Between Lacoste and Ménerbes

A hike on little-known tracks in the districts of Lacoste, Goult and Ménerbes. An overview of nearly ten centuries of history, comprising the chapel, the old abbey and the castle.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.59 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 234 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 234 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 364 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 222 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the landscaped car park beside the cemetery of Lacoste.

(S/E) Go to the road (D106), cross, turn right, then immediately left (South-East) towards a large cross.

(1) Turn right along the Chemin de Peyre Fiot. Rejoin the D106 and follow it to the left for about 300 yards. Beware traffic!

(2) At the “Peyre Fiot” signpost, turn left (South-West) along the Chemin de Font Pourquière. Follow this road past two fine properties - the Ubac and Font Pourquière – ignoring the turn-offs to either side until you reach the Font Pourquière wash-house, to the left of the road.

(3) At the wash-house, continue to the right (North-East) along the only tarmac road, leading to the hamlet of Saint-Véran. At the entry to the hamlet, turn left (North-West).

Walk straight ahead and ignore the tracks leading off to the left until you reach the D106, where you turn sharply left (North-West-West). At the intersection shortly thereafter, continue straight on through the hamlet of Les Maquignons. As you leave the hamlet, follow the road round to the right past a vineyard on your left.

(4) At the junction, continue straight on to reach the Saint-Véran chapel, to the right of the track after about 150 yards.

(5) After visiting the chapel, retrace your steps to the junction. (4)

(4) With the chapel in your back, turn right (South-West) on a track between the vines. At the junction on the far side of the plot, take a track to the right (West) which climbs gently through the woods making turns.

(6) At the junction, turn right (North) to emerge quickly onto a wider track.

(7) Follow this track to the right (West), passing an attractive house alongside three large dry-stone structures (“bories”). Continue over a chain blocking access to motor vehicles and carry straight on past the remains of a large wall and then to a ruined farm (access not recommended since some of the walls are on the point of collapse).

(8) At this point, there are two options:
- Return to point (7).
- Or continue along the wide track to the left to start the circuit of the “quartier des bories”. At the first junction, turn left (North-East) towards a pretty house. The track veers right towards a tennis court. At the T junction, turn left (East) past the tennis court, heading along the track towards the gate to a property. On reaching the gate, turn left (North) past a field of lavender to rejoin your previous route. (7) Turn sharply right (South-East), back along the track by which you arrived at point (7).

(6) At the intersection, head right this time (South-South-East then South-East). Do not take the path you came from before.

(9) Carry straight on and at the next junction, continue straight ahead on a narrow path. At the next two intersections follow the main path on the right and ignore the paths to the left. The ground becomes white sand, which has given its name to the area: “le Mourre Blanc” (the white hill).

(10) At the intersection, carry straight on, and after a few tens of yards (at a cairn) turn right (South-West) to visit the large Mourre Blanc borie (a good spot for a break). Return to the main track at waypoint(10) . Turn left (West-South-West). At the next junction, turn left again (South) and carry straight on to reach a narrow tarmac road.

(11) Turn left (South-East), pass the Soubeyran quarries on your right-hand side to arrive at a crossroads with a central island and rubbish containers.

(12) Turn right (West) down the Ancien Chemin de Lacoste and continue to the D109. Follow this road to the left (South-West) for about 200 yards towards the Saint-Hilaire Abbey.

(13) Take the track to the right down (South) to the abbey.

(14) The abbey can be visited in summer and the rest of the year this quiet spot affords a fine view over the olive groves and the nearby Petit Luberon. After visiting, return to the D109. (13)

(13) Head right (East-South-East) and then turn right (South) on the Chemin de Saint-Hilaire (no entry for vehicles). Ignore all turn-offs to right and left and follow this road until it rejoins the D109 again. Follow the D109 to the right (East) for about 300 yards.

(15) Turn left (North-East) along the Chemin du Château, which leads to the castle of the Marquis de Sade. Walk left (North) round the forecourt, then pass under the footbridge and turn left down the cobbled streets of the village, which lead to the Rue de la Frescado. Follow this to the left then continue down the Rue Saint-Trophime to the church of the same name. Continue down the Chemin de Saint-Véran.

(1) At the junction encountered right at the start of the walk, head half right, cross the D106 and return to the car park from which you set off (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 290 m - Landscaped car park near the Lacos cemetery
  2. 1 : km 0.12 - alt. 299 m - Cross - Chemin de Peyre Fiot
  3. 2 : km 0.75 - alt. 271 m - Peyre Fiot beacon
  4. 3 : km 2.04 - alt. 251 m - Font Pourquière wash-house
  5. 4 : km 3.17 - alt. 243 m - Intersection
  6. 5 : km 3.35 - alt. 241 m - Chapelle Saint-Véran (Goult)
  7. 6 : km 4.3 - alt. 285 m - Carrefour de la grande boucle Sud
  8. 7 : km 4.44 - alt. 282 m - Crossroads of the drystone shelter loop
  9. 8 : km 4.82 - alt. 262 m - Ruined farm
  10. 9 : km 7.11 - alt. 294 m - Crossroads
  11. 10 : km 7.46 - alt. 307 m - Intersection - Access to the drystone shelter at Mourre blanc
  12. 11 : km 7.96 - alt. 318 m - Soubeyran quarry
  13. 12 : km 8.52 - alt. 332 m - Old Lacoste road
  14. 13 : km 9.28 - alt. 314 m - Chemin de l'Abbaye Saint-Hilaire
  15. 14 : km 9.83 - alt. 286 m - Ancienne Abbaye Saint-Hilaire (Ménerbes)
  16. 15 : km 12.33 - alt. 356 m - Rond-Point Chemin du Château
  17. S/E : km 13.59 - alt. 290 m - Landscaped car park near the Lacos cemetery

