The villages of Cucuron, Vaugines & Lourmarin
Half-day
This pretty easy walk allows you to discover the delightful countryside of the Luberon and to stroll through the narrow, winding streets of three of its historical villages. You follow especially paths and back roads, amidst varied country landscapes, from vineyards, grain fields and olive groves to mixed woods made up of pine and evergreen oak. And you really enjoy the atmosphere so expressively described by writers and filmakers. It is no accident that so many movies have been filmed in these gently rolling hills, starting with “Jean de Florette” and “Manon des Sources”.
Walking time : 2.5 hours (point-to-point walk)
Rating : leisurely
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am only, not allowed on fire risk days
Aiguebrun Valley: Provence’s coolest spot!
Half-day
As an outdoor lover, you will be lucky to see this spot. Because the Upper Aiguebrun Valley is found off the beaten track. The shaded trail runs alongside the narrow valley floor filled with lush vegetation. Even on very hot summer days, you can follow this hiking route in the heart of the Luberon, that have been followed for 50,000 years. The River Aiguebrun is home to several rock shelters and caves that were indeed inhabited both by Neanderthals and the Cro-Magnon men.
The river is today the only permanent one in the Luberon mountains. A few kilometers from the Aiguebrun spring, a country inn called Auberge des Seguins is nestled at the foot of cliff faces known for their climbing routes. This definitely is an outstanding place to quench your thirst with a drink or savour a good meal.
Walking time : from 2 to 3 hours (point-to-point walk)
Rating : leisurely
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, on very hot days)
Open even on high fire risk days (closed only in case of exceptional risk).
In the depths of the small valleys of Luberon
Half-day
Take a break from the crowds with this joyful walk to a refreshing spot: Saut du Moine. This is a waterfall at the confluence of the River Calavon, still a small stream, and one of its tributaries. The spot is situated somewhere in the hills between the towns of Apt, Forcalquier and Banon. There, the Calavon flows in a north-south direction. But about 15km downstream from Saut du Moine, when it meets the foothills of the Luberon mountains, the river changes course, running east-west.
On your way to the waterfall, you reach several pretty drystone guesthouses, set in a glen. In this place, a small Cistercian abbey nestled in the Middle Ages.
This pleasant walk is suitable for everybody as it is neither long nor challenging.
Walking time : from 2 to 3 hours (out-and-back or loop trail)
Rating : leisurely
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, on very hot days)
From Gordes to Roussillon
Half-day or Full Day
Between the towns of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Apt, the medieval villages of Gordes and Roussillon brought an international reputation to Provence. Along with Bonnieux, Ansouis, Ménerbes and Saignon, they both are some of the most beautiful Luberon hilltop villages. And you enjoy life there by exploring their narrow, cobblestone streets or savoring a meal in roof terrace cafés.
On this gentle walk, your local guide leads you from Gordes and its homes built of drystone to Roussillon and its gold and red ochre cliffs. You hike through countryside landscapes made of rolling hills, vineyards, olive or truffle tree groves and pine woods. Walking along the foot of the Monts de Vaucluse, you keep in sight the Luberon mountains on the horizon.
Walking time : 3.5 hours (point-to-point walk) / 4.5 hours with the Ochre Trail in Roussillon
Rating : leisurely
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11:30am only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Gorges de Veroncle,
an odd canyon near Gordes
Half-day
Not far from the scenic village of Gordes, your local hiking guide leads you in the lowest section of a 5-mile canyon: it was cut by the River Veroncle into the south-western foot of the Monts de Vaucluse, a massif between the Luberon mountains and Mont Ventoux. What makes this short hike so unique is that the cultural heritage is even more valuable than the natural one: you see during your walk the remains of three watermills that were built between the 16th and 19th c.. These old buildings are of high quality in an area that is yet not easily accessible: dams, cutstone penstocks, retaining walls, large reservoirs and long canals carved out of the rock, and numerous millstones. A wild and beautiful spot.
