Between Lacoste and Ménerbes

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).

Car park : Cemetery of Lacoste

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.