Cedar Forest, Grande Arche and Sanguinette

One of the most beautiful hikes in the Luberon, starting from the Forêt des Cèdres in Bonnieux, allowing you to discover several superb sites such as the Roque des Bancs, the Baume des Résistants and the Grande Arche, while enjoying almost constant splendid views of the South Luberon and the Durance valley. Steep descents and tough climbs require good physical fitness.
Please note: from (2) and (3), the trail is closed from March to September (bird protection).

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.38 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 760 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 763 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 713 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 394 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Luberon
  • ⚐ District: Bonnieux (84480)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.800147° / E 5.273275°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3142OT, 3143OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Moderator's note: since May 2021, the rope between points 10 and 11 no longer exists.

Drive up to the Cedar Forest car park in Bonnieux and park there.

(S/E) After the barrier, take the concrete educational trail on the right to read interesting information about the Forêt des Cèdres and admire the spectacular, strangely shaped cedar trees. At the end of this trail, take the Route des Cèdres on the right and continue until you reach the cistern on the left.

(1) In front of the cistern, take the path on the left. This path gradually moves away from the road and descends gently to the cliffs of La Roque des Bancs. Walk along these cliffs to the old sheepfold built under the rock face until you reach the start of the path on the left.

(2) See practical information regarding restricted access at (3).
Opposite the sheepfold, this path, which is barely visible and marked only by a few cairns, descends steeply towards the south. A few blue markings remain, but it is better to follow the GPS route. Please note that this path is very steep and rocky. You will need to hold on to branches and watch out for loose rocks.
Continue along this path until you reach the first fork, which is also difficult to see.

(3) Take the path on the left, which climbs slightly before running along the cliff to the Baume des Résistants (or Baume des Vaudois).

(4) At La Baume, take the path that descends the slope towards the south and then follows the cliff, ascending and descending slightly. The path is lined with caves, cliffs and rocky promontories offering superb views of the southern Luberon. Ascend slightly on the very steep and practically unmarked path. A few faded blue markings remain, but rely mainly on the GPS track until you reach a fork in the path.

(5) Take the path on the right, which descends very steeply through the rocks and then into a boxwood forest. Be careful, as the path is not very visible and is only marked by a few cairns. Follow the GPS track carefully.
In the hollow of the valley, climb the slope towards the Tête de la Barraque. Follow the ridge that climbs to the Crête de la Barraque almost to the old orientation table. On the right, you can see the arch silhouetted against the Durance plain.

(6) Just before the old orientation table, take the small, barely visible path that descends steeply to the Grande Arche. After admiring this arch, continue along the trail, which becomes increasingly steep. Be careful, as there is a large, difficult scree slope that must be descended with caution. Continue downhill to the track that supports theGR®97.

(7) Take theGR®97on the left and continue until you reach a hairpin bend, at the end of which a path leads straight ahead. Be careful, as theGR® markings are very degraded, so you will need to follow the GPS track.

(8) Leave the track and follow the path that rejoins the track, avoiding several bends at the Aire de Bosse cistern.

(9) Leave the track again and take the small path that goes straight ahead, avoiding another large bend.
Rejoin the track (GR®97) and follow it for two bends. At the end ofthe second bend, leave it to continue on theGR®97, which takes a pretty path through the Vallon du Gros Ubac.

Continue along this path until you reach a cistern where you will find the track again. Take it on the left until you reach the junction with the path that leads to the Vallon de Sanguinette. This path is marked by a sign indicating the protection of large birds of prey.

(10) Take this Vallon de Sanguinette trail on the left and follow it for quite a long time. It climbs gently along superb cliffs and caves until it reaches an intersection. Be careful, at one point you will encounter a "small wall" about 2 m high equipped with a rope, but it is not particularly difficult.

(11) Take the track on the right, which climbs very steeply towards Roque Haute. At the end of this track, join the path that leads back to the Cedar Forest, which you take to the right. At the next junction, keep left and continue along the path, which climbs gently. Turn left onto the path that leads directly back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 703 m - Cedar Forest car park in Bonnieux
  2. 1 : km 1.2 - alt. 686 m - Cistern
  3. 2 : km 2.48 - alt. 651 m - Roque des Bancs
  4. 3 : km 2.76 - alt. 518 m - Descent to the left
  5. 4 : km 3.16 - alt. 585 m - Baume des Résistants
  6. 5 : km 3.51 - alt. 634 m - Descent to the right towards the valley
  7. 6 : km 4.55 - alt. 688 m - Grande Arche descent
  8. 7 : km 5.2 - alt. 425 m - GR°°®°°97
  9. 8 : km 5.81 - alt. 482 m - Path on the left
  10. 9 : km 6.25 - alt. 570 m - Aire des Bosses
  11. 10 : km 7.84 - alt. 394 m - Vallon de Sanguinette Trail
  12. 11 : km 9.24 - alt. 552 m - Intersection, path on the right
  13. S/E : km 10.38 - alt. 702 m - Cedar Forest car park in Bonnieux

Notes

Good shoes for difficult terrain.

