Hermitage of Saint-Jean-du-Puy and Regagnas ridges

Circular route starting from the hamlet of Kirbon to reach the hermitage and walk along the Regagnas ridges with beautiful views of Sainte-Victoire, Sainte-Baume, the Étoile mountain range, Garlaban, the Huveaune valley, etc.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.06 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,886 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,896 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,326 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,198 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Trets (13530)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.411057° / E 5.663611°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3244ET, 3344OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

The route starts from the hamlet of Kirbon. Take the DFCI track, Chemin de la Fariguoule, and park by the DFCI water tank, taking care not to obstruct access for the emergency services.

(S/E) Return towards the hamlet of Kirbon, and take Chemin de Pont de Barboue, opposite the rubbish bins. This path is marked in yellow, runs northwards on level ground, then descends to two bridges, the Ponts de Baboué, allowing you to cross the Vallat d’Ancoly and the Vallat de la Machine. The path then climbs gently for about 800 m to join another track (elevation 409 m).

(1) Take this new track heading south then south-east towards the hermitage of Saint-Jean-du-Puy. Follow this track for about 1.6 km, ignoring two track junctions on the left.

(2) About 170 m after the second junction, turn left onto the path heading north, then east, still marked in yellow. This path then runs alongside the track and crosses it several times to take you to the hermitage. Shortly before reaching theGRP®® Sentier Provence Mines d’Énergies, marked in yellow and red.

(3) After the second building, turn left onto the path marked in yellow and yellow and red, which descends to a junction of paths.

(4) Turn right towards “Peynier via Regagnas”, which will take you along the ridges, always following the markings. Ignore the adjacent paths.

(5) Cross the CD12 (Route de Saint-Zacharie) and rejoin the marked path opposite, above the track. Follow the ridge along rocky sections running parallel to the track. For those prone to vertigo, it is preferable to take the track.

(6) At the junction, leave the double markings and follow the path opposite, which continues along the ridge and will take you to the fire lookout at the summit of Regagnas. Caution: this path is used by mountain bikers and features jumps.

(7) At the summit, after admiring the view, walk down the road for 150 m. Leave the road to the left, at the end of the crash barriers, to continue along the ridge path. Join a path that forms part of theGRP®® Sentier Provence Mines d’Énergies.

(8) Follow it to the right until you rejoin the main track with the yellow markings. Following these markings, cut across the two bends and continue along the track to a fire tank (elevation 497).

(9) Follow the track to the right, still following theGRP®® and the yellow markings for just under 600 m.

(10) At the hairpin bend, leave the track for a path leading off to the right. Leave this immediately to the left to reach a game trough, after crossing a first path.
It is also possible to continue along the track and follow the markings to the 487m mark, then leave theGRP®® to follow the yellow markings to the right.

After the watering hole, join the main path marked in yellow and follow it to the right for about 400 m.

(11) Just before a slight bend to the right, leave the track and the markings to take a path that descends to the left, heading north, then turns east after about 1 km.

(12) At the crossroads after passing through the Vallat du Fer à Cheval and crossing another valley, take the path on the right and follow it until you rejoin the main track and the yellow markings.

(13) Take the track on the left and head for the DFCI water tank (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,365 ft - DFCI water tank
  2. 1 : mi 1.25 - alt. 1,352 ft - Elevation 409
  3. 2 : mi 2.26 - alt. 1,709 ft - Start of the path
  4. 3 : mi 3.46 - alt. 2,123 ft - L'Ermitage
  5. 4 : mi 3.6 - alt. 2,001 ft - Junction, towards Peynier
  6. 5 : mi 4.98 - alt. 1,755 ft - Route de Saint-Zacharie
  7. 6 : mi 5.6 - alt. 2,070 ft - Track junction
  8. 7 : mi 5.97 - alt. 2,326 ft - Summit of Regagnas
  9. 8 : mi 6.45 - alt. 1,886 ft - GRP junction°°®°°
  10. 9 : mi 7.88 - alt. 1,631 ft - Fire tank - Elevation 497
  11. 10 : mi 8.24 - alt. 1,627 ft - Elevation 496m, trail ends
  12. 11 : mi 8.62 - alt. 1,598 ft - Elevation 488m, track ends
  13. 12 : mi 9.44 - alt. 1,234 ft - Fer à Cheval valley
  14. 13 : mi 9.91 - alt. 1,385 ft - Elevation 421m, junction with yellow markings
  15. S/E : mi 10.06 - alt. 1,365 ft - DFCI water tank

