A nature walk en route to Les Baux de Provence
During this scenic hike near St-Rémy, you keep all along the Alpilles ridgeway with your guide ; and you can enjoy vistas in all directions. Suddenly, on the horizon, as you emerge from a thicket of pines, appears before you a rocky hill: among the jagged peaks, the ruined citadel of Les Baux. The medieval castle towers the tile roofs and stone walls of the village’s houses. Facing the Alpilles crest, the perched stronghold has been abandoned since the 1630s. It had been for four centuries the symbol of the power and independence of the lords of Les Baux: these bellicose noblemen had in their control dozens of towns almost until Provence became French. In addition, a visit of the 15th c. fortress ruins and a stroll in the few village streets are worthwhile.
Walking time : 2.5 hours
Rating : easy (rugged terrain)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Citadel remains and Carrières de Lumière visits non included
The Côte Bleue, such a beautiful seaside
The twenty miles of shoreline west of Marseille is called Côte Bleue (Blue Coast) due to the color of the sea. It is a preserved marine area called the Parc Régional Marin de la Côte Bleue. It is also the area where the Chaine de l’Estaque, a dramatic range of limestone hills, meets the Mediterranean. Even if this massif is not elevated, its numerous arid escarpments give the landscape its rare beauty ; the coves you discover are particularly gorgeous. The trail is called Sentier du Douanier, i.e. coast guard footpath): as it was built to allow the watching of potential invaders or smugglers, it offers numerous panoramic views of the sea. The large city of Marseille is visible in the distant background.
Walking time : 3 hours
Rating : challenging (stony and craggy terrain)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not on fire risk days)
The lakes walk in Cezanne’s footsteps
This 3-hour nature walk takes place halfway between the city of Aix-en-Provence and Mont agne Sainte Victoire. This mountain is one of Provence’s most iconic natural landmark. During this hike, you visit the pathways that were done by Cezanne more than one hundred years ago. These trails allow you to enjoy gorgeous views of the lakes Zola and Bimont. They also pass through a mixed vegetation of pine grove and “garrigue”, this low scrubland so typical of Provence. On your way back, you walk with the imposing mountain located only 2 miles east.
One detail should not be overlooked: the lack of shade along the back country trails ; it makes the hike a perfect one on cool, sunny spring and autumn mornings or winter afternoons.
Walking time : 3 hours
Rating : moderate (rugged terrain / steep slopes)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Walking in van Gogh’s footsteps near St. Remy
During his time in France, van Gogh spent one year in St. Remy de Provence. This beautiful hike starts near the Roman monuments called Les Antiques. And it is named after the visited places where the painter set up his easel: transfixed by the luminous scenery, he painted here about 70 works. You walk outside the town through vineyards and olive groves that carpet the landscape. After climbing up through the woods to the Alpilles ridge, you enjoy outstanding 360° views.
The other name for this walk is “Le Rocher des Deux Trous” (the Rock with two holes), as you can see on the next picture. This limestone rock was brilliantly captured by van Gogh (Mountains at Saint-Rémy painting).
Just before the end, you pass near the Greco-Roman site of Glanum: remains of a city that grew up 2,600 years ago.
Walking time : 3 hours
Rating : moderate (steep and rugged sections of terrain)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Visits of Saint-Paul de Mausole and Glanum non included
Van Gogh’s Provence
photographs of sceneries that could have inspired the Dutch painter
Outlooks over Calanque de Sormiou,
the most spectacular swift trip from Marseille
This quite easy hike will allow you to get some beautiful views over one of the largest steep-walled coves that are called calanques along the Provence shoreline: Sormiou, an amphitheater, with white limestone cliffs as terrace seats, the sea as stage and the little port and its cottages as orchestra. After 30 minutes walking from a South Marseille neighborhood, your local guide has led you into the heart of Calanques National Park. And from a vantage point, you stare down to Calanque de Sormiou‘s turquoise waters, 250 meters below. You see the hamlet with the red roofs of its ‘cabanons’: that’s the local name of these fishermen’s cottages built in the coastal inlets and towered over by crags.
Walking time : 2 hours
Rating : leisurely (rugged terrain)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
The easiest climb on Mont Sainte Victoire
If you are not an athlete or if you only have one morning to climb Mont Saint Victoire, this hike is for you. The road from Aix en Provence to the trailhead is a little bit longer (15 miles) than to the other major ones. Conversely, you only need to walk one hour to reach the ridge of the mountain ; and 45 minutes later, you can reach its summit : the Pic des Mouches (1,011m). This climb up the northern mountainside to the top mainly takes place through an oak grove; but as you walk along and approach the crest, nature all around changes and the landscape becomes barren. You then enjoy a panoramic view of all the surroundings, among which distant mountains.
