East of the Dentelles de Montmirail

Access: the start is located in the small village of Lafare. Coming from Beaumes-de-Venise, continue on the D90. Park in the small car park on the right, at the entrance to the village opposite the Salle des Fêtes.

(S/E) From the car park, walk back up into the village. Pass in front of the Place de la Fontaine. At the "Lafare" sign, turn left towards the Col du Cayron. Continue along the small tarmac road, Chemin des Dentelles. Yellow markings.

(1) After crossing the bridge over the Salette and reaching the house on the right called "La Lavanche et le Grès", take the path on the left that goes uphill. Orange markings, mountain bike trail. Pass in front of a villa and continue climbing alongside the vineyard. Go around the vineyard, continuing to the right. You will come out onto the tarmac road. Continue straight ahead for 350 metres until you reach the small car park (4/5 spaces) before the hairpin bend.

(2) Once you reach the hairpin bend, take the path slightly to the right, which climbs steeply. Blue markings. You will come out onto the tarmac road.

(3) Cross and continue straight ahead to take the path that climbs to the Chapelle Saint-Christophe chapel. Once at the chapel, walk along its left side and take the small path that climbs to the orientation table, which offers a beautiful view. Behind the orientation table, a small path leads into the vegetation. Follow this path. Walk along the cliff in a north-easterly direction.

At a small crossroads of paths (at this point the path descends), look for the passage that climbs somewhat steeply towards a breach in the cliff. There is a blue mark on the small ledge to be crossed. Climb over it and you will come out onto the path on the north side of the cliff, near the climbing routes. Continue right on this path, heading north. The blue markings are sparse and partly faded. You will reach a track suitable for vehicles after about 400 metres.

(4) At the junction of the tracks, turn right onto the track that goes uphill. Yellow and orange markings. You will also find the mountain bike trail (yellow markings, triangle and 2 dots). Continue straight ahead on this track, heading north, ignoring all the other trails you come across.

(5) Just before reaching the hamlet of Château Neuf Redortier (small farm visible), take the path on the left (marked with two yellow and orange crosses). Walk along the fields for about 350 metres, then turn right onto the rough path (eroded by storms) which climbs steeply. No markings.

(6) At the crossroads of the tracks, continue straight ahead on the path. No markings.

(7) At the "Les Pradas" sign, turn left towards Suzette on the gravel road that climbs uphill. Yellow markings.

(8) Pass the sign for "Les Clapas" and continue left towards Crête Saint-Amand. 60 metres after the sign for "Les Clapas", in the bend, take the small path on the left. Yellow and blue markings. Reach the summit of Crête Saint-Amand, marked by a cross. The viewpoint offers a beautiful view of the Dentelles de Montmirail massif. Then take the track on the left, passing close to the relay stations and antennas. Blue markings.

(9) After 400 metres, turn left onto the small path. Blue markings. The path winds along the ridge and through boxwood for almost 1 kilometre, heading north-east.

(10) Join a wider path, continue straight ahead (heading east) and after 800m of descent, you will reach the "La Pousterle" sign.

(11) Continue north-west on the^GR®4towards Les Cyprès des Evêques, crossing the Sublon river.

(12) Continue east on the^GR®, cross the Sublon river once, then a second time and continue until you reach a farm.

(13) At the "Font du Pommier" sign, turn right towards Le Véran. Follow the yellow markings. Stay on the small tarmac road.

(14) After about 300 metres, leave the tarmac road and take the path on the right. This path runs alongside the road below, turning back on itself.
Cross the river ford after 150 metres. The path becomes wide and passable. Blue markings are spaced out. Ignore all the paths you come across and continue on this beautiful track (heading generally north-northeast).

(15) At the fork, take the path on the right that goes uphill. Walk along an orchard. No markings. After 450 metres at the fork, continue right on the track that goes uphill. No markings.

(16) At the top of the hill on the flat section, take the path on the left at a 90° angle that climbs upwards. A small cairn marks the entrance. The path is poorly maintained and crosses numerous box trees. No markings.

On the ridge, the vegetation becomes sparser, offering a beautiful panorama of Ventoux, the Cirque de Saint-Amand and, in the background, the Dentelles de Montmirail. Follow the ridges along this path and, at the fork, join the^GR®4and^GR® de Pays des Dentelles de Montmirail.

(17) Then turn left. White/red and yellow/red markings.
Continue on the^GR®/GRP® for about 850 metres until you reach the D90 departmental road, leading to the Col de la Chaîne. Cross the road and continue to the left to reach the Col de la Chaîne.

(18) At the "Col de la Chaîne" sign, continue right towards Le Barroux/Les Issards via the track.^GR®4and^GRP®, white/red and yellow/red markings.

(19) At the first fork after about 400m, leave the^GR®/GRP® and take the track on the left. No markings.

The track quickly turns into a path. After about 300m, pass in front of the ruins and take the path on the left that goes uphill. At the top of the hill on the flat, continue to the right. There is a small cairn. No markings.

Follow the entire length of the Gippières ridge. On the descent, cross a maze of smooth rocks and take the path that branches off to the right.
You will soon reach the^GR®4.

(20) At the junction with the^GR®4, continue to the right in a hairpin bend. On the descent, ignore the paths on the left and then on the right. Stay on the^GR®4, marked in white/red.

(21) When the^GR®4veers sharply to the right (north-west), continue on the path to the left, which descends rapidly. The fork is marked by a small pyramid-shaped rock. During the descent, you will cross red earth. Descend for about 350 metres, then join the^GRP® Tour des Dentelles de Montmirail at a vineyard. Markings: yellow/red and yellow.

