Getaway in the Chaîne de l'Estaque starting from Ensuès-la-Redonne

A peaceful hike in the Chaîne de l'Estaque which, despite its modest altitude, offers extensive panoramic views as far as Sainte-Victoire. A few forgotten paths that are a little difficult to find, as well as the climb up the Juan valley, add a touch of wilderness to this route, which takes place in unspoilt natural surroundings where the hum of the A55 motorway, sometimes very close by, does not really disturb the tranquillity of the area.

Details

n°1550713
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.52 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 902 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 886 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 768 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 243 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: on the D5 linking Le Rove to Ensuès-la-Redonne, park on the left-hand side of the road (take care) in a small designated area (rubbish bin) which can accommodate two to three vehicles. This area is situated directly opposite a former pizzeria and an upholstery workshop.

(S/E) Cross the road carefully to join a wide, stony track which climbs whilst remaining more or less parallel to the road until it reaches the Tour d’Ensuès and its picnic area.

(1) Carry on straight ahead and, at the first hunters’ car park, continue in the same direction until you reach a second car park, where you should turn right. You will soon come to a junction marked by a large boulder on the right-hand side and a sign warning of an underground pipeline nearby.
Turn left. About a hundred metres further on, do not miss the wide path that branches off to the right and winds its way along flat ground through low-lying Mediterranean vegetation. Ignore a narrow path on the left that descends very steeply and continue for about fifty metres to reach a junction that does not appear on the IGN map.

(2) Turn left to begin the descent into the Régouvi valley. Join the very steep path you crossed earlier and follow it to the right. At the bottom of the valley, turn left onto a wide track leading to a junction in a grove of pine trees (with a wire fence and a ‘Hunting Reserve’ sign opposite).
Turn right and, at the junction with a track that makes a hairpin bend to the right, carry on straight up the slope. At the crossroads at the top of the hill (a large, majestic pine tree), turn left. Ignore a wide path on the right and continue straight on to reach a vast open space where several tracks meet.

(3) Head up to the right towards a lovely patch of sparse pine trees. Reach the ridge and continue eastwards, keeping the power line on your left. When you reach a fork where three tracks lead straight ahead, take the left-hand one and continue uphill. At a large pylon, the view opens up: the Étang de Berre, Mont Ventoux, Sainte-Victoire and the Pilon du Roi are easily spotted in the landscape.

(4) As you approach a small valley on the left where a few white rocks protrude, veer left towards another pylon, smaller than the previous one (do not hesitate to turn back if you have gone past the valley).

(5) A tricky junction where I’ve placed a small cairn. At the foot of the pylon, look slightly to the right for the start of a very overgrown path that is barely marked on the ground. This path curves to the right and descends to reach the bottom of the valley, where you really have to force your way through for the last five metres.
Turn left onto a much clearer track, pass a small electricity substation, then cross a gully before reaching a wide path where you must turn right. Then ignore a path branching off to the left and continue to a hollow where several paths and tracks converge.
Take a sharp left-hand bend onto a wide path which curves sharply to the right before reaching a flat area. At the second grassy section, turn right at a 90° angle and walk for about fifty metres.

(6) A tricky junction where I’ve placed a small cairn. Head diagonally left and look out for a very faint track on the slope; it’s particularly difficult to follow through the low vegetation but becomes clearer about fifty metres further on. At the next junction, take the path on the right – a narrow track that descends steeply down the slope before levelling out and curving to the right towards a small gorge marking the start of the Vallon de Juan.

(7) Where the path meets a stony track, turn right, then right again at the next junction to quickly reach a lovely grassy, shaded spot – ideal for a break, provided you stay well clear of the beehives clinging to the rock face. Then head up the wild Juan valley, which becomes very steep-sided before widening out at a small pine plantation where a track joins from the left.

(8) Turn right and follow this track up to the first hairpin bend (elevation 158), where you should leave it and take a wide, partly grassy path on the left. Continue for about 400 metres until you reach a junction marked by two yellow-painted posts (buried gas pipe) and a sign indicating a nearby pipeline.

(9) Start climbing a very steep slope on the right, which leads to a flat area where you’ll join a stony track. Follow this track to the left until you reach a metal gate (with an information sign about the Conservatoire du Littoral).
Go round it, then turn immediately right, walking alongside a few boulders lined up in a row. Follow a wide, double-track path overgrown with low-lying undergrowth. At the first junction, turn right; then, at a solitary pine tree (be careful not to miss this junction), turn left onto a narrower path which makes a wide circular loop to the left before joining a track at a concrete telephone pole.

(10) Turn right and continue along the power line. Begin a gentle descent (lovely view of Ensuès-la-Redonne), pass the first path on the left, then take the next one, also on the left, to quickly reach a junction (a small solitary pine tree).
Do not continue straight ahead but veer to the right to avoid running into a large area enclosed by concrete walls which you can see below. Ignore a path branching off to the left.

(11) At the next junction (small cairn), turn left, head down the slope and then climb back up opposite to reach the Tour d’Ensuès.

