The Mourre Nègre loop, passing by the old Saint-Pierre castle

The Mourre Nègre, the highest point in the Luberon mountain range, offers breathtaking views from its crest, stretching from the Étang de Berre to the Southern Alps and including the Sainte-Victoire and Mont Ventoux peaks.
On the way down, passing through the Vallon du Roumi, you can get close to the ruins (currently being restored) of the ancient Château Saint-Pierre and the adjoining chapel of the same name.

Details

958713
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.50 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 613 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 613 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,124 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 586 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Luberon
  • ⚐ District: Auribeau (84400)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.832946° / E 5.458033°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3242OT, 3243OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start of the walk from the Aire L. Peysson, 500m behind the village of Auribeau.

(S/E) From the car park, head back down to the road and immediately turn right (yellow markings) onto the track towards Mourre Nègre.
After passing a house, the track becomes a path and quickly rises into the undergrowth.

(1) Continue to the left (yellow markings), climbing up a ledge through the Vallon de la Font Jean de Martin. Pass another valley, then a third, the Vallon des Trois Èves, before reaching La Marauvière, 712m (marker).

(2) Continue to the right (yellow markings) and tackle a steeper climb above the valley. After passing a small pass near the 861m marker, descend into a small valley where you join a forest track that leads you to the ridge.

(3) When you reach a larger track, follow it to the left (yellow markings) to reach the Basse de Cabrières pass at 1024m.

(4) From this pass, turn right in a hairpin bend (yellow markings) onto the path that climbs along the ridge towards Mourre Nègre.
Pass an antecima before descending to the track at the foot of Mourre Nègre. One last effort and you reach the summit, 1125m.

(5) Go around the base station to the left and down the faintly marked path on the north side heading north-west, facing the Ventoux (be careful to keep the power line on the left).
Then enter the forest to join the main track visible below.

(6) Turn left, again following the yellow markings on the path that climbs to the right of the track.
Pass by a shepherd's hut (locked) and reach the Jas du Brémond, 994m.

(7) Turn right down the Vallon de Roumi towards Auribeau.
Cross the track 3 times, following the yellow markings, then walk along it for around 100 metres to reach the foot of the former Château de Saint-Pierre.

(8) The signs indicate a path on the right, but you can go back and forth to the fort and the chapel for a beautiful view of the valley and Mont Ventoux.
Return to the track and continue left along the path that runs alongside a few lavender fields just before you reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 590 m - Parking Aire L. Peysson
  2. 1 : km 0.69 - alt. 691 m - Vallon de la Font Jean de Martin
  3. 2 : km 1.91 - alt. 714 m - Marauvière
  4. 3 : km 3.86 - alt. 1,036 m - Track
  5. 4 : km 4.05 - alt. 1,026 m - Basse de Cabrières
  6. 5 : km 5.23 - alt. 1,124 m - Mourre Nègre
  7. 6 : km 5.98 - alt. 1,006 m - Track
  8. 7 : km 6.3 - alt. 999 m - Jas du Brémond
  9. 8 : km 7.73 - alt. 704 m - Saint-Pierre Castle
  10. S/E : km 8.5 - alt. 590 m - Parking Aire L. Peysson

Notes

No water, no shelter.
Beware, this is a northerly hike, so it's cold on a windy winter's day.

Worth a visit

Magnificent panoramic views of the surrounding mountains: Sainte-Victoire, Mont Ventoux, Verdon, Southern Alps.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 23 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
knedlik
knedlik

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

A very pleasant walk, not too busy, in a remarkable landscape with beautiful views from the summit.
In our opinion, it would be preferable to do this route in the opposite direction (anti-clockwise) as the return descent is not very comfortable on very stony ground.

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PA12
PA12

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk with varied paths and magnificent views over the ridge (which can be extended a little before descending to the castle: see map). Easy to follow with the map, with or without GPS. A few people at the summit but no one on the paths... Thank you very much!

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JulieFJ
JulieFJ

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great loop, beautiful scenery, great view from the top.
Not many hikers, but hunters in 4x4s on the footpath (and on the track, but that's more expected).
Time was much shorter than advertised, including the break.

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Etienne G
Etienne G

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great walk, with magnificent views on both sides of the Grand Lubéron.
I highly recommend it.

