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The car park at the town hall is ideal for parking.
(S/E) With your back to the town hall, head to the right, then immediately turn left onto the tarmac road known as the ‘Chemin des Espérelles’, which climbs, then becomes a dirt track and joins the GRP® ‘Tour des Monts de Vaucluse’ (marked in yellow and red).
(1) Follow this GRP® to the left; shortly afterwards, ignore the nature trail which starts off to the left. You’ll come to a junction and notice the distinctive marker indicating the direction of “Mur de la Peste”; continue to the right, passing through lush heaths and oak groves, until you meet, on the right, the GRP® “Autour du Luberon et des Monts de Vaucluse” near Chante-Perdrix. Leave this GRP® and continue north-east to reach the Cabrières tourist road. Cross it to arrive opposite the Bourbourin car park. There is a memorial stone in honour of the Maquisards and a signpost (yellow markers).
(2) Follow the road as it descends for a few metres, then leave it by taking the path that leads straight ahead to the north, until you reach the scattered pine trees. Turn left onto the path that runs alongside the road, turning westwards, until you reach a path on the right that climbs northwards. Follow this path to reach the “La Tête du Soldat” track. Turn right until you reach the PR® (yellow markings) which starts on the left.
(3) Take this path, which climbs very gently, to the Esperacons junction (signpost).
(4) Continue straight on along this path, which descends quite steeply for 300 metres through the cedar trees, until you rejoin the GRP® “Autour du Luberon et des Monts de Vaucluse” (red and yellow markings).
(5) This trail descends gently to the left for about 700 metres through a sparse forest of deciduous trees and pines, with the sound of trickling water audible in places; ignore a path branching off to the left and you’ll reach the Gordes tourist road.
(6) Immediately turn right onto this interrupted path, which runs alongside the road, crosses another path and reaches Font de L’Oule at elevation 114.
(7) Take the first path on the right, which climbs northwards, veers left to join a parallel path, and turns sharply north-west into the Vallon de la Fontaine, first climbing, then levelling out, and finally descending to reach the Château des Évêques from the rear (altitude: 136 m).
(8) With great care (danger!), it is possible to walk round the inner courtyard of what remains of the castle. There are stunning panoramic views of the ‘Fontaine’ (de Vaucluse), which rises further up and flows under the name ‘Sorgue de Velleron’.
On leaving the castle, turn right onto the only path to carefully begin a descent down several successive levels – some of which are fitted with metal ladders – until you reach a tarmac road and narrow streets winding between small, very typical houses, eventually arriving at the bottom of the Route de Cavaillon.
Turn right and cross the bridge over the Sorgue to the roundabout, then turn immediately left onto Rue des Bourgades and follow it to the end; follow a small tributary of the Sorgue to the “Descente de la Cristallerie”, which you climb until it joins Avenue Robert Garcin. Continue along this road, which bends to the left, until you reach a car park; cross this to reach the right bank of the Sorgue, which offers plenty of spots to stop and have a picnic by the water’s edge, whilst enjoying the tranquillity of the place and the many birds (ducks, robins, titmice, sparrows, etc.) in search of food, which won’t hesitate to approach you.
(9) Continue westwards, leaving the banks of the Sorgue behind; go round them on the left and, opposite the “Vallat des Baumes Noires”, take the path to a footbridge spanning the river.
(10) Cross this footbridge to reach the Leisure Centre. Walk through the centre to reach the road to Cavaillon. Head back up the road towards the village.
(11) Take the first path on the right, which joins the GRP® and leads you to the Oppidum de Bondelon (altitude: 181 m). You can walk all the way round this oppidum (private property) a few metres further down.
(12) Take the path heading east on the GRP® ‘Tour des Monts de Vaucluse’ (altitude: 205 m) and descend south-south-west, passing the Bastide Rouge on your left, until you reach the Chemin de Julian (cross)
(13) Pass the Mastres estate on your right (there are numerous paths just before it, heading towards Les Baumes) and follow a very stony track to the Cabrières tourist road.
(14) Take this road to the right for about a hundred metres and turn right to reach the Chemin du Réservoir, which climbs and then levels out, ending in front of the Château de Lagnes.
(15) A stroll through the village’s narrow streets takes you along the rear walls of the château and past the post office. Turn immediately left to head up Rue Montante, then take Chemin des Groubelles on the right, until you reach the entrance gate to the open-air theatre, which you cross on the left-hand side. Climb a few steep steps to reach the top of Groubelle Hill (cross), where you can enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the village.
(16) The descent towards the centre of Lagnes follows the path which continues south-west and crosses Place Batailler, with its ‘Vieux Lavoir’ on the right. Return to Rue Montante, which you follow down on the left this time, then continue along Rue de la République as far as the town hall (S/E).
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