(1) Turn left to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 531 ft - Parking along the D5
  2. 1 : mi 0.23 - alt. 545 ft - Tour d’Ensuès
  3. 2 : mi 1.12 - alt. 531 ft - Fork in the road, turn left
  4. 3 : mi 1.68 - alt. 387 ft - Multiple junctions; turn right
  5. 4 : mi 2.46 - alt. 584 ft - Turn left
  6. 5 : mi 2.53 - alt. 554 ft - Start on the path to the right
  7. 6 : mi 3.37 - alt. 315 ft - Junction, cairn, turn left
  8. 7 : mi 3.67 - alt. 253 ft - Junction with the track, on the right
  9. 8 : mi 4.62 - alt. 512 ft - Track on the right
  10. 9 : mi 4.89 - alt. 571 ft - Yellow signposts, on the right
  11. 10 : mi 5.49 - alt. 732 ft - Concrete post, on the right
  12. 11 : mi 6.15 - alt. 574 ft - Junction, cairn, turn left
  13. S/E : mi 6.52 - alt. 531 ft - Parking along the D5

Notes

Recommendations

This walk is entirely unmarked. Classified as ‘Moderate’ based on the distance and elevation gain, it will nevertheless require great vigilance at certain changes of direction and a good understanding of the terrain. A GPS track and a smartphone app will be a real asset – almost indispensable. In any case, if you get stuck, alternative routes will allow you to continue the route.

This is particularly true at the following points:

(5) Do not continue past the pylon. Thick, thorny undergrowth will quickly block your progress. If you cannot find the start of the path, turn back to the main track, follow it to the left for about 400 metres, then turn left to reach the hollow in the ground mentioned in the description between (5) and (6). You can then simply continue straight ahead.

(6) The fork in the road is situated about fifty metres before a small cultivated plot. If you reach this plot, turn back. If in doubt, return to the grassy area and turn right. At the fork in the road shortly afterwards, follow the right-hand branch. At the next junction, turn right again to reach (7).

Between (10) and (11): you must be careful as there are numerous paths branching off to the left. The Tour d’Ensuès is a very good landmark.

There are no water supplies available on the route. Please carry sufficient water accordingly.

Avoid this route in very hot weather as most of the walk is through open terrain.

Given the very stony terrain, high-top walking boots are recommended.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 28271412

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 : No

Highly accurate and reassuring live tracking

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Ber ostéo
Ber ostéo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Actually, I agree with gise 13: We often hike in this area, but on the sea side. Discovering this side was a pleasant surprise. Beautiful views, valleys, peaks, wide tracks, narrow paths and very narrow paths... And I can confirm: no bare legs!
Thank you for sharing this route, which has made us want to discover others in this area.

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gise13
gise13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

No problem following the route with a GPS
We were familiar with the other side: the sea side, which is superb and incomparable, of course! As for this one... well...
Well, no! We liked it: wild nature in certain places, so you need to be covered up, beautiful views, and the motorway didn't bother us.
Pleasantly surprised. Well done
Thank you for this wonderful experience.

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pascol68
pascol68

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Difficult access to the valleys (starting at point 2) because the paths are cluttered with thorny bushes and are quite narrow, which means your ankles and calves will get scratched if you're wearing shorts! We skipped 5/6/7 for these reasons, having already given up at point 2! But with trousers on, it should be fine. Otherwise, beautiful views of the Étang de Berre, slightly less so of the sea.

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Christophe13006
Christophe13006

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This is clearly not the most beautiful walk. A bare, highly urbanised hill: walk along the motorway, under the high-voltage power line, with a view of the Lhoist quarry. It's not very spectacular. Between points 5 and 6, the path is not maintained, so it's best to protect your legs with trousers :-)

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Charly
Charly

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for this beautiful hike, especially in the Juan valley.
Thank you for the cairns, which are indispensable at crossroads.
Be careful before point 3: there has been a lot of clearing, which can sometimes be confusing.
No problem at point 6, the path has been cleared.

Well done again for this wild route (too bad there are no goats!).

C. Perrin

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robert.souche
robert.souche

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It was difficult for a group to park at the starting point of the hike.
Cairns located at the crossroads indicate the directions to take.

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Eloïse et Jean
Eloïse et Jean

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike.
You need to pay close attention to the description, as there are two or three tricky points where it's easy to get lost.
If you ignore the smells from the factory below, there are beautiful views of the Étang de Berre lagoon and beyond.
You will also encounter a beautiful herd of goats, but they will not let you get close to them.
There is a lovely picnic spot in the Juan valley.
Far from the crowds, it's very rejuvenating.

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Cathy&Frédo
Cathy&Frédo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike with beautiful views, the only downside being the EDF pylons, but there's nothing we can do about that. The Juan valley is very picturesque, and we encountered two wild goats there.

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Jean Rmb
Jean Rmb

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This hike is located on the northern slope of the Estaque mountain range, where you cannot see the sea and the harbour of Marseille, but rather the Berre lagoon and Sainte Victoire. This slope is particularly exposed to the Mistral wind.
Some sections of the trail that are rarely used are becoming overgrown with dense, rough and prickly vegetation. Do not venture there with bare legs or arms, as it scratches easily (my windbreaker remembers this!).
There are some very pretty passages through narrow valleys and a beautiful view from a summit, but ultimately this is a hike that requires great care not to stray from the trail (despite the author's excellent directions) and leaves a feeling of dissatisfaction because most of the time the tracks are not very interesting. This walk is all the less attractive when you know that you are in this area of the Estaque mountain range, which offers so many sublime hikes right next door.

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cardenas didier
cardenas didier
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Pleasant hike, despite the proximity of the motorway.
Clear and precise directions.
Thank you.

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