Circular walk through the Bois de Saint-Martin in Oraison

A good outing to stretch your legs a bit, just a stone’s throw from Oraison.

Details

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Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.71 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 222 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 222 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 558 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 373 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Oraison (04700)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 43.918783° / E 5.920523°
  • ⚑
    End: N 43.920712° / E 5.921113°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3342ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in front of Oraison Cemetery, where there is a car park. This is the start and finish point.

(S/E) With your back to the cemetery, turn left and begin the climb towards the EDF power station. At the first fork, keep left, then at the next two forks turn right, then turn right again to reach the stone path.

(1) Turn left and begin the climb, passing EDF pylons. Reach the Villevieille - Saint-Martin boundary marker. Walk past the ruins of old houses.

(2) Continue and follow the path (yellow markers). Join a track at a hairpin bend and continue straight on. You will reach a crossroads with a cistern on the right.

(3) Turn left and follow the yellow markers for “La Baume” to reach the H01 water tank.

(4) Turn right towards La Baume and Camping des Oliviers. After a hairpin bend, leave the track to follow a path on the right and continue to a crossroads of paths at the Fontaine de la Baume ravine.

(5) Continue straight on, rejoin the yellow marker and carry on. You’ll reach a spring; turn left. There’s also a hunter’s hut with a sign: Camping des Oliviers and Oraison. You’ll reach the La Baume marker.

(6) Turn left, following the sign for Oraison. Keep left at every junction and continue to the EDF canal bridge.

(7) Cross the bridge then turn left onto a long straight stretch where you pass through olive groves, fields and vineyards. You’ll reach the Les Oliviers campsite.

(8) Just before the campsite, turn slightly left (signposted ‘Office de Tourisme’) towards the EDF power station. Return to the starting junction. Turn right to reach the car park at Oraison cemetery (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 375 m - Car park at Oraison Cemetery
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 405 m - Stony path
  3. 2 : km 1.16 - alt. 480 m - Yellow markings
  4. 3 : km 2.22 - alt. 545 m - Crossroads – cistern, turn left
  5. 4 : km 3.42 - alt. 523 m - Cistern H01, on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.15 - alt. 506 m - Crossroads of paths, straight ahead
  7. 6 : km 4.77 - alt. 530 m - La Baume signpost, on the left
  8. 7 : km 6.2 - alt. 440 m - Canal bridge
  9. 8 : km 7.77 - alt. 399 m - Campsite, turn left towards the EDF power station
  10. E : km 8.71 - alt. 373 m - Car park at Oraison Cemetery

Notes

  • You’ll need to bring water (at least 1 litre) and something sweet to eat (a cereal bar or a piece of fruit).
  • It took me 2 hours 10 minutes, but if you alternate between brisk walking, running, walking and a few stops to take photos of the signposts, allow between 2½ and 3 hours if walking at a leisurely pace.
  • There are lots of stones on the route, so you’ll need suitable footwear.
  • The first kilometre is very difficult as the climb is steep.

Worth a visit

Mostly through woodland, ideal for nature lovers.
Few panoramic views, only at the start and end of the route.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
3.7 / 5
chabre05
chabre05

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy walk above Oraison, with lovely views.

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JM200858
JM200858

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route, but some confusion regarding the signage at the start between the car park and the beginning of the trail... hesitation at street intersections, lack of signposts and coloured markings, especially at the start. Beautiful view 👍

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Christian13
Christian13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely little walk around Oraison…

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villeneuverando04
villeneuverando04

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely walk, well signposted, which can be enjoyed even in hot weather as most of the route is shaded.

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marguy
marguy

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 27, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a lovely, easy walk

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yvesyamaha
yvesyamaha

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

a lovely little walk

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bibi
bibi ★

Thank you for your feedback; I’ve tried to rephrase it to make it clearer.
Kind regards

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chardonneret
chardonneret

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 04, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

The description states: ‘At S/E, leave a road on your right and keep to the right.’ However, at the fork, you must turn left.
Furthermore, at the end of (4), it would be a good idea to turn right towards the sign for ‘Ruine de la Baume’ (150 m) to discover the ruins of a hamlet with a pretty wayside shrine.
The return journey isn’t very pleasant!

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