia to correspond to the section of the route marked on IGN. This is some 4km shorter
• added mapping for the whole of Domitia. I found a GPS file on a biking site for the whole route, and used that as the basis. It was however very sketchy; I think he must have only taken a GPS reading every 5 or 10 minutes. Most of it was followable, but in some cases I had to guess exactly where the route went. So I think what I have is correct, but it would be good if someone who has the guide, or has done the route, could check. http://maps.peterrobins.co.uk/f/overvie ... nevre.html As well as the bits caminka lists as missing, the largish chunk (some 60km) from just after Ganagobie to Cereste is also not yet shown on IGN

From the Amis pdf, it looks like their route doesn't use the obvious straight line route from the border to Montgenevre, but meanders off to the north - I just show the straight line route.
Also, before Motte du Caire, IGN shows the main route descending to the road with the route along the ridge marked as Variante; the Amis pdf does not show the former, so I've left it out.

 

[Peter Robins]

I have also now plotted the GR653A variant via La Sainte Baume; this was generally pretty easy to follow from the Amis sketch map, though there is one point where a path is not marked on IGN