Walking time : 3 hours
Rating : leisurely (rugged terrain)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Calanque de Sugiton:
a gem of a spot in Marseille
If this hike is just 4.5 hours long, you surely need the entire day to get the full benefit of it: when sitting on its little pebble beach by its turquoise-blue waters, it is so hard to leave Calanque de Sugiton. It is located in the heart of Calanques National Park. You can first see it from high distant rocks where the panorama opens up to the bay. And what a breathtaking view over Calanque de Morgiou, on the other side ! After this first vista, you then can walk down to the sea and take a closer look at the two-cove calanque. One of Provence’s nature treasures.
Walking time : 4.5 hours
Rating : moderate (rugged terrain)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
A day hiking trip
from St. Remy de Provence to Les Baux
Here is one of our hikes that reach places of historical interest as well as natural beauty. Leaving the old town of St. Remy, you head to an even older district: the Roman monuments called Les Antiques, near the Greco-Roman archeological site of Glanum. Walking through pines, on back roads and forest trails, you then gently climb to the Alpilles ridgeway. Up there, you enjoy a great scenery all around. Following the main ridge, you gradually approach Les Baux. Built on a rocky hilltop, the ruined 15th c. fortress suddenly appears. Once the fief of lords among the most powerful in South of France, this site is something unique. The castle entrance and few streets in the medieval village are worthwile.
Walking time : 4 hours
Rating : moderate (rugged sections of terrain)
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Château des Baux (fortress remains) and Carrières de Lumière visits non included.
Hike to the Croix de Provence
Symbolic peak of Montagne Sainte-Victoire, though not the highest, the Croix de Provence, overlooks Aix-en-Provence and its vicinity. Rising to 946 meters, it was named after the giant metal and stone cross that stands on it. Starting 6 miles from the city, the hike is not long; but it is challenging because of the elevation gain and some rocky stretches with demanding gradients on the way. It is pure delight though, especially when you take time: a natural Provence walking dream. And if you reach the top around sunrise, emotion too is at its peak! The breakfast snacks that you eat up there remain definitely engraved in your memory for a long time.
Walking time : 4.5 hours
Rating : challenging
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
En-Vau : the pearl of Calanques National Park
Calanque d’En-Vau, with its brilliant-turquoise waters surrounded by sheer white cliffs, is a paradise for hikers and rock climbers. On this walking day, you have the opportunity to admire this Provence natural wonder from three different viewpoints: two from the heights, the first one located behind En-Vau, as shown on the picture, allowing a view of the whole; the second, right above, offers a view from the side, quite different but at least as scenic; the third is from the bottom, as you lie on the beach, where the scenery of natural beauty is different again. On your way to the small, bustling fishing port of Cassis, you discover two other beautiful calanques: Port-Pin and Port-Miou. The last one is a natural marina, home to sailboats on half of its length.
Walking time : 4.5 hours
Rating : challenging
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
The vista from La Caume on the Alpilles ridge
To start this day hike, your expert guide can meet you in the old town of St. Remy de Provence. After one hour of gentle climbing, you are allowed to spend the following two hours walking on the Alpilles ridge. You first reach the top of Plateau de La Caume. On the way, in addition to the vast panorama, you can discover the Mediterranean biodiversity, especially flora: the famous rosemary, thyme and lavender, of course, but also dozens of other species that blossom early in the year. The last hour on the crest, at the bottom of impressive cliffs, is surely the most challenging. Back to the plain, it is worth stopping for a visit of the Château Romanin. Your local guide can arrange a guided tour of the cellar and a tasting of the wines if you are interested.
Walking time : 5 hours
Rating : challenging
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)
Guided tour of Château Romanin non included.
Climbing Montagne de Régagnas
Along this scenic trail you walk up Montagne de Régagnas, a small mountain that offers a great panorama. It overlooks underlying farming and nature landscapes, 15 miles southeast of Aix-en-Provence: all around, incised valleys covered with fruit orchards and vineyards are enclosed by steep rocky hills. These heights are themselves towered by the two major escarpments of the area: Mont Sainte Victoire and the Sainte Baume mountains. The Ermitage de Saint-Jean du Puy will be one of the spots of the day: occupied by monks between the 5th and 15th centuries, this hermitage overlooks the Arc valley.
Walking time : 5 hours
Rating : challenging
Season calendar : year-round (summer: morning only, not allowed on fire risk days)