Hiking
There are many trails to choose from, covering all the department's massifs: Uchaux/Rasteau/Dentelles de Montmirail, Mont Ventoux, Monts de Vaucluse and Luberon. Here are just a few of the themed tours we've put together:
Circuit des Ayguiers en Pays de Sault : a 28 km circuit, starting from Villes-sur-Auzon.
Circuit des Campaniles du Luberon: Villelaure, Ansouis, Cucuron, La Bastide-des-Jourdans, Grambois, Céreste, Apt, Roussillon, Goult, Oppède-le-Vieux, Ménerbes, Lacoste, Bonnieux, Vaugines, Puyvert, Lauris and Cadenet.
Circuit des chapelles dans les Dentelles de Montmirail : 54 km circuit in the heart of the Dentelles massif to discover the most beautiful chapels in this part of the Haut Vaucluse: Vaison, Saint-Marcellin-les-Vaison, Lafare, Beaumes, Gigondas, Sablet, Séguret.
Circuit des Moulins, Avignon, Pays des Sorgues and Petit Luberon: a magnificent 111 km circuit from the city of the Popes: Avignon, Saint-Saturnin-lès-Avignon, Gordes, Goult, Bonnieux, Oppède, les Taillades.
Route des fontaines et des lavoirs au Pays des Sorgues et des monts de Vaucluse: L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Saumane, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Le Thor, Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne.
Lavender routes: either from Carpentras via the Gorges de la Nesque road, or from Vaison-la-Romaine, via the Toulourenc valley road.
Route de l'ocre: Gignac, Rustrel le Colorado provençal, Saint-Saturnin-d'Apt, Apt, Gargas, Roussillon.
Jewish heritage route : Avignon, Carpentras, Pernes-les-Fontaines, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Cavaillon.
Roman road: Avignon, Orange, Vaison-la-Romaine, Carpentras, Sault, Apt, Cavaillon, Cucuron.
Route des Vaudois: Cabrières-d'Avignon, Murs, Lacoste, Mérindol, Lourmarin, Villelaure, Cabrières d'Aigues, La Motte-d'Aigues, Peypin-d'Aigues, Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque.
Chemin des Parcs. Tours and detours in the regional nature parks, interactive maps, circuits, points of interest... No need for a guidebook, just follow the map! This site is simply brilliant, and also offers routes for your horseback rides: www.cheminsdesparcs.fr
Horse and donkey rides
The Vaucluse region offers around 700 km of marked trails, including four equestrian circuits: Bonnieux, Gordes-Murs, Malaucène and Viens Est. These great itineraries link all the equestrian stopover gîtes where riders and horses will find a warm welcome, comfort, equipment and quality services.
Bicycle rides, bicycle tourism and mountain biking
From cycle touring to mountain biking, the Vaucluse is a paradise of marked trails through enchanting landscapes. For the more experienced: the gorges de la Nesque and, of course, the ascent of the Ventoux!
There are numerous circuits based on 8 specific themes: "Cycling in the vineyards", "In the lavender", "In the heart of the ochres", "Along the heritage", "Along the water", "On the road", "Cycling with the family" and "Villages in Provence". From easy (stroll along the banks of the Sorgue, the Ventoux terraces) to medium (at the foot of the Dentelles, tour of the Uchaux massif) and for the more athletic (the Nesque gorges and, of course, the ascent of the Ventoux), the circuits are adapted to all levels of ability.
There's more to come on the Ventoux than meets the eye!
Here's a suggestion of stages for a 100-kilometer tour:
Bédoin - Flassan: 6 km
Flassan - Ville-sur-Auzon 5 km
Ville-sur-Auzon - Monnieux via the gorges de la Nesque: 16 km
Monnieux - Sault 6 km
Sault- Brantes: 21 km
Brantes - Pont-de-Veaux via the Toulourenc: 21 km
Pont-de-Veaux - Malaucène: 14 km
Malaucène - Bédoin: 11 km
If you still have some strength and time, from Bédoin take the Crillon-le-Brave/Saint-Hyppolyte-le-Graveyron/Le Barroux/Suzette/Entrechaux/Saint Léger-du-Ventoux route. And that's it. Well done!
The Via Rhona: an itinerary along the Rhône
The Via Rhôna is an 815 km cycling itinerary that takes you from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean along the Rhône. In Vaucluse, the section runs from Lapalud to Avignon (approx. 66 km), through bucolic Provencal landscapes and the vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône valley. Arriving in Avignon, you'll enjoy a breathtaking view of its historic center (a UNESCO World Heritage site), with the imposing Palais des Papes and the Pont Bénézet.