Please note that, as of this year, between (2): and (3), the trail is closed from March to September to protect birds.

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
eaglefoot
eaglefoot

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, despite slightly cloudy weather. The descent between 6 and 7 is very technical: very steep at first among the trees, then scree, so sliding down on your bum is an option to consider
After point 5, the climb back up to the ridges is a little further than indicated on the trail: follow the cairns for about 100m and climb up there, it's not hard to find.
After 9, we climbed back up to the car park via Portalas (didn't do the Sanguinette).

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moniquemz
moniquemz

Thank you for your positive comment and well done for taking a break to read in the hammock.
Monique

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moniquemz
moniquemz

Hello Björn, are you Swedish?

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moniquemz
moniquemz

Sorry, but when I wrote this hike, the sign didn't exist.
Furthermore, if my memory serves me correctly, as I have done it again, this only applies to spring and summer.

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BjornAigel
BjornAigel

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
At point 2 (opposite the sheepfold), there is now a large metal sign saying that it is illegal to go there. Can you still recommend the hike? Or perhaps you have a good alternative?
Thanks in advance,
Björn Aigeltinger.

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jean-michel.belouet
jean-michel.belouet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I wouldn't take a group there in rainy weather, but in sunshine the views are magnificent and justify the effort and care required when descending the scree slopes. After point 5, go past the scree slope for about 30 metres to find a small cairn hidden by vegetation. The path is well marked but only as wide as a mountain bike wheel!
The small wall in the Sanguinette valley is not difficult: there are good handholds in dry weather and you only need three to climb over it.
Feel free to ask the hunters on duty about their current hunt. They know their area well.
Thank you for this beautiful hike.

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J?rôme
J?rôme

On 30 December 2021, the rope was present.

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MFCA
MFCA

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note that since May 2022, there is no longer a rope.

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J?rôme
J?rôme

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, the various trails are clearly visible and the route is easy to follow without a GPS.
There was a rope at the wall crossing in the Sanguinette valley, which was appreciated given the humidity.

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MFCA
MFCA

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Be careful at points 10-11, there is no rope: so it's not easy!
Today, 28/05/2021

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moniquemz
moniquemz

I am sorry for you, but this ban did not exist before. This is the first year it has been implemented. I will indeed report it on the hike.
Thank you for your feedback.
Moniquemz

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fredopol
fredopol
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route!
Unfortunately, when we reached point 2, we had to turn back!
From this point onwards, the trail is closed from 1 March to 15 September to protect large birds of prey (municipal decree of 25/04/2019).
To avoid being influenced, I don't usually read comments before a hike. This time, I should have done so and read the message from "prochette" (whom I thank!), who pointed out this restriction.
I think it is IMPORTANT that this information be included at the beginning of the route description!
Disappointed to have to cut our hike short, we resumed the route from point 6!
Thank you for this beautiful trail!
Best regards.
Fred and Nad.

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prochette
prochette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, which we didn't finish due to knee pain (returned to the car park from Portalats).
The fork is not easy to spot at points 3 and 4, so you need to be very careful even with GPS, especially since the Park (I imagine) has conscientiously removed the paint markings with a grinder and probably removed the cairns.
In fact, the trail between 2 and 5 is closed (sign at point 2) due to Egyptian vulture nesting, from 1/3 to 15/9 according to the sign.
Thank you anyway for this high-flying itinerary!

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marcmoine
marcmoine

Thank you for these corrections... for the others!
As for the height of the "wall", I don't entirely agree. I am 1.77 metres tall and it is much taller than me. I also think that without the rope it would be very difficult to climb over, especially because of the dampness of the rocks.

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moniquemz
moniquemz

Hello Marc
and thank you very much for your constructive comments.
Thanks to your comments, I have corrected some errors in my description:
- I mistakenly wrote "left" when it was actually on the right that you could see the arch. This has been corrected.
- What I noted as a "cistern" at the summit was only the ruins of an orientation table. This has been corrected.
- It is indeed the GR trail that you take after the scree, but it is very poorly marked and sometimes takes shortcuts that are poorly signposted. I have noted this fact in my description.
- The wall you mention does exist... but it is only 2 metres high and presents no difficulty, especially with the rope. However, I have noted this in the description.
I'm delighted that you enjoyed this hike and that you allowed me to correct my description.
Best regards
Moniquemz

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