Around La Roque d'Anthéron

From the Cistercian Abbey of Silvacane to the village, following the Durance. An easy walk combining history and nature.
Moderator’s note: this walk description is quite old – please check the comments at the bottom of this page

Details

n°17259

Creation:
07 Jan 2013

Last update:
02 Sep 2026

Last review:
06 Jan 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 5.61 mi
Average duration: 2h 40
Difficulty: Easy
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 85 ft
Descent: - 85 ft
Highest point: 554 ft
Lowest point: 469 ft

Country: France
City: La Roque-d'Anthéron (13640)
Start/End: N 43.714798° / E 5.329808°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3142OT, 3143ET, 3243OT
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Description of the walk

Start: Silvacane Abbey car park (S/E).

Heading east, follow the signposted path that runs alongside the D561a departmental road, then descend towards the EDF canal.

(1) Cross the canal. Continue left along the signposted path heading west (the canal embankment is closed to traffic). The path winds its way between the canal and the Durance. There are numerous tracks leading down to the banks of the Durance.

(2) Return and stay on the northern bank of the canal. The path then passes through “Les Iscles”, an agricultural area where fields of artichokes, vineyards and horses alternate.
Still following the canal, the path moves away from the Durance. Tunnels allow you to pass under the canal.

(3) Take the second tunnel to head towards the village.
A quick tour of the village (the Mail, the castle, the church).

(4) Walk back down alongside the park (the one where the very famous piano festival takes place) via Avenue du Parc.
At the junction with the D23, turn right and continue for just over a kilometre.

(5) Keep an eye out for the signposts; the path turns right and crosses a cultivated area before heading back up towards the abbey car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 551 ft - Silvacane Abbey car park - Canal de Marseille
1 : mi 0.82 - alt. 525 ft - EDF Canal
2 : mi 1.71 - alt. 482 ft - Bank of the - La Durance
3 : mi 3.39 - alt. 469 ft - 2nd tunnel - Canal de Craponne
4 : mi 4.27 - alt. 472 ft - La Roque Park
5 : mi 5.06 - alt. 482 ft - Crossroads: return path
S/E : mi 5.61 - alt. 551 ft - Silvacane Abbey car park

Notes

Some parts of the route are on roads.

Access to the banks of the Durance is not signposted.

Worth a visit

The Cistercian Abbey of Silvacane, one of the ‘three Provençal sisters’ alongside Sénanque and Le Thoronet.

A visit to the village of La Roque d’Anthéron, famous for its piano festival.

Reviews and comments

3.5 / 5

Based on 31 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5

Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5

Route interest
3 / 5

pilou457

06 Jan 2025 at 10:36

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Hike taken the day after New Year's Eve, so ideal for getting back into shape. The view of the canal hill is uninteresting. As I said, "good for the day after a party".

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LIONEL13118

01 Oct 2024 at 18:25

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for sharing.

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jean-louis pin

03 Dec 2022 at 10:44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route starting from Silvacane is very good... nothing to complain about except for the number of the tank, No. 162, which does not correspond, but that does not change anything! The distance is almost 12 km. A route to be recommended...

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vrchris

27 Sep 2021 at 13:23

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Why didn't I read the comments before going on this walk, which is definitely not a hike...
No interest whatsoever, a long stretch of busy road to get to the start, tarmac, no view as it's below the canal, everything is ugly. It's okay for taking kids for a quiet bike ride, but it's no feast for the eyes!
Is this the only kind of route around the abbey?

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Centuriona

02 Sep 2020 at 09:45

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

A hiking route to be avoided at all costs: completely uninteresting, we were trapped between the EDF Canal and the Durance, which was inaccessible due to overgrown vegetation. The route along the Durance is not feasible. There are no viewpoints, the hike is not interesting, so we cut it short by taking the first tunnel.
HIKE NOT RECOMMENDED in your files.
The only interesting visit is Silvacane Abbey, which can be organised as a tourist attraction rather than a hiking destination.

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cyclotrain

15 Jun 2020 at 08:33

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Any route with a fanciful route in the area near the bed of the Durance river

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muriel2006

16 Mar 2020 at 12:05

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

It appears that part of the path no longer exists, most likely due to flooding. Description to be reviewed.

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Eliane ROS HUGON

02 Mar 2020 at 10:33

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It's a shame, but the mileage is different from what is indicated; it only shows 4 km???

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henri57

10 Feb 2020 at 16:25

Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to give your opinion.

For your information, "Map route" refers to assessing the accuracy of the route as it appears on the map in relation to the actual terrain.

See you soon!

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Qalinka

10 Feb 2020 at 11:05

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

Quite a long stretch near the road... then the path between the canal and the Durance river looked like a rubbish tip, so we climbed up to the canal to walk alongside it, which was much more pleasant and... sunny!
Then the passage through the village was pointless, as the part we crossed only showed us council flats...
I think we'll have to revisit this route!
The only interesting thing was the visit to Silvacane Abbey

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Gindrier Thierry

16 Jan 2020 at 14:56

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Why this walk is interesting:
+: allows you to discover both a village and its surroundings.
+: hiking time and distance are neither too long nor too short.
+ Starts and ends at the Cistercian abbey, which is open to visitors.
-- very difficult to reach the banks of the Drac if it has rained recently (very muddy)
-: Drac side: moderately interesting, a little monotonous and lacking in variety, although the view of the Luberon is beautiful.

- reliability of the description: OK everywhere except point 2, which is difficult to access if it has rained beforehand and the direction is not clearly indicated.

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Netra

08 Jan 2020 at 07:50

Hello jookline, and thank you for your additional comments.

Perhaps the author has something to add?

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Jookline

05 Jan 2020 at 13:50

Hello Étienne,

Right from the start, the route does not follow the path exactly, and between points 1 and 2, where you are supposed to turn onto a trail, the trail does not exist. We wanted to persevere, but you have to cross through bushes and a ditch, and in any case, you can't continue after that because the vegetation has taken over and the path no longer exists. You end up wading through a kind of marsh... We had to turn back. We tried to do the walk in the other direction, but it wasn't very interesting, just more tarmac...

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Netra

05 Jan 2020 at 13:38

Hello Jookline, thank you for your comments.

I'm sorry to hear about your disappointment... across the board. I'll make a note of the problems with the tarmac and access... The author may be able to provide some clarification on this.

In what way is the description "disappointing"? Does it not provide sufficient guidance on site?

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Jookline

05 Jan 2020 at 12:00

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing

The route is more than approximate. Lots of road. Trail open to vehicles and used as a rubbish tip. Impossible to complete the walk, as point 2 is inaccessible in winter. Not worth it. Angry that I drove 45 minutes to get here.

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