Climbing and via ferrata
Climbing
Vaucluse is a top destination for vertical sports enthusiasts, thanks to its quality, range of difficulties, safe equipment and year-round climate. The Buoux site is world-renowned. The Dentelles de Montmirail massif, with its 600 equipped routes with north and south exposure, has been a popular four-season destination since the 1940s.
Via ferrata
The Saint-Jacques hill overlooking Cavaillon is equipped with a via Ferrata and a via Souterrata. A magical family experience! For further information, contact the tourist office.
In the air
Professionals know the Ventoux all the way to the Rhine for its wave-like flight created by rising Mistral disturbances behind the Géant de Provence. The Luberon Massif also offers pleasant soaring sites. Paragliding take-off and landing areas are located in the communes of Ventoux Nord (Beaumont Saint-Léger, Brantes, Savoillan), Sud (Bédoin) and Ouest (Malaucène, Le Barroux), as well as in Luberon Nord (Lagarde d'Apt, Rustrel). Aeroclubs are located in Montfavet, Visan, Travaillan, Saint-Martin-de-Castillon and Morières-lès-Avignon.
Hot-air ballooning in the Luberon
Another way to admire the magnificent landscapes. Thrills guaranteed! Hot-air balloons take off from Roussillon. Collective flights (maximum 15 people) last around 1 hour and cost €230, or €450 for 2 people. Call 06 03 54 10 92 or www.montgolfiere-luberon.com
Helicopter flight
Fancy a first flight? Discover Provence as you've never seen it before! Embark on a flight to discover the city of the Popes and the gentle beauty of Provence.
Easy helico, 335 avenue Clément Ader, 84140 Avignon. Tel: 06 12 63 96 36
The Luberon, a life-size playground
A native of the Luberon, Nicolas Fortin is an accomplished sportsman who will guide you on land, in the air and on white water through the southern Luberon between Cavaillon and Vinon-sur-Verdon if you're a fan of extreme sensations. A keen sportsman (tennis instructor, paraglider and private airplane pilot), Nicolas can organize your stay around one or other of the following activities: airplane baptisms, paragliding, gliding, horseback riding and trekking, rock-climbing initiation, vif Ferrata, via cordata, tennis, rowing, canoeing-kayaking... To find out more about Lub'evasion, visit their website www.lubevasion.fr
Water Sports
Canoeing and kayaking.
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a great nautical playground. Canoe rental companies line the banks of the Sorgue. The descent is easy and family-friendly. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy the cool banks in summer.
Rowing club
Our hearts go out to the Avignon rowing club, based at La Barthelasse. The island is bordered to the east by an 8 km-long oxbow of the Rhône. This is a godsend for the local team, which has one of the most beautiful stretches of water in France and has trained many internationally renowned champions. Perhaps you'll come up against Jérémie Azou and Pierre Houin, Olympic champions in 2016 at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas games (Brazil)!
Swimming
Vaucluse has a wealth of charming rivers and ponds... very cool! From the Etang du Camping Val de Durance in Cadenet to the Etang de la Bonde in Cabrières-d'Aigues, the Salettes lake in Mormoiron and Prato-Plage in Pernes-les-Fontaines.
Withyour feet in the water: the Gorges de Toulourenc
This 12 km excursion is not to be missed. There are passages where the water comes up to your waist. You'll need to wear old sneakers and a bathing suit, as you'll be able to swim in the natural pools along the way. A real wonder!
Golf
Wide open spaces, lush greenery, magnificent scenery and mild temperatures: playing golf in the Vaucluse is a great way to blend in with your surroundings. Initiates and beginners alike can improve their swing, approach shots and putts at the 4 perfectly equipped golf courses:
Golf Avignon Chateaublanc Morières-les-Avignon, route de Châreaublanc.
Golf Grand Avignon in Vedène, chemin de la Banastière.
Golf Orange Club Orange, route de Camaret.
Golf de Saumane à Saumane-de-Vaucluse, route de Fontaine de Vaucluse.
Winter Sports
It's a ritual for the locals: spending a day skiing at Mont Ventoux! In the morning, they check the resort's webcam to see if the snow has arrived, and off they go! It's not necessarily very cold up there, even though the Mont Serein ski resort is on the north face. The ski area is family-friendly, with 12 km of marked runs and 9 lifts. Cross-country skiers have 7 km of trails and snowshoers 8 km. Children will love the conveyor belt that serves the toboggan run. In summer, there are hiking trails, mountain biking, devalkarts on the Lisière trail, horse and pony rides, grass skiing, a park with giant inflatable games, an aerial trampoline for all, Fun Trampo, a zip line over 70 m long, an accrobranche course for 4 to 12 year-olds, astronomy and, of course, paragliding and hang-gliding.
