Fontaine-de-Vaucluse by the Oppidum de Bondelon and the Galas Aqueduct

A circuit on old cart tracks with ruts worn in the stone (“rodans”), then along the Carpentras Canal and over the Galas Aqueduct. Splendid views over the Sorgue and an opportunity to visit the village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.

Technical sheet

18201280
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.58 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 193 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 193 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 195 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 69 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start : Car Park in front of the cemetery of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. (Along D100A)

(S/E) Go down the road (D100A) towards Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. In the second bend, take the Rue de la Combe to the left (a housing estate), then at the second junction, after number 68, turn right. At the end of the road, turn left.

A little further on, the road becomes a dirt track to the right. Take it and then turn immediately left (there is a “private property” sign at the start of the track but the entry to the property is a little further on).

(1) In front of the chain blocking access to the private property, take the path to the right. At the first junction, carry straight on along the path. At the second, bear left, and then shortly afterwards right. Carry on up until you reach an intersection with a dirt road (a cycle route with magenta markings and a long-distance footpath (GRP®) waymarked in yellow and red).

Carry straight on and then immediately left on the track parallel to the long-distance path. Note the magnificent stone hut (borie) by the side of the track. You may then continue on the track or return to the long-distance path: the two converge later (after around 350 m). Go past the ruins by the edge of the waymarked path and continue on the main path.

(2) At the next junction, stay on the waymarked path. On the right, observe a hill topped with a drystone rampart. This is the gallo-roman village (oppidum) of Bondelon, but you will have to carry on past it. At the signpost “Bondelon”, head right towards Galas and then follow the yellow waymarks as far as the canal (around 1Km). Note the terraced olive groves.

(3) Cross the canal on a stone bridge and follow it to the right as far as the aqueduct. Cross the River Sorgue and enjoy the view from the aqueduct, then carry on along the canal to the first bridge (around 500 m).

(4) Cross the canal by this bridge then continue straight on along the most obvious path as far as a T-junction at a fairly wide track. Head up the track to the right and at the top, veer left.

(5) Stay on the main track until you arrive at a fork with large dead trees on the ground. Take the track which passes round them on the right. After a few metres, a cairn at the foot of a pine indicates the track to the right down into the Vallon des Baumes Noires. Drop down to the junction at the bottom of the valley and turn right.

(6) In the valley bottom, be careful not to leave the track and beware dangerous edges. You will shortly come across a well on the right, covered in rotten tree-trunks. A little further on, after the track has passed over a rock, observe a very well-preserved runoff cistern (aiguier) on the left.

After this point, the undergrowth conceals a very steep slope on the right. Do not leave the track. Shortly afterwards, you will pass private grounds on the left, with a splendid troglodytic dwelling at the cliff-edge, and will then reach the road (D25).

(7) Cross the road and continue straight on to walk onto the bridge and admire the view of the River Sorgue, then retrace your steps to the road. Follow it to the right towards Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. At the entrance to the car park, keep right on the path along the river bank as far as the end of the car park, then continue on the road as far as a staircase on the right leading down to the water’s edge. View the open-air laundry, then climb up again and continue on your way.

At the junction, turn right down a cul-de-sac. Cross a first bridge, continue to the roundabout and then cross the bridge opposite. Carry on to the left along the gravel path, becoming a dirt road until you come out at the centre of the village. Here you can stroll in the village streets or walk up to the spring (15 minutes there and back), with a pause to visit the paper mill.

(8) Next cross the Sorgue, noting the water-wheel. Then bear right along the Sorgues walkway to follow the river, to the factory chimney of the old paper mill. Take the stairs to join the Avenue François Pétrarque, then head right, along the edge of the road.

At the first junction, continue on the lower road (signpost "Les Bastides", towards Galas). Just before the second junction, climb the steps to the left to a wash-house and then join the Gordes tourist road. Stay on this road to rejoin your vehicle (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 101 m - Car park of the de la - Fontaine de Vaucluse
  2. 1 : km 0.43 - alt. 78 m - D24
  3. 2 : km 0.82 - alt. 138 m - Path alongside the GRP
  4. 3 : km 1.55 - alt. 193 m - Crossroads. Track on the right. GRP
  5. 4 : km 2.76 - alt. 97 m - Bridge over the canal
  6. 5 : km 3.53 - alt. 93 m - Galas aqueduct - Sorgue (rivière)
  7. 6 : km 4.08 - alt. 95 m - Bridge over the canal
  8. 7 : km 4.6 - alt. 133 m - Bifurcation
  9. 8 : km 4.91 - alt. 94 m - Well and rain water reservoir carved into rock
  10. 9 : km 6.73 - alt. 78 m - Paddle wheel. Village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse - Château de Vaucluse ou de Pétrarque ou des Evêques de Cavaillon
  11. S/E : km 7.58 - alt. 101 m - Parking de la

Practical information

Start : Car Park in front of the cemetery of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. (Along D100A)

Parking :
- Park in front of the cemetery of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.
- If there are no spaces available, you can park a little further up the road towards Gordes (hardstop car parks at the start of hiking trails)
- or on the other side as you arrive at the village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse (parking fee apply).

Walk translated by grahawi originally from the French author les sem.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 41 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 24449858

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

It's a great walk that we enjoy every year, often with friends to help them discover Fontaine and the surrounding area.

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grahawi
grahawi ★

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

I'm told that the Galas aqueduct is now closed.

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Alexia 84
Alexia 84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very pretty walk. Very quiet. Done with a 4-year-old child.

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Vane84
Vane84

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

It was a lovely walk until we came to the Galas aqueduct, which had been closed off by fences and barbed wire. We therefore had to go back down along the road and shorten the walk by just over a kilometre. Check with the tourist office before embarking on this walk.

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Elodelerue
Elodelerue

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Poorly signposted path requiring a lot of adaptability and daring to go off into paths that are sometimes not signposted and not very well maintained. Lovely walk - more signposting would be nice.

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Ang76
Ang76

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Lovely walk with beautiful views from the viaduct. Easy route, a climb at the start and then little change in altitude.

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catalinjeanmaurice
catalinjeanmaurice

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Bonjour le circuit correspond bien aux données sur l'application belle randonnée

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pfla
pfla

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A pleasant little walk around Fontaine de Vaucluse. Interesting because of the presence of water (aqueduct, canal, sorgues, resurgence) throughout the walk, which is easy on the whole.

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Ange Heureux
Ange Heureux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

Easy walk with no worries. The first descent from the oppidum is really average, rocky, in the sun and with no view, but once you get to the canal it's already nicer, especially with the crossing over the aqueduct. And there's a change of scenery towards the end in the Baume Noire.
Thanks a lot!

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Robyns Stéphane
Robyns Stéphane

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very nice, easy hike with little change in altitude.

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alex1384
alex1384

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Great tour, the route was varied both in terms of landscapes and itineraries, we had a great time 😉 THANK YOU

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alanico
alanico

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The signposting is not complete and fortunately Visorando's GPS guidance is excellent and precise.

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symy
symy
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

The walk is easy and pleasant, but there's not much to see. On the other hand, at no. 9 we chose to make the loop to the spring and there we saw a magnificent sight. The water flowed in abundance.

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Clo13
Clo13
• Last modified:

Carried out on 26/02/2024 under an azure sky that looked like spring.
Very well signposted, a short route around the village that allows you to see this remarkable site in the landscape of the Rhône valley away from the tourist crowds.
The first violets in bloom in spring 2024.
Highly recommended.

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MïA84
MïA84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very good and reliable application
I recommend without hesitation

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