Park in the car park at the Saint-Pantaléon cemetery (in the commune of Gordes).
(S/E) From the car park, cross the Route de la Badelle (D148) and take the Chemin Des Garrigues opposite, heading north; this is a small tarmac road. Stay on this main track, ignoring the paths branching off to the left and right. The track offers views of troglodyte houses below the cliff. Walk along a stony path for a few metres before reaching a tarmacised junction.
(1) Leave the Chemin des Heaths and turn right. The tarmac soon ends. Carry on straight ahead and, at the Fork in the road (not shown on the map), keep to the left, then continue straight on until you reach the wide Chemin des Roques, which crosses your path.
(2) Turn left (on the right, an engraved stone bears the words “no way out”), then immediately left again onto a grassy path. A little further on, when the path veers to the right, a first wooden sign reading “Par ici les ami-e-s” invites you to explore the remains of an old jas with a dwelling, an enclosure and drystone shelters on the left (the second sign, identical but pointing in the opposite direction, indicates that you have passed the jas). Further on, continue along a wide path to the right (junction not shown on the map). A fine drystone shelter can be seen on the left of this path.
Carry on until you reach the start of a footpath between two cairns on the right, just as the track turns left.
(3) Take this path. It passes between low dry-stone walls and quickly leads to an engraved stone stating: “Private path – walkers and cyclists welcome. Motorbikes and quads prohibited”. The path runs alongside a large reconstructed drystone shelter then turns left. It widens before reaching a T-junction.
(4) Join the Chemin des Heaths and turn right onto it. Ignore a path branching off to the left; you’ll follow this on the way back. Carry on straight ahead to the next large crossroads (the junction where the route takes a circular shape).
(5) Turn left at the pylon onto a small tarmac road called “Chemin du Clos de Denante”. When the road turns sharply left, leave it and continue straight ahead along the unpaved track that runs through the woodland. After about 300 m, look out for a wide clearing on the right amongst the oak trees with a barely visible path leading off it.
(6) Follow the footpath, going there and back, as it bends to the left to reveal the longest drystone shelter in Provence.
(7) Turn back to the previous fork.
(6) Carry on to the right along the path to the next junction, at the corner of a large estate and its imposing gate. Turn right onto the small tarmac road, ‘Chemin de Valori’. Walk past a succession of beautiful properties (golf course, private tennis courts). The road becomes a stony track and reaches a Fork in the road.
(8) Turn left. Continue along the stony track, which widens until it rejoins the Chemin des Heaths and a yellow signpost. Turn sharply right in front of the wayside shrine, onto this track. A drystone shelter is visible a little further on to the right. You’ll reach the next T-junction.
(9) Follow the signposting to turn left and then right onto the Chemin des Roques. Go round a property with very high stone walls. Walk alongside these high walls. There is a beautiful view to the north over the village of Gordes. At the stone cross standing against a wall, leave the yellow markings and continue straight on (Yellow Cross) until you reach a very tall structure comprising several dry-stone elements (wall, dwelling, drystone shelter, oven).
(10) Leave the Chemin des Roques at the corner of this impressive structure and turn right onto the Chemin du Clos de Denante. Return to the junction you passed on the way out.
(5) Carry on straight ahead for 80 m until you reach the other fork you passed on the way out, to rejoin and complete thefirst circular loop.
(4) Turn right onto the path that runs round an olive grove. Continue straight on along this path, then turn left onto a wide track (junction not shown on the map). At the next junction, continue straight ahead, passing the Carrières Serre Frères et Cie quarries, and carry on to the Route de Saint Pantaléon (D148).
(11) Turn left onto this road. At the next junction, go straight ahead and head for the car park (S/E).
