Ermitage de Saint-Gens walks

This first stage of the Tour du Luberon offers beautiful, unspoilt Provençal landscapes through the rocky hills and valleys of sparse woodland bordering the Coulon Valley. The highlights of this route include the remains of the Plague Wall, built during the plague of 1720, the little Chapel of Saint-Eusèbe, the medieval village of Oppède-le-Vieux perched on a rocky outcrop, its church of Notre-Dame d’Alidon which offers a beautiful view over the valley, the Galère valley, the old village of Mérindol, its church of Sainte-Anne and its Reformed church.

The walk starts near Gordes (listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France) and passes through the Véroncle gorge to Murs and its castle. A very pleasant, energetic walk in the ravine of the Véroncle gorges, discovering the remains of old mills from different periods along the way. There are a few ladders and ropes, and an old sluice shaft that cannot be avoided.

Bédoin - Mont Ventoux is a legendary stage of the Tour de France cycling race. This hike provides more direct access to the summit, via paths that follow the ridges and valleys of the mountain's southern slope. At the beginning, the paths run through pretty woodland, which is magnificent in autumn. Towards the end, the paths cross the rocky landscape of light-coloured stones at the summit of the mountain. Along the way, you will come across "jas", mountain sheepfolds built from dry stone walls.