Circular route around Pernes-les-Fontaines

Circular route near Pernes-les-Fontaines, with no difficulty at all, featuring pretty little roads and paths. Varied scenery which, after running alongside the banks of the Canal de Carpentras, delves into the Vaucluse countryside with some lovely views of the majestic Mont Ventoux and a few ancient stone structures – little chapels from a bygone era. A detour via the village of Saint-Didier rounds off this lovely route.

Details

n°42673638
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Road cycling
    Activity: Road cycling
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.23 mi
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 2 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 472 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 469 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 581 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 292 ft

Description of the route

Start from the car park at the Paul de Vivie Sports Complex, Avenue René Char.

Cycle route markers no. 3 and no. 4

(S/E) Go through the wooden gate via a chicane on the left-hand side of the car park, opposite the signposts describing the cycle routes. Go round the sports complex building on the left and follow the tennis courts until you reach a chicane.

(1) Turn left, follow the wire fence, then cross the small bridge over the Carpentras Canal.

(2) Take the path on the right, just after the bridge (routes 1, 2, 3 and 4 depending on the version of the signs!), follow the canal and you’ll reach a road.

(3) Turn right (Chemin des Grands Fonds), cross the bridge over the canal and head for the next junction.

(4) Turn left onto Chemin du Rouret and carry on straight ahead until you reach the end of Chemin de Canet.

(5) Turn left and you’ll reach the Saint-Barthelemy Chapel on Chemin des Terres Mortes.

(6) Ignore this track and continue along the departmental road, then turn right straight away onto Chemin Saint-Roch and head for the chapel of the same name.

(7) Carry on along the road and join Chemin de Cunty on the right, just after house number 2117.

(8) Follow this road to the end.

(9) Turn left (Chemin des Terres Mortes) and you’ll come to a four-way junction.

(10) Turn right and, at the next junction, turn right again. Follow the road straight on until you reach No. 295 on the right and No. 292 on the left.

(11) Take the track on the left, which runs alongside a fence. At the road, turn left (Chemin de Puy Bricon), pass a small housing estate on your right and reach the start of a path on the left.

(12) Take this path and follow it until you reach a crossroad.

(13) Turn left (route 3 or 4 indicates turning right) and head for the village of Saint-Didier. At the roundabout, take thefirst exit, the D28, towards Centre Ville, and at the next one, carry straight on towards Carpentras. At the junction, opposite the wash house, turn right and head for the entrance to the Château de Thézan, after passing under a portico.

(14) After enjoying the site, head back to the junction you passed earlier.

(13) Ignore the path you took on the way there on the right and carry straight on along the road until you reach a large crossroads.

(15) Turn left onto the D121, then immediately right onto Chemin des Traversiers. Continue to thesecond four-way junction.

(16) Turn left onto Chemin de l’Argilouso. At the end of the tarmac, turn right, pass number 603 and rejoin the road. Ignore Chemin du Peyrard on the right and continue until you reach a crossroad.

(17) Ignore the dead end on the left and turn right. Carry on straight ahead until you reach a junction at No. 1352.

(18): Continue to the right (Chemin de Fontblanque) until you reach the Les Meyrennes housing estate, no. 2.

(19) Enter the estate and, at the garages, turn left. Take the lane to the left of No. 34, then continue to a junction at the exit of the Les Meyrennes housing estate, No. 1.

(20) Turn right at the roundabout, continue straight ahead and take the next street on the right, Chemin de l’Argilouso.

(21) Follow this road, then turn left onto Traverse de l’Argilouso. At the end, turn left, then turn right at the end of Chemin de Landra, and head towards the Paul de Vivie Sports Complex (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 315 ft - Complexe Sportif Paul de Vivie
  2. 1 : mi 0.14 - alt. 302 ft - Chicane
  3. 2 : mi 0.24 - alt. 299 ft - Bridge over the - Canal de Carpentras
  4. 3 : mi 0.42 - alt. 299 ft - Road (Chemin des Grands Fonds)
  5. 4 : mi 0.68 - alt. 322 ft - Chemin du Rouret
  6. 5 : mi 1.16 - alt. 351 ft - End of Chemin de Canet
  7. 6 : mi 1.35 - alt. 335 ft - Saint-Barthelemy Chapel - Nesque (rivière)
  8. 7 : mi 2.2 - alt. 397 ft - Saint-Roch Chapel
  9. 8 : mi 2.71 - alt. 436 ft - Chemin de Cunty
  10. 9 : mi 3.29 - alt. 420 ft - Junction (Chemin des Terres Mortes)
  11. 10 : mi 3.73 - alt. 466 ft - Four-way junction
  12. 11 : mi 4.79 - alt. 361 ft - No. 295 on the right and No. 292 on the left
  13. 12 : mi 5.24 - alt. 420 ft - Path on the left
  14. 13 : mi 5.84 - alt. 449 ft - A/R junction
  15. 14 : mi 6.98 - alt. 541 ft - Saint-Didier - Château de Thézan
  16. 15 : mi 8.51 - alt. 427 ft - Chemin des Traversiers
  17. 16 : mi 9.16 - alt. 381 ft - Chemin de l’Argilouso
  18. 17 : mi 10.28 - alt. 509 ft - Cross-country route
  19. 18 : mi 11.01 - alt. 374 ft - Junction, no. 1352
  20. 19 : mi 11.26 - alt. 348 ft - Les Meyrennes housing estate, no. 2
  21. 20 : mi 11.43 - alt. 335 ft - Exit from Les Meyrennes housing estate, no. 1
  22. 21 : mi 11.69 - alt. 315 ft - Chemin de l’Argilouso
  23. S/E : mi 12.23 - alt. 315 ft - Complexe Sportif Paul de Vivie

Notes

Follow routes 1, 2 and 3 (and 4, depending on the signpost versions!).

Reviews and comments

3.8 / 5
Based on 2 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
3.5 / 5
User 18228465

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Easy hike with a few heritage sites in Pernes

Machine-translated

Thierry in the south
Thierry in the south

Oops… Yes, that’s right!
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁

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PENEZ PATRICK
PENEZ PATRICK

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Yes, it’s lovely, but bear in mind that the Canal du Midi doesn’t pass through Pernes-les-Fontaines
It’s the Carpentras Canal
Merry Christmas all the same

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