Circular Sainte-Victoire and bottom of Lake Bimont

Park in the upper Aurigon car park, leaving the first car park on your right.

(S/E) Walk to the end of the car park and pass the two retractable bollards that prevent vehicles from passing. Cross the concrete bridge, then take the small wooden footbridge on the right to cross the large meadow heading north-east. Enjoy the view of Montagne Sainte-Victoire. Reach the end of the meadow and cross the bridge.

(1) Take the track on the right, which leads uphill and is marked with green lines and the^GR®® 653A sign: this junction is also on the return route.
Head up the track. At the hairpin bend to the right, carry straight on along the path heading east. This is a shortcut that rejoins the track a little further on.

(2) Continue eastwards along the track, which takes you near the hamlet of Le Trou and the Cézanne Refuge. Leave them on your right and head north.

(3) Leave the track and take the path that winds between the low walls of old terraces. As you cross the ridge, look out for the rock known as ‘Le Baiser’. Follow the path climbing up through the rocks known as ‘Pas du Dinosaure’. You’ll reach a junction of paths.

(4) (546m) Turn right onto the path marked “Difficult” and marked with red lines. You’ll soon reach the “Pas du Berger”. This is a fairly vertical slab about 5m high, which you climb first to the left and then to the right (good handholds on the right). Afterwards, the path is steep; it veers to the right after a ledge, then to the left across slabs. Follow the markings carefully to the “Pas du Moine”, where you’ll reach the Imoucha path.

(5) (767m) Here you’ll discover the north-facing slope of the mountain. Head for the rock face above you. Instead of following the blue markings, turn left, heading due east, and walk along the base of the rock face, then up its upper section, until you rejoin the white-and-red marked path – this is the^GR®® 9, the Chemin des Venturiers.

(6) Follow this path downwards; it becomes a rescue track. The descent is steep until you reach a hairpin bend to the right.

(7) (370 m) Take the unmarked path on the left, leaving the^GR®®9here; it climbs slightly at first, through the woodland. The path then descends, runs along the edge of a field and follows the river known as the Cause. Follow the river and cross it twice. You are now following a track on the left bank. Leave this track by veering northwards to enter the area cleared when the lake was drained.

(8) Cross the ruined bridge. Continue across the centre of the empty lake to reach the gorges.

(9) The landscape opens out onto a vast expanse overlooked by the dam. Two posts have remained there since the reservoir was filled. Pass close to the metal post and continue south-west. Head back up towards the bank, as if you stay at the bottom all the way to the dam, you will be unable to climb back up due to unstable cliffs.

(10) Follow the edge of the vegetation southwards and head back down into the dry valley as soon as possible. Make your way back up the valley floor. At the edge of the vegetation, take the unmarked path leading uphill.

(11) Cross the Sentier Imoucha (351m) and continue climbing south-southeast. You are now in the Vallon de la Dispute.
You’ll come to a fairly level track. Turn right, heading due west. Five minutes later, the track descends.

(12) Turn left and take a track that descends; you will see a few green markers and the signposts for^{the GR®®} 653A. When you reach the bottom of a concrete track, you are in a former shooting range, the eastern part of which is sometimes off-limits (275m). Cross it heading south, taking the path which is slightly to the left of the previous track’s centre line. Follow the stream back to the original junction.

(1) Go round the meadow on the left, following the stream along a path, to reach the car park. (S/E).

The Imoucha Path is closed; further information here.

Please note: There is no path at the far end of the lake as the area has been submerged for 60 years. In the event of recent rainfall, there is a risk of getting stuck in the mud. Do not set off alone.

Please note! Between¹ June and 30 September, access to the forest areas is restricted by prefectural order. Please check the official website.

Please note: The Prieuré de Sainte-Victoire has reopened, but access is restricted; please see this page for further information.

• No water sources, no shelter.

• Sturdy footwear suitable for rocky terrain, and sun protection.

• Climbing the Pas du Berger may pose a challenge for some people, who will need to be belayed.

• Be prepared to cross the river: in certain conditions, you will need to wade through the water between (8) and (10).

• After (7), if the water level in the lake prevents you from continuing the walk, there is an alternative route: head north to the Departmental Road 10 at its junction with the^GR®® 9, take bus 140 (Cabassol stop) towards Aix, where you’ll then take bus 110 towards Puyloubier. Stop at the Aurigon car park in Roques-Hautes. Alternatively, if the Bimont dam is open – that is, on Saturdays and Sundays whilst works are ongoing until 2019 – you can take the D10 then the D10f, cross the dam and reach (12).

• To avoid the lake, you can choose to reach the starting point via the Sentier Imoucha. From (5), turn left and head to (11) by following the blue signposts.

Do not use the definite article ‘la’ before Sainte-Victoire: say ‘A walk to Sainte-Victoire’ or ‘A walk to Montagne Sainte-Victoire’.

• The pier ofthe Roman aqueduct at the entrance to the car park.
• (1) Site of a resurgence; in dry weather, it is fed by Lac du Bimont, provided the lake is full.
• (3) The hamlet of Le Trou, now in ruins except for the Cézanne Refuge, which is locked. If you have time, visit this hamlet: the vault of a chapel, a threshing floor, a well, building remains, and a viewpoint. You can walk a circular route via the metal staircases.
• Between (3) and (4), look out for the rock known as‘Le Baiser’, where you can make out a couple kissing when viewed from above, about a hundred metres away. The woman is on the left, with her arm around the man’s neck.
• (5) The Mur du Pré des Moines has been restored. An information plaque is affixed to the western end of the wall.
• (5) From this point, you can take a detour via the Priory (the Imoucha path, marked in blue) and the Croix de Provence (marked in red and white), then head back down via the Priory and the red-and-white-marked path to (6). Allow an extra hour to enjoy the scenery a little. Please note: you should check this website to see if the Priory is open.
• Between (8) and (10), you may come across freshwater mussels.
• Between (10) and (12), at an altitude of 351m, you can follow the Imoucha Trail to reach the Bimont Dam. If it is open (only at weekends until 2019), you can cross it to reach a fountain, just before the Bimont car park. Allow an extra 40 minutes. On the right bank (north), just after the dam, there is also an orientation table and information boards about the Canal de Provence and the dam.