Circular Roquefort to Petite-Sainte-Baume

An easy walk to the beautiful cliffs of Petite-Sainte-Baume around the Grand Rouvière wine estate.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.89 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 278 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 273 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 382 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 246 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The walk starts from the car park at the cemetery in the hamlet of Roquefort, 2 km east of the town of Roquefort-la-Bédoule, on the Col de l'Ange road.

(S/E) Take the track heading east.

(1) After 400 m, follow the faint path that leads straight into the scrubland. After about 300 m, the path seems to come to an end: do not continue, but turn left onto a more clearly marked path and follow it, still heading east. When you reach a track near the road, turn left. Keep to the right at each intersection until you come to another track.

(2) Head straight south and cross the road with caution. Reach the Bastides neighbourhood, turn left and go through the gate.

(3) Descend to the right into the stream bed, follow the path southwards and then turn right towards the ruins of an old lime kiln. Turn left to take the track that climbs up just before the ruins.

(4) Just after a bend, turn left onto a path leading downhill.

(5) After about 400 m, turn left. You will arrive at a large plain. Head north-west to reach the road. Carefully climb up the road on the left .

(6) Cross the road to pass the barrier on the right and take the track heading north. Follow this track for about 1.8 km.

(7) Continue west, ignoring a tiny "private property" sign that is not relevant to the DFCI track. Continue for approximately 1.2 km.

(8) Continue along the track on the right.

(9) Turn left between two rocks, clearly marked "Gorges de la Petite-Sainte-Baume". After about 100 metres, take a small path down to the left and you will arrive at the gorges. Descend them, turning left towards the east: be careful on the rutted path!

(10) After 200 metres, turn left onto a poorly maintained path. At the end, descend to the right and follow the track that goes around the vineyards, making a wide curve to the right.

(11) At the crossroads, go straight ahead and you will come to a fork near the track you took on the way there.

(2) Take the track on the right. Follow it for about 1.2 km.

(12) Go up the track on the left, which takes you back to the intersection you passed on the way there.

(1) Continue to the right and return to the car park S/E::.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 324 m - Cemetery car park
  2. 1 : km 0.33 - alt. 352 m - Path straight ahead
  3. 2 : km 1.63 - alt. 332 m - Route de Cuges-Les-Pins
  4. 3 : km 2.06 - alt. 354 m - Stream bed - Chapelle Saint-André (Roquefort-la-Bédoule)
  5. 4 : km 3.17 - alt. 362 m - Path on the left
  6. 5 : km 3.6 - alt. 340 m - Path on the left
  7. 6 : km 4.14 - alt. 306 m - Track on the right
  8. 7 : km 5.94 - alt. 246 m - Fork
  9. 8 : km 7.15 - alt. 326 m - Track on the right
  10. 9 : km 7.52 - alt. 358 m - Path on the left
  11. 10 : km 8.07 - alt. 284 m - Path on the left
  12. 11 : km 9.42 - alt. 295 m - Crossroads
  13. 12 : km 11.07 - alt. 349 m - Track on the left
  14. S/E : km 11.89 - alt. 322 m - Cemetery car park

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Bipbip13500
Bipbip13500

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hello,

First of all, no, a DFCI is not necessarily open to the public. Agreements are made between the state and landowners to ensure that various fire prevention and firefighting vehicles can travel freely on these roads. Most of the time, they are indeed public and freely accessible to all. However, if the land is private and the owner objects by reporting it, you do not have the right to drive on it. "These DFCI tracks have the status of specialised roads, not open to general traffic. They are reserved for use by the beneficiary services and the owners of the land and their beneficiaries." https://www.bouches-du-rhone.gouv.fr/Act....
There are numerous clear signs indicating "private road, no entry"; you are breaking the law if you use these roads. It is important to note that in France, more than 75% of forests are privately owned. If we do not want landowners to end up prohibiting access and/or fencing off their land, I think it is important to try to respect each other in order to limit the already complicated tensions over land sharing, particularly with hunters and mountain bikers.

We therefore stopped our progress at point 7, retraced our steps a little and then took a path to our right (not marked as private property) and reached point 11. On several occasions, particularly on our right, we saw signs prohibiting entry onto the vineyard land where the owner's house is located, but on that side, the path can be used as it is not private.

A pleasant hike with no particular difficulties.

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lombrequimarche
lombrequimarche

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with varied landscapes, easy access, impeccable signposting and marking, and no difficulties whatsoever. The section through the Petite Ste-Baume gorge is short but very enjoyable. The only downside was on the way back, when we were walking around the vineyards, we met a hunter who introduced himself as a "guard" and told us that we were on private property and that we were not allowed to walk through the vineyards and that we could be fined if we were caught by the forest rangers.
We pointed out that we were on a DFCI (firebreak) and continued on our way.
Thank you for this discovery hike.

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favery
favery

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk:
But I took a different route because the descent to the vineyards is difficult.
When I reached the two holes, I took the path down to the left, then at the bottom I went straight ahead and turned left to rejoin the morning's route.

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Aladeli
Aladeli

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike in dry weather. Please note that in wet weather, the return trip down the gorge can be slippery.

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gillou13
gillou13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Petite Sainte Baume: A must-see!

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Daniel Ganem
Daniel Ganem

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a lovely walk for those with fragile knees and ankles. Recommended for groups of walkers over 50 years old. Partly in woodland, very pleasant to walk through. Gentle climb, wide paths, lots of flowers and beautiful views. I thoroughly enjoyed it

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plovier
plovier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

description consistent with the hike.
I'm not sure you need to go into the thicket at point 1, as you come to a path that may be the one on your left before going in. Otherwise, no difficulty
Thank you for this wonderful discovery

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MOICRI
MOICRI

Pleasant hike with views of the Sainte Baume mountain range.
Easy trails, mostly through the forest.
The Petite Sainte Baume gorges
are worth seeing.

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bernard coulomb
bernard coulomb

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A simple forest walk to get your legs back into shape before more strenuous adventures.

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Les fantastiques
Les fantastiques

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route with no difficulties whatsoever. I would classify this hike as easy rather than moderate. 👍

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Christell
Christell

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb discovery! The hike is only tracked by GPS because the beginning is quite difficult to follow.
The walk is easy, the views are superb, the trail is not very busy, and the landscapes are varied. I live not far from this place, and yet I knew absolutely nothing about these hills, which are really worth discovering. I highly recommend it!!!

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Léo Bas
Léo Bas

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful circular without any difficulties. Varied landscapes.

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Pat Patroff
Pat Patroff

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, no difficulty. La Petite Ste Baume is worth a detour. If we could avoid the firebreaks, it would deserve an extra star.

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Janine13
Janine13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy, enjoyable hike with no difficulties. Easy to follow route with GPS.

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Remora
Remora

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike with little elevation gain but very varied.
I think a GPS device is advisable to follow the route.
No one else on the trail (done on a Monday)
I recommend it

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