Walking time : 3 hours
Rating : challenging (some rocky passages, a few ladders)
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am only, not open on fire risk days)
A hike in the ochre sands of Colorado Provencal
Half-day
Among the numerous former ochre quarries still visible to the north of the Luberon Regional Natural Park, one of the most prodigious spot is called Colorado Provencal. It displays fascinating landscapes, sculptured over the ages both by nature and man, in a broad palette: colors vary from saffron yellow to blood red, including white sands as well. What brilliant color contrasts with the bright blue of the sky and the green shades of trees ! In addition to the breathtaking views you get from the pathway, remains of the ochre industry in the Luberon can be shown to you on this hiking tour by your local guide. And this one will definitely provide you with interesting facts about this economic activity. It was during the 19th and early 20th centuries that it flourished in Vaucluse.
Walking time : 3 hours
Rating : leisurely
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am only, not allowed on fire risk days)
The Oppedette gorge
Half-day
Oppedette, a former Celtic-Ligurian oppidum, is today a tiny village situated between Forcalquier and Apt, north-east of the Luberon mountains. However, it sits above one of the most beautiful canyon in Provence: a short but spectacular gorge, carved out by the Calavon torrent. During this short trip, your local guide will first lead you to several beautiful viewpoints over the gorge before taking you down into it, allowing a real exploration.
Another loop route, about twice longer follows the edges of the cliffs on the western rim to the southern end of the canyon, where a country road bridge spans the stream.
Walking time : 2 hours (3 hours for the longer route)
Rating : challenging (steep slopes and impressive sections)
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Cancelled on rainy days.
If you are afraid of heights, you had better choose another hike.
Not recommended for children under 10.
The Luberon hilltop villages :
from Lacoste to Bonnieux
Half-day or Full Day
For centuries, they have been standing face to face, each one on its hill, at the foot of the Luberon mountains. Lacoste is dominated by the imposing ruins of a castle which belonged to the Marquis de Sade. From the village, you walk on country lanes across olive groves and truffle plantations, vineyards and lavender fields. That’s the local color that set the charming ambiance of Peter Mayle‘s novels. The trail to Bonnieux through the countryside, offers a multitude of viewpoints over its very picturesque terraces. Once there, you get a panorama that extends from Lacoste to Roussillon and Gordes, three of the loveliest perched villages. In the background, you can see Mont Ventoux, an emblematic mountain that can provide you an opportunity to take another hiking tour.
Walking time (including the villages’ visit): 3.5 hours (point-to-point hike) / 5.5 hours (loop)
Rating : from leisurely to moderate
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am only, on the short itinerary).
Not allowed on fire risk days.
Buoux and the Valley of the Aiguebrun
Full Day
Hiking in the Aiguebrun Upper Valley, 10km upstream of the village of Lourmarin, is very special; it is indeed very different from a hiking tour in the Luberon countryside. The contrast between the cool and humid valley, on the one hand, and the desolate plateau above, on the other hand, is startling. The first one is carpeted with lush vegetation and temperate climate plants as the other is covered with lavender fields and scrubby woods.
On a rocky spur high above the Aiguebrun Upper Valley lie the impressive ruins of a medieval fortified village: Fort de Buoux, only accessible by foot. Located in the heart of the Luberon mountains, this incredible site is today a beautiful and peaceful place. The Neanderthal man might have experienced this feeling of peace when he chose to settle down up there. Numerous vestiges of a 13th c. castle remain. And your local guide may lead you down a hidden staircase, which is an alternative way down from the fort: but it is not for the faint hearted !
Walking time : 5 hours
Rating : challenging (steep and rugged sections)
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am only, on the short itinerary)
Not allowed on fire risk days.
