Hiking Vaucluse

This forest was first born in the imagination of some foresters who went to collect cedar seeds in the Algerian Middle Atlas. The cedar forest forms a massif of 250 hectares, divided between the communes of Bonnieux, Lacoste and Ménerbes. There are a lot of walks to do and the levels are quite easy. One can easily walk along the whole crest of the Petit Luberon to Cheval Blanc or to Oppède. But beware, it is necessary to provide a vehicle for the return.

A real journey where turn the five senses are kings, a playful and didactic approach where the visitor goes and comes, without imposed order. After discovering the intimacy of the cellar and setting Cairanne in its tourist landscape, it borrows the gallery where video and audio terminals evoke the life of the vine and wine. Thematic rooms complete the visit as well as discovery games. An organizer guide and one or more winegrowers are present to guide and inform the visitor.

The Tourisme tourist office offers an original game to discover the city as a family. You will find the streets of Carpentras in the search for answers to the quiz, riddles and guessing puzzles. A total of 4 games are proposed: Who searches find, Quiz The flavours of Comtat, In the footsteps of illustrious characters and finally the Fountains game. Very simple, you can plan to do several more. The answers are also to be withdrawn at the office, once the course is completed.

Tariff: free.

Duration: 1 a. m. to 2 p. m.

Difficulty: .

The rounded silhouette of Mont Ventoux rises above Provence as to protect it. Its summit is the meeting point of the athletes who take advantage of its slopes in winter and summer. Once snow has fallen, the mountain turns into a ski resort, with several kilometres of signposted slopes for alpine skiing and Nordic skiing. A 8 kilometre snowshoe route also allows to discover Mont Ventoux in two hours. Almost reaching the summit, this circuit offers beautiful landscapes around the mount.

Tariff: free.

Duration: 2 h.

Difficulty: .

A symbol of Provence, lavender is the "blue gold" of the Luberon. To pay tribute, the commune of Sault has set up a five-kilometre discovery trail (possible on 8 and 12 km) at the edge of the village, showing every stage in the distillation of lavender from the moment it is planted. The loop is freely accessible, but the fields are only in bloom during the summer, so it would be a shame not to see their brilliant colors, and even more, to breathe in their intoxicating fragrance. What's more, the one-and-a-half-hour walk is very easy.

This hike, classified as difficult, revolves around the remains of a Saracen Tower that can't be ignored. It has stood atop its rocky peak since the ^12th century, when it sent signals to other towers and castles in the Comtat region. All that remains today is its base. In these fantastic Dentelles with their many paths, follow the signs carefully and pack a picnic, as it will take you 4.5 hours to cover the 12 km. It climbs up through the wooded massif, but patience will be rewarded when you reach the Rocher du Midi, where the orientation table puts names to a 360° landscape.

It's an easy hike (4.9 km, which can be done in 2H15) that takes you through the vineyards of this world-renowned, hand-harvested muscat grape. Who hasn't tasted Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, a sweet wine whose origins date back to the Middle Ages? To climb from the village to the Courens plateau, from where you'll have a view of the Dentelles de Montmirail and the Comtat plain, you'll pass the Notre-Dame d'Aubune chapel. Don't be afraid of the Rocher du Diable (Devil's Rock), which seems to want to crush it, because it's said that the Vierge's cattail holds it back! On the northern slopes of the plateau, the Ambrosi caves, former millstone quarries, bear witness to our presence here since prehistoric times.

After passing the chapel of Saint-Hilaire, you'll discover the Castellas or château de Durban, in ruins and the only vestige of the village of the same name and, above all, the namesake of the renowned producer of this delicious Muscat.

This hike is a great success every year in July and August. The night ascent of Mont Ventoux is done with a guide and in groups of no more than 25 people. You can be sure of a magical experience. You'll climb 24 km over 1,400 m of ascent through forests and rocky desert, with the ultimate reward being the sunrise over the Alps. Beware, the climb requires courage and stamina. Dates and bookings will be available from June at the Bédoin tourist information office, which is also selling a topo-guide of 14 walks for all levels.

Discover Cucuron's viticulture over the centuries on this walking trail. This two-loop walk (3.5 km and 4 km) takes just over 2 hours on either side of Cucuron (leaflet available from the tourist office). The route is marked with stencils in the shape of stylized grape clusters.

