Between Lagnes and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

A trek between Lagnes and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse on typical Provençal trails.

Technical sheet

4098747
A Lagnes walk posted on 21/02/16 by Tamtraductions. Last update : 24/09/22
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.00 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 4h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 479 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 473 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 327 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 83 m

Description

Park on "Place de la Mairie" (lots of spaces).

Yellow Waymarks
(S/F) Head up "Rue de la République" on the left leading to the village square. Take a slight right onto Rue Montante which turns into Chemin des Groubelles. Remain on Chemin des Groubelles at the first crossroads and continue the climb towards the D100.
Head left on the road then immediately right onto the path towards "Tête du Soldat" waymark.

(1) Keep going along the path (MV100) which starts to head uphill. Ignore the "Soldat" crossroads reaching La Pleithe waymark 100 m further.

(2) Head right towards "les Esperacons". At a crossing, leave the path, continue on the other side and head off to the right on a trail (crossing not displayed on the map) reaching a ledge near another crossing (crossing not displayed on the map). Ignore the trail on the right and continue straight over 10 m reaching another fork. Take a left leading to "Les Esperacons" waymark.

(3) Turn right towards "Vallon des Esperacons" (small valley), the trail offers stunning views. The trip downhill, easy at first, becomes steeper and slippery before reaching "Vallon des Esperacons" waymark (displaced on the map).

Red and White Waymarks
Turn left towards Valette and start heading down the valley. After about 700 m, the trail heads off to the right and crosses a dry stream bed reaching Valette waymark near the D100a.

(4) Go right towards Font de l'Oule on a trail heading along the D100auntil a small car park and Font de l'Oule waymark.

(5) Head off to the right towards La Pouraque following the uphill path. After about 350 m, you'll reach a large crossroads. Ignore the two paths heading up to the right and take a left onto a path going around the rocky spur.

Blue Waymarks
During the climb, locate a beautiful "borie" (provençal term for a dry-stone hut). Once you reach a ledge, ignore a small trail heading up to the right (not on the map) and keep going on the path. Start a downhill hike, ignore another trail a bit further down (not on the map) and reach Château des Évêques ruins.

(6) Follow the trail on the left of the edifice heading straight down towards the village. Careful, some areas are a bit tricky (steps cut into the rock). The trail continues and winds through houses until Avenue Pétrarque.

Red and White Waymarks
(7) Go immediately right and go through "le passage Arquà Petrarca" leading to the banks of the river Sorgue.
In high season, you can visit the François Pétrarque Museum and Library (closed from November 1st to March 19th). Go back to the avenue heading off to the right to cross Sorgue River.

Yellow Waymarks
Keep heading right on Chemin de la Fontaine, a lovely promenade leading to "le gouffre de Fontaine-de-Vaucluse" (8).
Head back on the same path and turn left, crossing Sorgue River again.

Red and White Waymarks
At the start of the turn, just opposite where the castle path (chemin du château) ends, take a right under Avenue Pétrarque Archways so as not to walk on the lane. At the end of the archways, walk along the edge of the road, go past a large car park and ignore Montée du Guérisseur on the left.
Further ahead, ignore Route Touristique de Gordes on the left and carry on another 20 m. Cross the road reaching "Les Bastides Ouest" waymark.

Red and Yellow Waymarks
(9) Leave the road and head left towards Bondelon. The path will head off to the right above the houses.
At the start on a concrete section, ignore the trail on the left then reaching a fork on an esplanade. Go left on a larger path heading uphill reaching a ledge near some ruins.
Keep going straight, ignoring trailheads on the left until a crossroads. Head right reaching a signpost for Bondelon.

(10) Follow the tarmac road on the left leading to La Bastide Rouge. Pass between two properties leading to La Bastide Rouge waymark post.

''Red and Yellow + Orange Waymarks"
Leave the road and continue on the path on the other side. Be careful, at this stage the waymarks are confusing as a Yellow cross casts some doubt. Continue along the forest trail and go past a lovely property. About 100 m further, locate a rogations cross to the left just before reaching the road (D100a).

(11) Head off to the right reaching Basse Carpiane waymark 10 m after. Leave the road to the right and take the trail heading uphill to the left, towards Lagnes. Go past a beautiful house, go along a dry-stone wall, walk between the houses and leave the road to the left.
Keep going another 100 m and go for a quick round-trip to see a beautiful "borie" (typical provençal dry-stone hut) on a well-marked trail to the right. Go back to the main path and turn right heading down towards the road (D186). Head right down the road for 100 m arriving in front of n°427.

(12) Ignore "chemin du Cimetière" to the right and the road leading to Lagnes on the left. Instead take the path on the other side which bypasses the house to the right. Continue on this path with stunning views over L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue leading to "château de Lagnes".
Take a right, then immediately left passing under a portico; follow "Rue Venteuse".At the next crossroads, keep to that road until n°57 (house with miniature "bories").

Turn right and after a short walk downhill, head off to the left down a lane and follow the stairs on the right. At Rue des Remparts, go left reaching Rue de la République. Head right down the road reaching the car park (S/F).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 120 m
  2. 1 : km 0.82 - alt. 180 m - La Tête du Soldat
  3. 2 : km 2.08 - alt. 284 m - La Pleithe
  4. 3 : km 2.67 - alt. 319 m - Les Esperacons
  5. 4 : km 3.84 - alt. 169 m - Valette
  6. 5 : km 4.44 - alt. 122 m - Font de l'Oule
  7. 6 : km 5.63 - alt. 119 m - Château des Evèques
  8. 7 : km 5.84 - alt. 85 m - Avenue Pétrarque - Sorgue (rivière)
  9. 8 : km 6.8 - alt. 152 m - Fontaine de Vaucluse
  10. 9 : km 8.05 - alt. 84 m - Les Bastides Ouest
  11. 10 : km 9.34 - alt. 187 m - Bondelon
  12. 11 : km 10.29 - alt. 184 m - Basse Carpiane
  13. 12 : km 11.23 - alt. 150 m - 427 Route Touristique de Cabrières
  14. S/E : km 12 - alt. 120 m

Useful Information

Water points and catering at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.

Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

During the walk or to do/see around

Musée Bibliothèque François Pétrarque: Pétrarque Museum and Library
Pétrarque de Fontaine de Vaucluse has an extensive collection of illustrations, engravings and books by François Pétrarque along with a collection of modern art carrying on the bond for a certain number of artists on site.

Ecomusée du Santon et Traditions de Provence: A beautiful and vast collection devoted to Provensal Santons.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Clarity of route description
5 / 5
Clarity of route map
4 / 5
Walk interest
4.7 / 5
grahawi
grahawi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : 26/04/21
Clarity of route description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Re Carberyd. No, the description is right, but it is an idea to head left at the signpost Esperacons, go about 300 yards to a fine viewpoint over Bondelon and the Bastide Rouge, and then retrace your steps.

debbymcmorran
debbymcmorran

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : 16/02/20
Clarity of route description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Second time we have done this fabulous walk ... first time it was 35 degrees so great to do it in milder weather. The views are amazing and it's good to stop in Fontaine de Vacluse for refreshment and a look at The Sorgue. Tip ... don't have a frite sandwich as we did the first time ... the climb back out of the village is quite challenging! This time we had coffee and shared a panini! Much more sensible. Enjoy.

carberyd
carberyd

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : 19/03/18
Clarity of route description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest : ★★★★★ Very good

There is an error in the description. At point (3), you turn LEFT towards Vallon des Esperacons

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