From Riboux to Château Renard via the Trébuquet valley

A fairly easy hike that leads along the Riboux valley and then towards the Château Renard estate, made famous by the film "Jean de Florette".

Details

42533679
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.16 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 218 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 212 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 619 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 498 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The walk starts from Riboux, a small village in the Var region, located at the foot of Sainte-Baume. The car park is on the left, at the end of the hamlet.

(S/E) Take the small road eastwards.

(1) Continue along the road, then along the track for about 3.5 km. Keep going straight ahead, it's impossible to go wrong.

(2) Stay on the track, which veers slightly to the left, and continue in the same direction until you reach a four-way junction.

(3) Turn right. Ignore a small track on the right a little further on that leads back to the main track and continue straight ahead until you reach the edge of electrically fenced fields. Continue to a three-way junction.

(4) Keep right on a path that crosses a meadow, then rejoins a track. Continue to the right and you will reach a crossroads in an open space.

(5) Take the track on the left and you will come out onto another track, not far from the Sauvagère building on the right.

(6) Continue straight ahead and stay on the winding track, heading generally south. You will come to a four-way junction.

(7) Turn right, go through a gate and turn right again after about 100 metres. At this point, you will see a viewpoint overlooking Château Renard, where you are allowed to visit the surrounding area, provided you respect the site.

(8) Turn right and start climbing back up towards Riboux. You will come to a T-junction.

(9) Turn right again and enjoy the view of Riboux a little further on.

(10) Turn left and return to the small road you started on, after a fairly steep descent.

(1) Turn left to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 518 m - Riboux car park
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 522 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 3.58 - alt. 613 m - Junction
  4. 3 : km 4.98 - alt. 610 m - Crossroads, on the right
  5. 4 : km 6.23 - alt. 598 m - Path on the right
  6. 5 : km 6.46 - alt. 603 m - Track on the left
  7. 6 : km 7.53 - alt. 569 m - Track junction, straight ahead
  8. 7 : km 9.11 - alt. 505 m - Château Renard crossroads
  9. 8 : km 9.44 - alt. 498 m - Right turn
  10. 9 : km 10.4 - alt. 532 m - T-junction, on the right
  11. 10 : km 10.97 - alt. 563 m - Track on the left
  12. S/E : km 12.16 - alt. 518 m - Riboux car park

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
madi83
madi83

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An easy walk offering a pleasant stroll through the forest, mainly along wide paths.

Machine-translated

gisyl
gisyl
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

more of a mountain bike ride than a hike. It's a long three-hour ride. But that's just my personal opinion

Machine-translated

User 25016397

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant, well-marked hike

Machine-translated

Claudine Wattrelot
Claudine Wattrelot
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy walk, partly on a small tarmac road and then on a forest firebreak trail, through a pretty forest, allowing you to discover the village of Riboux, preserved in superb natural surroundings, and the other side of Sainte-Baume. Suitable for families, this is a peaceful hike!

Machine-translated

mandrier
mandrier
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

We didn't go all the way to Grand Péru because we took a path on the right about 300 m after "Trébuquet Auberge" which joins the track at Grand Ubac and took us back to elevation 526 (concrete well and road to Riboux). This wide track offers a beautiful view of the Sainte Baume mountain range.

Machine-translated

Alain Revello
Alain Revello

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 : Yes

A very easy and pleasant hike. This side of Sainte Baume is very pleasant. The only downside is the noisy motorbikes.

Machine-translated

Janine13
Janine13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy hike along pleasant paths.

Machine-translated

fouado
fouado

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 12, 2023
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 magnificent landscapes.

Machine-translated

madrid2017
madrid2017

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

12 kilometres of pure pleasure, alone in the world, with extraordinary weather.

Machine-translated

lonesloane_13
lonesloane_13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely circular in the woods at the foot of Sainte Baume. An easy route with some beautiful views, mostly on roads or forest tracks. A pleasant stop at Chateau Renard, which we had already visited but from the Signe road via the martyrs' memorial. Then a beautiful climb to reach the plateau above Riboux with panoramic views of Sainte Baume and Saint Pilon in particular. Don't miss the bistro at the back of the car park.

Machine-translated

cblue
cblue

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

No difficulty. At the end of the hike, discover the local pub.

Machine-translated

clamx
clamx

Hello. The route often passes along private properties, but apart from Château Renard, which is currently open to visitors, there are no restrictions along the route.

Machine-translated

AUDO13
AUDO13

Hello, is the trail marked? Does it pass through any private property? Thank you.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.