Cédric Demangeon will introduce you to Provence through the slopes of the Ventoux, the steep paths of the Dentelles de Montmirail and the garrigue of the Monts de Vaucluse. The themes are alluring: nature and terroir, climbing the Géant by headlamp in the dark, to enjoy the sunrise at the summit. There's also the sunset over the hills, from which you return in the half-light when the scents of thyme and lavender are more prevalent. For the more sporty, there's trail running and even à la carte preparation for more challenging hikes. And for the pros, there's first-aid training. Cédric knows everything there is to know about this special natural environment. He knows all about the fauna, flora and rural heritage you'll come across on your way. What's more, as a trained fireman, your safety is guaranteed.

It's a beautiful hike through vineyards and olive groves, steeped in history thanks to the 3 medieval chapels you'll come across along the way. Along the way, you'll come across an exceptional collection of Merovingian sarcophagi in what is now the Mazan cemetery. These sarcophagi are among the most important remains of the Comtat Venaissin. The Pareloup chapel was built in the heart of the cemetery to protect the living and the dead from the wolves, which were numerous in the region at the time. It houses a plaster statue of Notre-Dame de Pareloup, subduing a wolf at her feet. You'll also come across the Notre-Dame la Brune chapel, built in 1730 on a Gallo-Roman crossroads, where popular belief locates the exhumation of sarcophagi lining the cemetery. A Black Madonna, preserved by ruins, was discovered here. Finally, the trail skirts the ruined chapel of Saint Alban. This 9.7-kilometer hike, with views of the Ventoux, takes an average of 3 hours.

The hike from Cabrières d'Aigues to Mourre Nègre is a rather sporty excursion that takes you through a magnificent forest of Aleppo pines to the summit of Mourre Nègre. From the parking lot at Cabrières d'Aigues town hall, you'll follow a 16 km-long marked trail via the Chemin des Méritants, the Couleton and the Basse de Cabrières, before climbing the highest peak in the Luberon. In practical terms, this is a loop, which means you return to the starting point. Allow around 7 hours to complete this hike, taking into account breaks and individual pace. The reward at the top is well worth all the effort, as the breathtaking panoramic view over the southern Luberon, with its green hills, peaceful valleys and perched villages, is simply breathtaking!

Classified as "difficult", this hike takes 3.5 hours to complete, starting from the parking lot at the Groseau spring. Ten kilometers through valleys, combe Obscure and combe de Comentige, small passes, Austrian black pine forest and small meadows, sometimes going back in time. For example, with the imposing building you'll soon come across: a former plasterworks that operated from the ^18th century until the 1950s. On arrival, you'll pass the old Malaucène paper mill.

As far as religious history is concerned, there's the Piaud chapel, from which you'll return via the Way of the Cross, and on arrival you'll discover the Romanesque chapel of Notre-Dame du Groseau. At the spring of the same name, classified as a remarkable heritage site, you can refresh and rest, as pilgrims have done since ancient times.

Why this name for a pond that is no longer salty? It is because it was drained in the 19th century. But imagine that it was in the Middle Ages and that it was exploited. Today, it is mainly a reserve for birds. There are no less than 150 different species. It is a small walk to discover the biodiversity of the Vaucluse, particularly rich. The surroundings are therefore arranged so that visitors can enjoy the place while respecting the natural species that inhabit it. Visits are organized by the tourist office.

The long walks are marked out in red and yellow. Prefer the blue ones if you are with small children. You will always have a beautiful view of the vineyard dotted with forests. The tourist office of Beaumes-de-Venise will give you maps, advice and more information about these walks. But always remember to check the weather forecast, thunderstorms can be fast and very violent. Put on good walking shoes, the paths are stony, remember to bring water, in summer the temperatures rise quickly.

Take a walk, but not during hunting season! The Combe de Canaud was once occupied by troglodyte populations. A hiking and interpretation trail of the Combe (available from the Mairie and the Bédoin tourist office) has been created by schoolchildren. The trail is well laid out, with sketches of the local flora, sheepfolds, a cave and the old basin that used to capture the village's water. Walking shoes and water bottle recommended.

This route is entirely dedicated to bikes and walkers, and follows the old railroad line. It runs from station to station, from Sarrians to Jonquières. It's especially popular with families on Sundays. It's so easy and flat, you'll even come across rollerbladers. Yes, trains don't like hills! And it's a safe bet that many of the local children have taken off their training wheels to get out and ride their bikes like grown-ups!