Around Saumane-de-Vaucluse

A pretty walk around Saumane-de-Vaucluse. Fine scenery and troglodytic dwellings. Since a lot of the walk is in the shade of the forest, it is pleasant in hot weather.

Technical sheet

9200412
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.26 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 315 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 311 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 410 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 184 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Arriving at Saumane, park at the entrance of the village, by the playground or just above it, after the bend.


(S/E) Start walking towards the centre of the village (South).


(1) At the junction with the Montée du Château, continue ahead, slightly to the left in a cul-de-sac to enjoy the view. From this junction it is possible to go to the castle and then retrace your steps.
Return to the junction.


(1) Continue towards the centre of the village. On the left, note a wash-house. Carry on towards the town hall. At the square, head along the Rue des Fontaines. At the fountain of the Place de la Libération, carry straight on.
At the next junction, keep straight on the road Chemin de la Tapy, which then becomes a tarmac road. Watch out for a track heading right, near three plane trees. Take this track and cross the Combe du Haut stream. Continue uphill until you reach a fine drystone structure on the right with a small water cistern. Bypass this structure and then bear left at the junction. You then arrive to a restored rock shelter under an overhanging rock.


(2) At the shelter, enjoy the fine view of the cliffs a little further ahead. Turn back to the junction (at this point, it is possible to head right to retrace your steps back down to the village), and continue to the left. The track leads up through an area of terraces built with stones taken from the cultivated land (bancaou). On the left, you then come to a fairly large scree slope.


(3) Shortly afterwards, take the track which leads down to the right through the scrub. Just behind, there is a splendid, very well-preserved stone hut. Carry on towards the round table, leave a second hut on your right and return to the track which arrives at the long-distance footpath waymarked in red and yellow (the “GRP®”). Bear left. The track is tarmacked in places.


(4) At the signpost “Marculy” turn left towards the Château de Saumane. Continue straight ahead on the widest track. Pass through a further area of terracing and continue on the main track (downwards) to the tarmac road, the Chemin de la Tapy (here it is possible to turn left to rejoin the outward leg and follow it in reverse to return to Saumane). Turn right on the tarmac road. At the end of the concreted section, continue steeply upwards on a dirt track to arrive at a path heading off to the left, which is marked by two cairns.


(5) Follow this path through the undergrowth. At the junction, take the track which heads off slightly to the right. At the next junction, bear left. The path climbs steeply to the ridge. Turn left again. A little further on, there is a fine view of Saumane and the Alpilles. Rejoin the long-distance footpath (red and yellow waymarks and cycle route signs).

(6) Head left on this long-distance path until you reach Saumane (the castle car park). The path leads down along a fence and then passes by the shrine of Saint-Gens. When you reach the castle car park, carry straight ahead on the road.


(7) At the signpost “Château de Saumane”, bear left towards Saint-Gens Marculy. At the next junction, turn right along the foot of the cliff until you reach a flight of stairs. Go down to the village. Join the road D57A and head right, then at the junction bear left into the Rue du Petit Barry.


(8) At the end of the street, turn left onto the esplanade of the Church of Saint Trophime to enjoy the view over the plains. Leave by the Rue de l’Église.


(1) At the wash-house follow the D57A to the left and return to the car park at the entrance of the village (S/E) .

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 198 m - Car park at the entrance to the village
  2. 1 : km 0.36 - alt. 206 m - Washhouse / library. Return to - Château de Saumane
  3. 2 : km 1.54 - alt. 285 m - Rock shelter
  4. 3 : km 1.73 - alt. 308 m - Crossroads towards belle borie
  5. 4 : km 2.03 - alt. 341 m - Marculy beacon post
  6. 5 : km 3.3 - alt. 334 m - Crossing with small cairn
  7. 6 : km 4.44 - alt. 400 m - Cross-referencing with GRP
  8. 7 : km 6.38 - alt. 233 m - Beacon post - Château de Saumane
  9. 8 : km 6.92 - alt. 200 m - Église Saint-Trophime (Saumane-de-Vaucluse)
  10. S/E : km 7.26 - alt. 198 m - Car park at the entrance to the village

Practical information

The walk is largely in the shade.
The path is fairly good, but some sections are very steep.

 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.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 8092099

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A magnificent walk among the boris and drystone shelters. In spring, everything is in bloom (cysts, broom...) and the air is fragrant (thyme, honeysuckle...).
We recommend

Automatically translated

Phil 84
Phil 84

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Start from the château car park (point 7).
No major difficulties for this beautiful walk.
The rock shelter is surprising. The panorama is superb. However, the drystone shelter at point 3 was not seen.
A pleasure to do again

Automatically translated

les sem
les sem ★

Hello
Thank you for your feedback. Between 2 and 3, you really need to keep an eye out for a little "goat" path that winds between the bushes to be able to see the drystone shelter hidden behind the trees. It's not very visible and it certainly disappears even more at certain times of the year when it's less used and the vegetation grows faster.

Automatically translated

Julien VR
Julien VR ★

...

Content Manager & User support

grahawi
grahawi ★

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Lovely trip. Thanks to the authors.
We now recommend using the château car park at the top of the village: 43.93982 N 5.10793 E, signposted from the D57. To reach the starting point, turn left out of the car park, walk down to the château and then round the château to the right.
Point 1: the wash-house is no longer used as a library.
Point 2/3: I also missed the drystone shelter - perhaps a discrepancy between the GPS route and the description?

Automatically translated

Wampas
Wampas

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A simple and effective tour, with a variety of paths in magnificent surroundings, and a perfect balance between track and single track.

Automatically translated

Martine Villevieille
Martine Villevieille

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

:very good medium acce tour with a wide range of levels but short

Automatically translated

reymar
reymar

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

beautiful walk as described

Automatically translated

Jonat
Jonat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

a lovely little hike, beautiful paths, beautiful views.
We set off from the château car park.

Automatically translated

dougere
dougere

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The car park at the bottom of the village is very small. In high season, you can go to the signposted car park for the château at the top of the village, exactly at point 7 of the walk, so there's no diversions.
A very nice walk, not difficult. Interesting rock shelter, magnificent undergrowth, very wide panorama.
Be careful at point 3, we followed our GPS and failed to read the description, which told us to turn right to see a magnificent drystone shelter, which we consequently missed. We'll definitely be back.

Automatically translated

Julia CICHONSKI
Julia CICHONSKI
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A great discovery, starting from a village I've known for a long time!
Quite a few climbs, but the many shaded sections make them easier to handle.
A great view from the top and a sunny return to Saumane castle.
With the mobile app, it's much easier to activate the GPS to see the progress of the hike live.
Personally, it took me 2? hours, but I only took micro-pauses to check the GPS.
A hike worth doing, but perhaps one to be avoided in very hot weather?

Automatically translated

yvan-visi
yvan-visi
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hello
I've done this pleasant walk twice, a few days apart.
The first time in the opposite direction to the route, listening to the advice of hikers I met.
The second time, following the order of the route, i.e. via the rock shelter. Despite the fairly stony climb, the route is easier this way.
A bit too much DFCI, but difficult to do otherwise.
The descent to Saumane through the undergrowth is very pleasant.

Automatically translated

Evergreen
Evergreen

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Automatically translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of the author. Do not copy them without permission.