Especially as, apart from a few people at the summit, we didn't meet anyone (in the middle of August).
This is certainly less true for the other hikers, as we were a group of 20 people! )

Étienne

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osiris130
osiris130 ★

Hello Krirando,

This is not a copy/paste as I had no knowledge of the topoguide of the Comité départemental de RP de Vaucluse when I prepared, carried out and proposed this hike.

Perhaps the route is the same (which I doubt since part of the descent, between Jas Brémond and Château Saint-Pierre, is outside the PR), in which case it's a coincidence.
In any case, the description cannot have been copied as it is my own prose, with corrections from the Visorando moderation team.

Yours faithfully

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krirando
krirando

This route has been published since 2015 in the topoguides of the Comité Départemental de Randonnée Pédestre du Vaucluse (Le Parc Naturel Régionnal du Luberon à pied". It would be inappropriate to copy routes described and funded by our national and departmental organisations.

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Aymeric
Aymeric

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Simple, well-marked walking route ... no difficulties apart from a 600 m ascent right from the start ... exceptional scenery and site, even in January ... ruins and other castles to visit with the village of Auribeau at the end of the walk ... it's a great way to end a hike.
Thanks to visorando

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Guibo85
Guibo85

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A hike for good walkers only, which I would describe as "sporty".
The climb is nice in terms of panoramas and scenery. When we got to the top, I was disappointed because the weather was sunny but with poor visibility (slightly misty). So the long-awaited reward wasn't there. Only the view of this ugly antenna (and fortunately the Ventoux, which is still there!).
The descent is of little interest apart from the ruined castle, with its 2 nice viewpoints.
To sum up, I think this walk is only worthwhile if the weather conditions allow good visibility from the top... make sure you get all the information you need before setting off.

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Masson Chaumier
Masson Chaumier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike completed on 20 June 2023, on the distance hikers to count on the fingers of one hand, a mountain bike.
Easy walk, very good route description, no worries.
Beautiful views from the Mourre Nègre.
At the end of the walk, an interesting visit to the castle, a good end to the walk!

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DoMass
DoMass

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This is a well-marked walk, except for the rather discreet start of the descent, where you need to keep the power line on your left. There are no significant difficulties, but the climb is quite long as you pass through 3 small valleys. As far as possible, choose a clear day to enjoy the 360° view from the summit.

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Charmut
Charmut

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I did this walk in the opposite direction to the description, extending from Marauvière (Point 2) towards the village of Castellet and returning via a track further north that passes through an old field of cherry trees.
In my opinion, this is easier. You get to know the castle very quickly and the climb to Mourre Nègre is more gradual than described.
On the day in question, the wind was gusting to nearly 100km/h and it was difficult to stand upright at the summit
Beautiful 360° view that the cloud cover made it impossible to fully appreciate... 11km and 700+ D

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_LéaC_
_LéaC_

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We particularly enjoyed the snack at the summit with its magnificent view of the Alps (which makes you really want to go there) and the second part of the climb on a wide path in the middle of a magnificent forest. A short hike, but with a bit of a climb and a stony descent to keep you fit!
Thank you for this lovely hike

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JODIDO
JODIDO
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I'd already climbed Mourre Nègre from Cabrières d'Aigues in 2017. Memories of a nice long hike.
I had to get back to work at 2.30pm, so I had time in the morning to do this hike from Auribeau.
I set off from the entrance to the village and it took me 1 hour 40 minutes to reach the summit of Mourre Nègre. The route was signposted all the way.
I did see a path that went off not far from the telecoms station, but I wasn't sure so I came back to the track.
The marker post on the left gave no name for the direction. I found the power line as indicated in the description, but didn't see any paths nearby. I stayed on the track and went down a bit too far, I think. When I got to a crossroads where the signs indicated Saignon, I took the DFCI track and enjoyed some beautiful views of the château, which I visited, as well as the chapel, before returning to Auribeau.
It was a short hike of 11 km, with just under 600 m of ascent, completed in 3? hours.

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Fbeaufreton
Fbeaufreton

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice path, with a beautiful viewpoint at the very top and a fairly pleasant route without being as spectacular as others in the region. It's not technically difficult, but it's a long, sustained climb and the descent can be tricky at times (slope + rocks). We came across an ONF ranger: apparently there was a prefectoral decree prohibiting hiking, but we didn't see the information at the start of the path: so it's worth asking around.

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Fonja
Fonja

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely hike, with plenty of shade. Superb views from the summit.

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