Notes

No water source except at the hermitage, but the water is not drinkable.
Take care on the cliff-edge sections between (6) and (7).

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
Denis26
Denis26 ★

Thank you, amitié nature, for pointing that out; I’ve just updated the starting point to the DFCI water tank.

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amitié nature
amitié nature

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The walk was thoroughly enjoyed by all 12 members of the group.
The residents of the hamlet of Kirbon asked us to park our vehicles at the water tank located 300 m further along the track. The tank is marked on the map. This didn’t bother us and didn’t add to the length of the walk. There’s plenty of space!

From WP 5 to WP 6, a few rocky sections require some confidence on steep terrain. Some preferred to avoid this technical section and climb up to Regagnas via the track.

Past WP 8 at an altitude of 559 metres, a lovely, well-used path through the woods leads to WP 11. This shortens the section on tracks and allows you to visit the ruins of La Sérignane on the way.

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Le Gabian
Le Gabian

Hello
It’s rare to find such an interesting hike on offer. I’m thinking of going on it, which will give me the chance to explore the north of Kirbon, where I’ve never been before.
With two options:
- near point 571, once you reach the track, there is a very pleasant path about 20 metres from it, running northwards to point 559 (“Le Point Sublime”, panoramic view)
- from there, I’ll head straight north to waypoint 11, which saves a bit of the track and allows me to pass by the impressive ruins of La Sérignane.
I hope I haven’t been a bother; best regards.

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trainhub
trainhub

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with excellent signage.
no difficulty
a route I led, completed with the club
Thank you

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CDarte
CDarte

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful but demanding hike. It is essential to follow the route on the map, especially in the first part.

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JCBaldi
JCBaldi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike; no real difficulties despite a few slightly steep but easily manageable climbs. Magnificent panoramic views of Sainte Victoire and Sainte Beaume. The Hermitage is a very nice spot for picnics.
Please note that access to the starting point is...

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20Barbeneuve,sc24
20Barbeneuve,sc24

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

No yellow markings on 1/4 of the route, so we followed the red route on the app and luckily found our way back to the starting point.
Superb hike.

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Randonneur du dimanche
Randonneur du dimanche

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk, especially the part along the ridge,
Splendid view,
Not many hikers on the trail, but quite a few mountain bikers.
Lots of people at the Hermitage, as you can drive up there.

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Lou Facomochère
Lou Facomochère
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did the circuit anti-clockwise, which makes it easier to return (even though there are few markings when leaving the hermitage).
I set off from Kirbon and, after the hunters' car park, I took a small valley on the left S-SE, the Vallat du Fer à Cheval, a small drovers' road that climbs up the thalweg and avoids the main DFCI firebreaks (a few mountain bikers on Sundays, quiet the rest of the time).
A beautiful hike, 7km from Kirbon to Saint-Jean with a magnificent view of the snow-capped Alpine peaks on a Mistral day in November.
A bonus: you can barbecue at the Saint-Jean hermitage!
At a brisk pace (but with a break), less than 3 hours for 13 km and 462 m of elevation gain.

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jean-michel.belouet
jean-michel.belouet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There are many wild boars between Kirbon and the hermitage. Avoid letting your dogs chase them.
The trail after the hermitage is a bit confusing to follow. A GPS device is helpful here.

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montandraud
montandraud

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is difficult to find the trail at the top of Regagnias. After the hermitage, the signpost does not exist or has been removed.

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