From Réauville to Aiguebelle Abbey

A pleasant hike that takes you from Réauville, a charming village in the Drôme Provençale, to the Abbey of Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle.

Details

1886647
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.91 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 152 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 148 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 300 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 198 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the village of Réauville. Head to the car park at the orientation table at the end of Rue du Rocher.

(S/E) Leave the car park and take the first street on the left (Rue de la Cure). At the end, continue right, pass the wash house and its frescoes and immediately turn right towards the village centre and the town hall. Pass the bend to the left and take the Chemin de Montjoyer which climbs up to the left, heading north.

(1) At the three-way junction, continue straight ahead and reach the next crossroads with the sign for "Bois de Clave".

(2) Turn left and follow a field of solar panels.

(3) Leave the road and turn right onto a small stony path that continues alongside the solar panels and leads to a descent (stony path).

(4) At the "Pré Lacard" sign, continue straight ahead, cross the stream and follow the path on the left until you reach the rocks. Continue straight ahead and at the end, go through the green gate. At the abbey wall, follow the path and join the road. Follow the road on the left and look out for some very pretty rocks in the small wood on the left.

(5) After the rocks, turn left and immediately right onto a small stony path that descends. Look for a wayside cross on the right in a tiny garden, the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes on the right, and you will arrive at the Abbey of Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle.

Continue right along the paved road, follow the tree-lined path and take the road on the left. Go about 15 metres and continue along the path on the right towards the green gate. Follow this small path (not shown on the IGN map) to the river and cross the bridge. Go up a flight of wooden steps and continue into the woods.

(6) At the rope handrail, look at the calvary, enjoy the view on the left and continue uphill.

(7) When you reach the flat section, turn left. Further on, walk along a field of oak trees on your right until you reach the ruins of the Chapelle de la Sainte-Famille and its magnificent statue. Continue along the path until you rejoin the route you took on the way there.

(4) Turn right and join the three-way junction before the entrance to the village of Réauville

(1) Leave the route taken on the way there and follow Rue de l'Abbé Charvat to the right. After the cemetery, turn left immediately and continue straight ahead towards the village along a charming lane. At the church, rejoin the route taken on the way there and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 260 m - Car park at the orientation table
  2. 1 : km 0.68 - alt. 279 m - Three-way junction, go straight ahead
  3. 2 : km 1.04 - alt. 286 m - Bois de Clave, on the left
  4. 3 : km 1.23 - alt. 291 m - Small stony path on the right
  5. 4 : km 2.16 - alt. 270 m - Crossroads, opposite
  6. 5 : km 3.92 - alt. 241 m - Tarmac road on the left
  7. 6 : km 4.61 - alt. 208 m - Rope handrail
  8. 7 : km 4.79 - alt. 252 m - Flat ground in the woods on the left
  9. S/E : km 7.91 - alt. 260 m - Car park at the orientation table

Notes

- At Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle Abbey, there is a shop selling local products, a water point, toilets and a picnic area.

- The community of Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle, built in 1137, currently has 19 monks aged between 46 and 94 and continues to pursue its monastic life, seeking to live by the work of its hands, to help the poor as much as possible, and to welcome those who want to take a break from their lives.
- There are no particular difficulties on this hike.
- There is a bar in the village of Réauville.

Worth a visit

- At Notre-Dame d'Aiguebelle Abbey, visit the basilica, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Tibhirine Memorial and the abbey shop.
- In Réauville, visit the church, the wash house with its frescoes and the rock with the orientation table.
- On the way, see the ruins of the Chapel of the Holy Family.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 23 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Patrick PREVOST
Patrick PREVOST

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy family hike...
For a picnic, it's a good idea to make sure you arrive at the Abbey, as there are tables and benches near the car park where you can sit down after visiting the Abbey.

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pistafia
pistafia

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The hike is easy with many shaded sections, making it ideal for families.

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Gilbert.
Gilbert.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy hike through the woods with a slightly challenging climb at Aiguebelle, but fortunately there is a rope

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jmg84
jmg84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route, mostly through woodland. Don't hesitate to take the time to visit the outside of the abbey, even if you can't go inside. We enjoyed a swim just after the abbey. Thank you for this guide.

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Oce266
Oce266

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Great little trip to the abbey, which is also stunning. I highly recommend it

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Fagot
Fagot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy route with no difficulties
A pleasant walk for the whole family

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Trotti
Trotti

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, partly through woodland. Very pleasant.

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Xav26D
Xav26D

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route with no difficulties.

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FLOCH
FLOCH ★

Thank you for your feedback.
You understand why we insist on the accuracy of the description.
Kind regards

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Patrick Knepper
Patrick Knepper

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The description on Visarando is very accurate and well done, but there are no markings on site, so you have to pay close attention to the description, which takes away some of the pleasure of hiking
The only signs are a few route signs and the GR markings that you come across
Otherwise, the walk is beautiful

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Philou26
Philou26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful discovery at Aiguebelle Abbey: statues of the Holy Family.

The walk was done in the morning and was almost entirely shaded.

The section along the solar panels can be off-putting, but you can hardly see them.

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Lafolie de Dom
Lafolie de Dom

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, enjoyable because part of it is under the woods in hot weather.
The solar panel field is somewhat hidden by vegetation in May, so it doesn't spoil the landscape too much.

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Helios
Helios

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful and very pleasant hike

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Francine84
Francine84

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with no difficulties. One comment regarding point 7: I can confirm that these are indeed truffle oaks and that it is best not to walk along this truffle field (truffle growers are sensitive at this time of year) but to join the path just below, which also leads to the ruins of the Ste Famille.

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Gandon Eric
Gandon Eric

Hello, OK, thank you, I've just checked that again! :-)
best regards

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