Château du Grand Pré walks

The third stage is the shortest of this route. After a very pleasant walk along a track at the foot of wooded hills, we take a narrow path that allows us to cross from the southern to the northern side of the massif. We then climb up to the pretty village of Montjustin, before descending via a ridge offering superb views.

This fourth stage begins with a route halfway up the wooded slope of the Vallat de Pissaire before entering the Ravin du Gancet and then crossing the Aiguebelle valley to reach the hilltop village of Montjustin. The route follows the ridge of the hill separating this valley from that of the Encrême and descends to reach Céreste, situated at their confluence. It crosses the remarkable Pont de la Baou before revealing, nestled in the woods, the medieval Priory of Carluc. It climbs the side of the valley and swings over to that of the Grand Vallat, then ascends its sunny slope towards Sainte-Croix-à-Lauze, from where it reaches the top of the Cavalon valley before descending it to reach the village of Oppedette.

The final stage of this route is long and varied. The first section takes place on the plain at the foot of the Luberon ridges, which were traversed in the opposite direction during the second stage. We then gain altitude, climbing successively to the villages of Glorivette, Castellet-en-Lubéron and Auribeau, the latter two boasting a rich heritage. We then descend all the way, passing through the beautiful village of Saignon along the way.

This third stage takes you through the forests on the southern slopes of the Grand Lubéron. From Cucuron, the route climbs gently northwards across fields, then rises steeply up the wooded flank of the Montagne du Grand Lubéron and, following various valleys, reaches the bare ridge at the small pass of Basse Cabrière, east of the Mourre Nègre, the highest point of the massif. It winds along the ridge and, at its end, drops down the northern slope, then, skirting Mont La Grand Colle, returns south via the Vallat de la Combe d’Apt, before reaching Vitrolles-en-Lubéron.

This fifth stage takes you on a journey of discovery through the splendid Gorges d’Oppedette and, once past the Chapelle Saint Ferréol, visits the remarkable medieval village of Viens with its maze of narrow streets marked by the passage of centuries, before crossing the gleaming ochre landscapes of the Colorado de Rustrel, notable for its canyon-like scenery and fairy chimneys reminiscent of John Ford’s Westerns. The route reaches the hilltop village of Villars before continuing on to Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt.

This first stage is mainly uphill, leading to the foot of the western part of the Grand Luberon ridges. Halfway through, there is a descent to pass by the foot of the Rocher des Druides and the hamlet of Roscalière, followed by a climb back up. It is possible to avoid this detour and thus shorten the stage.