Above the Aups via The Peirière

A beautiful walk through various landscapes, olive trees, impressive stone walls, a pine forest, caves and cave chapels.

Details

129992
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.43 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 505 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 482 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,136 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,667 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Aups (83630)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.62957° / E 6.225037°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3443OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park on Avenue Victor Maria, near the Notre-Dame de la Délivrance chapel. Head to the north-west down this avenue.

(1) After 200 m at the crossing, turn right just before the bridge on the small paved road, Chemin de la Grave. Go due north for about 400 m.

(2) At the fork, take Chemin de la Peirière to to the left and continue on it for about 1 km to the north-east to a crossroads.

(3) Turn right on Chemin de la Croix des Pins, continue on this path past the Estré equestrian shelter.

(4) At a tank, make a sharp right along the path with Yellow markings and follow it.

(5) At the fork, turn left onto the forest track, signposted with a yellow arrow Yellow indicating “Croix des Pins”. Continue south to a junction.

(6) Leave the Yellow markings and head to the left and then turn right in the direction signposted as “Citerne 25m3".

(7) At the tank, take the left path and follow it for 1 km.

(8) In a wide turn, take a small path down to the right at a small cairn indicated by yellow markings on a tree (look out for the the start of the trail). Continue on this narrow path. Then turn right uphill on the path with Yellow markings to the St. Magdalene Caves.
Continue on the trail through the caves and the cave chapel, and a little further to the right the Sainte-Trinité Chapel.
At the end of the paved road opposite follow the trail. Turn left onto Chemin des Devansaux.
Arrive on Avenue Victor Maria.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,693 ft - Parking Chapelle Notre-Dame
  2. 1 : mi 0.14 - alt. 1,673 ft - Chemin de la Grave
  3. 2 : mi 0.37 - alt. 1,703 ft - Bifurcation
  4. 3 : mi 1.13 - alt. 2,014 ft - Carrefour
  5. 4 : mi 1.82 - alt. 1,982 ft - Tanker
  6. 5 : mi 2.15 - alt. 2,031 ft - Fork
  7. 6 : mi 2.72 - alt. 2,106 ft - Crossing at hill 643
  8. 7 : mi 2.81 - alt. 2,103 ft - Tanker
  9. 8 : mi 3.42 - alt. 2,133 ft - Trailhead
  10. S/E : mi 4.43 - alt. 1,693 ft - Parking Chapelle Notre-Dame

Notes

2.5 hours of actual walking, but more like 5 hours accounting for photo stops, snacks and visiting the caves.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 47 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 9411148

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The hike in the hills above Aups, “Above Aups via La Peirière”, is easy and offers various views of the region. The Estrée Valley is charming in spring. You can stop for a picnic by following the Croix des Pins track for a few hundred metres to enjoy panoramic views of Moissac-Bellevue and Sainte-Victoire. Finally, the section near the caves is also worth a visit. The only tricky bit is the junction at point No. 8 between the track and the descent path, which isn’t easy to find without a GPS.

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User 7914295

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful and easy hike.

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oponcin
oponcin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Take a look at the pictures here:
https://youtu.be/KKUTvD0N6Ik?si=YWquaPz_...

Along the walls and fields of olive trees, then along the forest road to the large caves, including a rock chapel.

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muvar
muvar

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb walk, magnificent scenery! Easy route!

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Bmrando
Bmrando
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hiking in fine weather. Cold but dry.
Level indicated in line with reality.
Correct indications with the path indicated on the application.
Beautiful viewpoints.
Great times!

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Fibie83
Fibie83

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy, varied walk.
Very nice discoveries with the caves and chapels at the end of the walk.

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Ladhak
Ladhak

Hello Dgmick,
I'm sorry that this route didn't meet your expectations.....but I would like to point out that you are the only hiker to have rated this route so badly!
If you walked on tarmac the whole way, you must not have followed the right information...
You're the only one who didn't find the small path to get there.... too bad for you.
I invite you to suggest hikes of your own!
Ladhak

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dgemick
dgemick

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Only tarmac path, badly signposted. Very disappointing. Indication of caves never found

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xaco83
xaco83

Easy and pleasant walk, great for getting back into the swing of things! Be careful in summer as the start of the hike is sunny!

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Blp69
Blp69
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk that ends at the surprising caves. You have to be careful not to miss the path to the right at point 8. The descent from point 8 to the caves is very pleasant!

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xaco83
xaco83

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy and pleasant walk, great for getting back into the swing of things! Be careful in summer as the start of the hike is sunny!

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SYDO83
SYDO83

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As mentioned in previous reviews, park in the town centre car park on your right and then continue up the hill on foot, keeping to the right. However, we took a path (indicated by a wooden sign) too early, so we didn't do 1 to 4 as we arrived at the N°5 fork, but the path was pleasant. Then at N°8 we almost missed the narrow descent to the right, then don't be afraid to go straight on into the undergrowth (we were afraid we'd made a mistake with very few markings) and the arrival at the caves - I say caves because you can't hesitate to go around the rocks to discover other openings and even 2 little swings (hi hi, we're falling back into childhood).
Even though we were afraid at times that we'd regret this walk, the end was worth continuing. In all, 4 hours, including the lunch break and the discovery of the caves and the swing .
Don't hesitate to visit the village and its quiet, clean little streets.

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Ladhak
Ladhak

Thank you for enjoying the walk, it's true that parking the car is not easy, but leaving from the various car parks and with a map of Aups, it's not a problem to find the start...

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RENAUD Alain
RENAUD Alain

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice little hike where the first pleasant part to the Gite de l'Estrée is on tarmac road.
The second part is superb in undergrowth and a very beautiful final Chapels and Caves.
One important point: It is impossible to park in the place indicated for the start unless there is a miracle.
On the other hand, there are car parks in Aups, which extends the route by a visit to the village.

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dragoniere
dragoniere

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Quiet little hike, varied scenery, very good description, nice spots, perfect. 4 hours wandering around.
Thanks to Ladhak:

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