From church to church, from Pélissanne to Salon-de-Provence

Start from the car park beside the Touloubre, Place du Lavoir, Rue des Passadouires.

(S) With your back to the square, turn left onto the one-way street. At the end of Rue des Passadouires, cross the road and go under the archway opposite. Immediately afterwards, turn right (Rue de la Liberté), ignore the first right, and take the next right. Walk past the church until you reach its forecourt.

(1) Turn left and walk a few metres; with your back to the church, take Rue Foch, to the north-east of the square. Turn left at the first street (Chemin de la Petite Brulière), then right at the first street, Chemin de Saint-Pierre. Follow this road, go round a roundabout, and you’ll reach the oil mill at No. 445.

(2) Just past the mill, there is a car park from which you can see, at the far end by the gate, a system of three branches of the Canal de Craponne (Pélissanne branch). Carry on along Chemin de Saint-Pierre, then turn left onto Vieux Chemin de Lambesc à Salon. Before the small bridge crossing the canal, keep to the right onto Chemin de la Coste and, at the next fork, take the path on the right to begin the gentle climb up La Coste.

(3) Before the lovely countryside on the left, note the numerous fossilised shells (do not pick them up!). A lovely view of Sainte-Victoire, at the Salon air base, stretching past Sainte-Baume and the Pilon du Roi. Then pass the rocky outcrop by following the path to the right. Take in the terraces and shelters. Join a wider stony path, follow it to the left, then, after about a hundred metres, turn right onto the small path heading north. Soon after, turn left, heading north-west, and climb up to the viewpoint.

(4) A lovely view over Valdegon with its olive trees, terraces, an old well and, above, the Auberge de Sainte Croix. Then continue downhill and, at the bottom of the slope, turn left onto the path. Leave Valdegon, following the valley floor. At the three-way junction, keep to the right and head for the next junction (GR® Marseille Provence Métropole), running alongside the Coste.

(5) Beautiful panoramic view to the south. Turn right and follow the main track. After passing the remains of a quarry, join the tarmac road.

(6) Follow it to the right (Rue de la Coustelade) and enter the village. Walk past the care home on your right and arrive at a junction at the entrance to Salon-de-Provence.

(7) Carry on to the right (Route de Pélissane), cross the bridge over the motorway, then the one over the Canal de Provence. Head towards the town centre along Avenue du Maréchal Leclerc.

(8) At the roundabout, and again at the next one, carry on straight ahead until you reach the end of Avenue Roger Donnadieu. Cross the road and continue straight ahead towards Collège Viala Lacoste (Avenue Gaston Cabrier). Follow Rue Auguste Moutin until you reach Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, with its fountain dedicated to Craponne.

(9) Opposite the Town Hall, turn right, then pass under the medieval gateway featuring the Black Madonna on Rue Bourg Neuf, and head towards Saint-Michel Church, situated in the magnificent historic centre (E). 

(S) Car parks are also available further east, towards the Post Office and the Stade de la Prouvenque, or just past the start point, immediately north of the Moulin des Costes.

(E) You can return from Salon-de-Provence by bus, with easy payment via the Métropole’s transport app. Libébus routes 4 and 8 are at the bottom of the list in the app. Please note: no services run on Sunday afternoons.

(8) You can turn left onto Rue André Marie Ampère to join the fitness trail for a short detour under the pine trees (tree-top adventure course).

(9) A fountain in honour of Craponne, whose network of canals enabled the creation of the Crau Verte, a treasure of the Salon region. Adam de Craponne, the man from Salon who diverted the River Durance.

Remember to take water with you (there are no water points once you’ve left Pélissanne), but all shops are available at the start of the walk.

Access to the woodland areas is restricted from mid-June to mid-September.

You can visit the churches and the olive oil mill in Pélissanne (Moulin des Costes).There is a fitness trail near the finish, close to the IUT in Salon. Museums in Salon-de-Provence, including the Nostradamus Museum, and the must-see attractions in Salon-de-Provence.