Practical information

Car park : Cemetery of Lacoste

In the nearby area

Saint-Véran chapel.
Many dry-stone structures in the “Quartier des bories”.
Mourre Blanc borie.
Soubeyran quarry.
Saint-Hilaire abbey.
Castle of the Marquis de Sade.
Village of Lacoste.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 25 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
bruken
bruken

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Walk done on 10 May 2025. The section on the way to the drystone shelters needs to be revised as the explanations are not clear and some access points have been changed, so we gave up.
The drystone shelter at Mourre Blanc is magnificent with its green roof at this time of year (poppies).

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Mimigm
Mimigm

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Nice hike with interesting sites
Beautiful view of the Ventoux, which was covered in snow

We had lunch near a double drystone shelter.
We made the return trip to the Abbey of Saint Hilaire de Menerbes: a must-see.
The arrival at Lacoste via the château is interesting.
The village of Lacoste is well worth a visit

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passion rando
passion rando

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

I couldn't find the rest of the route from (6).
I continued on a track in the forest marked in yellow. I abandoned it at one point to take another to the right, after seeing a magnificent drystone shelter... I came across a track that ran alongside a ruined farmhouse.
At (8) after the tennis court, I took a signposted path to the left.
Further on I followed a track that climbed up to the right of a vineyard and then became a footpath. I followed it east/south until I reached a tarmac road which brought me to the D109, which I followed on the left for 300m.
Then followed the sign (15).
Another glimpse of the hike with less tarmac.

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goulistan
goulistan

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

There were some beautiful spots, but the fact that I was almost always on road or track spoiled the fun for me. I wouldn't recommend this ride to people like me who are sensitive to this criterion. Nevertheless, I'd like to thank the author for sharing it with us, because those who aren't bothered by this will find it an easy walk with some beautiful stretches (and it's certainly even more beautiful when the lavender is in bloom!).

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BCC
BCC

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely, very easy walk with very little change in altitude. Lots of small tarmac roads but these are not very busy.
I can confirm that you cannot continue after point 7 as you are entering a private property that is built on and inhabited; you can see a drystone shelter next to the house. Return to point 6 and continue to point 9. Don't miss the detours to the chapel of Saint-Véran at point 5 and then to the abbey of Saint-Hilaire at point 14, these are very pretty places.

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LIONEL13118
LIONEL13118

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : N/A
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Made for the second time, and still as magnificent as ever, sincere thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas!

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phils360
phils360

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

very pleasant landscape 😊

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Aymeric
Aymeric

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A magnificent walk full of surprises! An ancient ruined village to discover, a site of holiday homes, each one more beautiful than the last, and finally the emblematic and unreal Château Lacoste ... the Ventoux on the horizon with the Luberon at our feet. A hike for everyone that I highly recommend ... for the pleasure of hikers who love authenticity.

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lemarcheur65
lemarcheur65 ★
• Last modified:

Hello Wiss
Thank you for reporting

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Wiss
Wiss

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Small tour. A very pleasant route, with tarmac, but the architectural heritage visited makes you forget it.
Be careful before entering St Veran, the path to the west is now private.
At point 7, the path towards the drystone shelters is also private.

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LeonardC
LeonardC

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice walk, easy to follow. Thanks for the route

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julielealudovic
julielealudovic

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

The tarmac doesn't bother us, but the beauty of the circuit makes us forget it. TO DO AGAIN

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dorade
dorade

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A well-defined route that satisfied all the walkers, with an average gradient spread over the whole route that was not particularly difficult.
The average gradient throughout the route was not particularly difficult. Suitable for all types of walker.

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Auberlet
Auberlet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Beautiful walk. Beautiful example of dry stone work.

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DEVILNATOR
DEVILNATOR

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Nothing to say about the hike, magical places, great undergrowth, not very busy but nothing unusual for a Sunday 12 November. The weather was fine, and the route was in the heart of nature, interspersed with sections on tarmac roads with little traffic. However, there were too many places where the route was not signposted, and without a subscription to the route via the Premium account, it's a real hassle! If you're going to do this walk, which is easy and enjoyable, I'd strongly advise you to do it with the help of the GPS tracker in the application. With it, you'll have no problem following the route and enjoying the incredible places we visited, particularly the abbey, which was closed to visitors during the winter period on the evening of 12 November... and it's a truly magnificent place!

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