Among the mushroom boulders of Les Mourres
Full Day
The rock outcrops called Les Mourres can be found to the north-east of the Luberon, next to the charming town of Forcalquier. It is a fascinating site, due to the number of strangely shaped rocks that can be seen there: several hundreds! Some look like giant mushrooms, others like big weird muzzles. As you climb up to the highest part of the trail, you enjoy a beautiful view of the Alps on the horizon. And before the end of the circular walk, you have the pleasure to see a few Cabanons Pointus. These picturesque traditional dry stone huts are typical of the Pays de Forcalquier. You will certainly hear stories about them from your local guide.
Walking time : 4.5 hours
Rating : moderate
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am only, on a shortened itinerary)
The dry stone heritage of Gordes and Sénanque
Full Day
During this both nature and culture walk, you can see one of France’s most beautiful little towns: Gordes, located east of Avignon in the Luberon Regional Natural Park. And your local guide shows you the amazing rural architecture of Gordes surroundings: dozens of huts and other ancient farm buildings, such as cisterns, vats, ovens, and sheep shelters, all built in dry stone.
Another major attraction is the 12th c. Cistercian Sénanque Abbey. Hidden in the narrow Sénancole valley at the foot of the Monts de Vaucluse, it has a harmonious ensemble of buidings considered as one of the purest examples of the Cistercian architecture.
Walking time : 4 hours
Rating : moderate (stony ground)
Season calendar : 1/1 – 6/15 & 9/15 – 12/31
Visits of Village des Bories outside Gordes and Sénanque Abbey are not included
Up to the top of the Luberon mountains
Full Day
This itinerary starts in Castellet, a tiny village on the Luberon mountains northern slopes. Your local guide takes you within two hours up to the top. If the trail across the downy oak forest is steep, the result is worth the effort: you get, from the Mourre-Nègre (3,690 ft), a 360° view that allows you to gaze at all western Provence’s peaks. When you turn your head north, you can see, in particular, the white ridge of Mont Ventoux ; and, while looking in the opposite direction, you can spot the Mediterranean Sea far away, in addition to Mont Sainte Victoire, much closer.
Walking time : 4 hours
Rating : challenging (steep slopes)
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 7:30am – 1pm only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Gorges de Régalon and the Vaudois history
Full Day
This hike offers you the opportunity of learning from your local guide about the history of Provence : the Vaudois (or Waldensian) ‘heresy’ in the Luberon during the 16th century. Beginning in Mérindol, a village by the Durance river, it takes you up to the stony plateaus at the bottom of the Petit Luberon mountain. The final part is a descent into a narrow and spectacular dry canyon very special in summer thanks to its cool temperatures: Gorges de Régalon has walls rising more than 200 feet above the path. Note these outstanding features on your way: a breathtaking passage you walk through that is only 30 inches wide and a remarkable cave.
Walking time : 5 hours
Rating : moderate (stony ground)
Season calendar : year-round (summer : 8am – 11am & 6pm – 9pm only, on a shortened itinerary). Not allowed on fire risk days.
A walk from the terraced village of Bonnieux
to Roussillon, standing on its ochre hill
Full Day
At the foot of the Luberon mountains, Bonnieux, one of the largest villages, rises in tiers on a hillside. From the top, you enjoy panoramic views as far as Mont Ventoux and the Southern Alps. Closer, you can catch sight of three other perched villages: Lacoste, Roussillon and Gordes.
You first walk down the narrow streets of the village and then roam the countryside made up of vineyards, orchards and woods. After marvelling at this mosaic of a landscape, under the unique light of Provence, you reach Pont Julien. This 2,000-year old Roman bridge spans over the Calavon river. Before the striking village of Roussillon comes out, the trail you follow snakes its way accross wooded hills. To top it off, a dramatic walk on a pathway awaits you in the heart of the village: it allows you to discover the wonderful red colored cliffs made of ochrous sands.
Walking time (including the villages’ visit and the Ochre Trail in Roussillon) : 6.5 hours (point-to-point hike)
Rating : challenging
Season calendar : 1/1 – 6/15 & 9/15 – 12/31