Walk from Saint-Remèze to the Aurèle plain

Lavender and vine crops. Heaths and dry stone walls. Ruins of a former German military camp. An extremely easy walk, with no elevation gain, on good paths and small roads with no traffic.

Details

33729704
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.93 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 66 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 58 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 393 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 346 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking is available near the roundabout at the eastern entrance to the small town of Saint-Remèze: cemetery, war memorial, petrol station or in front of the "La résidence d'été" campsite.

(S/E) Take the D4 towards Bourg-Saint-Andéol. Pass the little Sainte-Anne Chapel in its green setting and go past the campsite located on the bend in the D4.

(1) Immediately after passing the campsite, turn left towards an old renovated windmill. Go around it by following the path that descends to cross a stream and then climbs back up onto a concrete path. Cross the vineyards and lavender fields on the right, pass by a snail farm and continue to the D4 junction.

(2) Cross it carefully and continue straight ahead along a path through heath and lavender fields. You will need to open and close several electric gates. Follow the path, which is sometimes narrow and difficult to see, until you reach a wide unpaved road.

(3) Turn left and pass in front of an old German radar station, which they themselves destroyed in 1944. Continue to the junction with a small tarmac road.

(4) Turn right for a round trip to the top of a hill, where you can enjoy a 360° view of the landscape. Walk up the small road for about 100 metres, turn left onto the stony path and walk around the promontory.

(5) Return to the tarmac road.

(4) Follow it down to the junction with the D4.

(6) Cross carefully and take the small tarmac road opposite to the last houses. Then continue along the unpaved road. Follow this road until you reach a tarmac road.

(7) Follow it to the left, pass to the left of the Sainte-Anne Chapel and continue to the right on the D4 to return to the car park near the cemetery (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 369 m - Cemetery
  2. 1 : km 0.6 - alt. 382 m - Head towards the windmill.
  3. 2 : km 2.18 - alt. 380 m - Crossing the D4
  4. 3 : km 3.05 - alt. 379 m - Fork in the road
  5. 4 : km 3.47 - alt. 380 m - Start of a round trip
  6. 5 : km 4.14 - alt. 391 m - Promontory
  7. 6 : km 5.31 - alt. 374 m - Crossing the D4
  8. 7 : km 6.84 - alt. 373 m - Tarmac road - Conche (rivière)
  9. S/E : km 7.93 - alt. 369 m - Cemetery

Notes

Avoid the hottest hours of the day, as there is no shade on this route.

Worth a visit

Be sure to take the time to stroll through the charming narrow streets of Saint-Remèze.
Visit the lavender museum, which takes you on a little train ride through the lavender fields.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Brunobacco
Brunobacco

Beautiful, easy hike.
⚠ Watch out for dogs guarding the herd.

Machine-translated

leontia
leontia

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant and easy hike

Machine-translated

saint victor
saint victor

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike with a beautiful view from the promontory. No difficulty. Thank you for sharing.

Machine-translated

IgOr07
IgOr07

Thank you very much for your reply.

Machine-translated

dougere
dougere
• Edited:

Hello,
I don't have any information about the grave, but it's important to note that in 1942, the German army set up camp on the Aurelle plain and built structures, radars and cannons. They monitored air traffic every 50 km along the Rhône valley, from the Mediterranean to Lyon. When the Germans left in 1944, they blew everything up. Only ruins remain.
In addition, in the summer of 2007, the town of Bidon organised an African festival on this plateau with the Africa-Bidon association. African sculptures can be found all around Bidon, particularly on the promontory.
(To add photos, click on the "Action" tab at the top right of the title and then click on "post photos.")

Machine-translated

IgOr07
IgOr07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Hello, very pleasant and easy route. It's a shame that there are no explanations on the promontory about the tomb with religious symbols on either side, the stone with loopholes, or the stone with the two eagles. I'd like to attach some photos but I don't know how to do it.

Machine-translated

Isabel26
Isabel26

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Very pleasant and easy hike on the St Remeze plateau. Beautiful views along the route.

Machine-translated

JLC30
JLC30

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The hike is easy and enjoyable, especially at this time of year when nature is in bloom. The lavender and wild honeysuckle are impressive... It would be interesting to mention in the description that at promontory 5, in addition to the view, there are three sculptures and a stone amphitheatre surrounded by Provençal cypress trees.
Thank you for this hike.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.