Continue left and walk along the vineyard. At the first fork, turn right onto the track that descends. Leave the^GRP®. Yellow markings. Walk along the vineyards again. At the end of the vineyard, continue straight ahead following the yellow markings. The track descends again and is concrete at the beginning. Descend until you reach the houses.

(22) At the fork in front of the houses in Bois Long, turn right onto the track. No markings. At the next intersection after 250 metres, continue left on the tarmac road (Chemin des Petites Rabassières), going to the end of the road. At the crossroads, join the^GRP® Tour des Dentelles de Montmirail.

(23) Turn right, then immediately left onto the gravel track (Chemin de Devez). There are no markings.

(24) At the flat area (opposite a homemade picnic area), take the path on the right. Cross the fallow area (deforestation) heading west. No markings.
After about 250m, you will reach a gravel track,^GRP® Tour des Dentelles de Montmirail. Turn left onto this track. Yellow/red markings. Continue to the end of the gravel track, staying on the^GRP®, then join a tarmac road (Chemin de pied Gros). Continue on this road, staying on the^GRP®.

(25) At the crossroads, take the second road on the right, then take the path on the left that appears in the bend. No markings. After 300 metres, you will reach a tarmac road. Turn right onto this road. The tarmac road quickly turns into a track suitable for vehicles once you have passed the isolated villa. Stay on the track for about 750 metres. There are no signposts.

(26) When the track makes a sharp right turn, look for a path on the left that goes uphill. A small cairn marks the entrance. Take this path. Blue markings are rare. After about 600m, continue left at the fork. The slope is a little steeper at this point.

(27) At the flat section, take the path slightly to the left, which continues to climb. Blue markings (and sometimes faded red markings). Reach the summit, which offers a beautiful 360° panorama. Continue along the path, following the blue markings and the few cairns. The trail then heads south and descends through a small gravel pit. On the descent, continue to the right and then slightly to the left at the forks, heading south. You will soon reach the D90A departmental road (visible from the descent into the gravel pit).

(28) At the junction with the D90A, take the path on the right (opposite the picnic area on the other side of the road) then, at the second vineyard, turn left and walk along it heading south. Walk along the top of the field, then join a track leading to the field. Continue until you cross the D90A road again.

Cross the road, then take the track on the right that passes below the^GRP® Tour des Dentelles de Montmirail. After 200 metres, at the fork, take the track on the right that goes uphill, then quickly take the path on the right. Blue markings.

(29) In the undergrowth at the crossroads, when the Blue marked trail branches off to the right, continue straight ahead. There are no markings for about ten metres, then a new Blue Point marking appears.

At the first intersection after about 120 metres, take the path on the right that climbs steeply. At the top, turn left for a few metres to enjoy the viewpoint offering a beautiful view of Le Barroux and its castle. Turn around and continue along the ridges towards the west. Follow the blue markings. Pass the Graveyron orientation table. After 1 km from the viewpoint, the path descends northwards.

(30) At the intersection with the track, turn left onto the^GRP® Tour des Dentelles de Montmirail. Yellow/red markings. Continue along this track via the^GRP® for about 700 metres. Pass behind La Gourjonne (farmhouse in the middle of the vineyards).

(31) At the end of the track behind the farmhouse, turn right onto the track that climbs uphill and leave the^GRP®. There are no markings. The track climbs several hairpin bends (the track serves several levels of vineyards). At the top of the hill, the track heads west. After 200m, look for a path that climbs very steeply. The path is eroded and resembles a stream bed in places. At the flat section marked by a fork, continue left on the path that descends. Blue marker. After about 350m, you will reach a small tarmac road.

(32) Turn right onto the tarmac road and descend for about 350 metres to reach the entrance to a vineyard on the left. Yellow markings. Take the track that goes around the vineyard on the left, then follow the edge of the forest below. Continue to the end of the vineyard. There are no markings. At the end, you will see a small, discreet path. Continue along this path, after crossing the ford if there is one.

(33) At the junction with a track suitable for vehicles, take this track on the left. Yellow markings. Continue along this track heading east until you reach the village of Lafare below, after crossing vineyards. You will arrive below the cemetery and then quickly reach the car park opposite the Salle des Fêtes (S/E).

Fire risk during the summer period (15 June to 15 September)
Check here after 6 p.m. the day before to find out whether the area will be open or closed to the public the following day. If you are present in a closed area, you are liable to a fine of €135 per person.

Hunting season from 14/09/23 to 9/01/24
Choose days when there are no big game hunts and therefore no shooting.
Between 14/09 and 12/10, avoid Mondays and Thursdays.
Between 13/10 and 9/01, avoid Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Watering hole (uncontrolled) on (24) and (26)

Alternative route to the Sainte Christophe Chapel:
(2) At the hairpin bend, turn left and walk up the river (Salette). Blue markings. Cross the river to reach the other bank at the small waterfall.
Just above the waterfall, quickly turn right to cross the river again. Walk on the stones if necessary to avoid getting your feet wet.

Look for the blue markings that you will soon see. When you reach the foot of the cliff, take the ascending ledge that branches off to the right.
Follow the various climbing routes along the ledge until you reach the promontory above the cliff. Follow the blue markers until you reach the tarmac road.

Lafare Waterfalls.
Barroux Aqueduct (at (23) continue straight ahead then turn left at the crossroads).
Sainte-Madeleine Monastery (at (24), continue straight ahead then turn right onto the road to enter the monastery).