Circular route on the heights of Manosque and Saint-Martin-les-Eaux

In a single walk on the heights of Manosque, you can see Mont Ventoux, the Lure mountain, the Southern Alps, the Valensole plateau, Sainte-Baume and Sainte-Victoire; with superb panoramic views, a reasonable elevation gain, accessible to all, half in the sun, half in the shade.
Please note: the start of the route has been altered to avoid crossing pig pens that have appeared in recent months.
As the route is not signposted, we recommend following it using GPS and the Visorando app.

Details

599376
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.33 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 156 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 148 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 692 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 585 m

Photos

Description of the walk

On the D907, 4.7 km after leaving Manosque towards Apt, take the tarmac road on the right towards Barême (no signpost). Park along the field on the left, after the rubbish enclosure.

(S/E) The walk begins on the path opposite the rubbish enclosure. Follow it northwards. About 350m after the start, you can see sandstone rocks on the right. Shortly afterwards, the path turns to the right.

(1) Do not follow it any further; instead, take the path that continues straight ahead, near an Aleppo pine. It is less obvious than the one you were on, but clearly visible. Follow it until it joins a better-defined path. Take this path to the left.
After about 400m, the path veers to the right and becomes quite steep. Hang in there, it only lasts for about a hundred metres.

(2) Keep an eye out for the stony path that starts on the left. Take it.
This path descends to a meadow, climbs slightly through the meadow, turns left at the remains of a fence and descends to a black gate.

(3) Go through the gate (around the side if it is closed) and turn left. After 30 metres, at the junction, continue straight on along the path that climbs alongside a white marker for about 50 metres.

(4) Turn right. Continue along the path which climbs to the ridge, follows it and then begins a very steep descent.

(5) At the bottom of the descent, turn right and then, a few metres further on, turn right again. Continue along the path, pass under a power line and ignore a path branching off to the left. Return to the junction we passed earlier after the black barrier.

(3) This time, turn left and follow this path, which becomes tarmac after a few hundred metres, to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 585 m - Parking along the field
  2. 1 : km 0.44 - alt. 613 m - Junction, straight ahead
  3. 2 : km 1.38 - alt. 692 m - Gravel path on the left
  4. 3 : km 1.87 - alt. 647 m - Black barrier
  5. 4 : km 1.99 - alt. 656 m - Junction, on the right
  6. 5 : km 3.26 - alt. 625 m - At the bottom of the descent, on the right
  7. S/E : km 6.33 - alt. 585 m - Parking along the field

Notes

No water points, no shelter. Hiking boots are recommended and useful (though not essential) for the fairly steep descent.

Worth a visit

Between points (1) and (2), there is a view of Mont Ventoux (in the background on the left), the Lure mountain (opposite), the Haute-Provence Observatory (the shiny domes) and the Forcalquier region.

Shortly after (4), you can see the Geosel facilities below on the left, which involve the underground storage of hydrocarbons in salt domes.

Further on (5), from left to right, you can see the Valensole plateau, Sainte-Baume, Cap Canaille (notable for its sheer vertical drop) and Sainte-Victoire. You can also see the ITER construction site, even though it is over 16 km away.

During the walk, you will pass several white markers. These mark the route of an underground ethylene pipeline running from Lavéra/Berre to Saint-Auban.

Reviews and comments

3.6 / 5
Based on 10 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.4 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 18650871

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The western circular is impossible to complete due to the pig pen and should be removed. The eastern circular is worth doing, with beautiful views and a section through the forest.

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cray38
cray38

The route seems to be blocked by some new fencing between point 1 and point 2. It’s impossible to continue along the route.
I’ve marked the obstacle on the app. In my opinion, the route should be amended or the walk removed.

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romain1208
romain1208

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is very tricky to follow at the start. The path is barely visible, and the pig pen makes things considerably more difficult. It’s easier to start from the meadow, and there are no problems on the second half of the route.
Beautiful views of La Lure, the Forcalquier region and Mont Ventoux in the distance if the weather is clear. An easy hike done with two children aged 6 and 9. Very few people around.

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titougroot
titougroot

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We combined this short walk with the one called #From Bourne Farm to Saint-Martin-les-Eaux# to make it longer. Luckily we know the area well, because it’s impossible to follow the route description. Between the sheep pens blocking the paths, the pigsty taking up the whole hill, and the closed gates you have to go round or climb over... we managed to find our way thanks to Geoportail! It’s a lovely area (it’s our neck of the woods!) There are magnificent landscapes, but we need to find another route between Bourne Farm and Saint-Martin...

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Béatrice64
Béatrice64

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Impossible to do without the Visorando GPS. The start is so poorly described that if you don’t have the GPS… you won’t find the path. What’s more, the so-called steep slope is really steep and full of stones… I wouldn’t recommend it with young children. Finally, as I don’t enjoy walking on tarmac, this walk involves quite a bit of it. Otherwise, the views are breathtaking... and you’ll see a pig farm with peaceful, contented pigs.

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myrtille01
myrtille01

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Having trouble finding where to start…

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Fandol
Fandol

Overall rating : 1.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

It started off well but things went wrong very quickly because the sandstone rocks marked on the right were actually on the left, and then we found it very difficult to spot the invisible path near the Aleppo pine. After that, we came across a huge, endless fence with no choice but to walk alongside it to get round it... By guesswork and luck, we managed to find the route again with great difficulty, thanks to the remains of a fence and, above all, the black gate. Finally, after the path along the ridge, we turned back because the description wasn’t precise enough and we no longer knew where we were. Here too, some signposting would be welcome...

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pbonamour
pbonamour

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

really pretty

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ericmanosque
ericmanosque

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

At the start of the route (at marker 1), there is a field with sheep and pigs. Keep an eye on your dogs. This walk was taken in early spring.
The trees are not yet in leaf, and the view, described so well by the author of the walk, is even better.
Eric

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lesvertsterrils@gmail.com
lesvertsterrils@gmail.com

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A walk starting from Saint Martin and returning to the same place. I modified the suggested routes slightly. I went as far as the Tomasine Biodiversity Centre (above Manosque) and walked the entire route around the Géosel underground storage site. I crossed the splendid Pélicier forest, then returned via the ridges above Saint Martin. A route that is often off-track and unmarked: 18 km. Beautiful views and ever-changing landscapes.
Gilles

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RENALDO
RENALDO

FORECAST FOR THE LAST QUARTER OF 2017

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mazureplee
mazureplee

Due to family health reasons, there are no hikes planned for the time being.
Have a nice day

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cedric.h
cedric.h

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,

What a lovely outing this little walk in the hills above Manosque was! Breathtaking views of all the surrounding peaks (in clear, sunny weather). It was a real treat for the eyes!!!

The path isn’t signposted, so we followed the route entirely using GPS. The directions are crystal clear, but I’m afraid we would have got lost without the GPS.

A must-do outing – it’s well worth a look!

Enjoy the walk,

Julie and Cédric
www.sacsadosetcourbatures.fr

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