Around the Bois de Sainte-Croix in Charleval

A short walk of about an hour. Beautiful views of the Luberon and the villages of Vaucluse.

Details

2038926
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 115 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 115 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 287 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 171 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Charleval (13350)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.713687° / E 5.247515°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3143ET, 3143OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Charleval swimming pool car park.

(S/E) Return to the road and turn right onto it. Cross the small bridge over the Marseille canal. The "Disc Golf" sign explains the rules of the game.

(1) Take the large track that leaves to the left of this south-east sign. On your right is a "Disc Golf" basket.

(2) At the first trail junction, turn left and then take the first right. Red markings.

(3) After about 200 m, take the small track that climbs up to your right. There are hunting posts along the route. The climb is a little steep.
When you reach a larger track, turn left and continue to cistern 277 in the bend of the track.

(4) Go around the cistern on the right, almost at the end of the bend, leave the track and follow the small path opposite, north-east. This path, above the cliff, provides a little more shade and also offers beautiful views. On your right is the Château de Valbonnette. Stay on this path, which runs alongside the main track on your left. It passes through the undergrowth and descends steeply to the Canal de Marseille.
Enjoy the views of the Luberon and the villages: Charleval, Mallemort, Mérindol, Lauris, Cadenet...

(5) At the canal, take the path on the left and stay on it until you reach the initial crossroads.

(1) Turn right to cross the canal and reach the swimming pool car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 172 m - Charleval swimming pool car park
  2. 1 : km 0.19 - alt. 179 m - Bridge over the - Canal de Marseille
  3. 2 : km 0.63 - alt. 191 m - Point at an altitude of 190 metres
  4. 3 : km 0.98 - alt. 186 m - Small track on the right
  5. 4 : km 1.82 - alt. 279 m - Cistern 277
  6. 5 : km 2.71 - alt. 181 m - Canal de Marseille
  7. S/E : km 4.46 - alt. 172 m - Charleval swimming pool car park

Worth a visit

Views of the Luberon and the villages of Mallemort, Charleval, Mérindol, Lauris and Cadenet.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Zouzou13
Zouzou13

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really enjoyable, varied hike with beautiful scenery, which I think should be classified as moderately difficult if you follow the route described exactly, particularly because of the fairly steep climb at the start and the very narrow descent at the end.
Given the route, I would estimate a duration of 2 hours
A few details to avoid getting lost if you don't know the area (which I did...):
1 - Start: enter the sports park, go up on the left, skirting around the padel courts to find the small bridge
4 - The term "opposite" misled me. At cistern 277, the small path is somewhat hidden by vegetation. It is located in the bend around the cistern. Be careful not to take the most visible path that descends to the right when you arrive at the cistern. I am attaching a photo
This path joins the main track several times and then branches off again => follow the red markings. At one point, it descends quite steeply and narrowly to the canal. If you are with children or wearing unsuitable footwear, I recommend staying on the main track, which also leads to the canal

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Ludo6913
Ludo6913

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A short hike, shaded in these hot weather conditions, and above all very pleasant. Very pretty views of the surrounding countryside and walking along the Durance canal at the end of the route is relaxing. Parking available at the start. This hike is not recommended during hunting season, judging by the various observation/hunting posts dotted along the route.

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RoxanenaxoR
RoxanenaxoR
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant route, completed with a 4-year-old child (his first hike as a walker). He wasn't afraid of the slope
Lovely views.

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amjp84200
amjp84200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The circuit, which is very pleasant because it is shaded, may be closed to the public during the summer.

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Zoé Ciredutemps
Zoé Ciredutemps

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant route. Not many people, very nice

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jean-luc.boyer.truffert
jean-luc.boyer.truffert

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely short walk, ideal when you don't have much time.

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Christine Devillard
Christine Devillard

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk that can be done with children, both because it is easy and because it is short. Beautiful scenery and vegetation. We used GPS, so we had no particular problems. Thank you, Visorando.

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Clami84
Clami84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very short and easy hike in beautiful scenery.

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acide01
acide01
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

nothing to report, very good short course, interesting.

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Netra
Netra ★
• Edited:

Hello sdbgvis, and thank you for your comments.

Could you please specify where the information is incorrect and how it should be corrected? Thank you in advance.

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carrie
carrie
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 14, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

More of a stroll than a hike (takes about an hour, including photo breaks). You pass through a wood where I discovered a game (disc golf), then walk along a river before climbing up to the heights (views of the various valleys...) and gently making your way to the canal, which also offers some views.

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MICHELN54690
MICHELN54690
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

be aware that markings are often absent, so it is best to rely on the map for this lovely walk.

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