Fountain of Vaucluse from Cabrières-d'Avignon

Start : Carbrières d'Avignon free car park behind the town hall.

(S/E) From the car park, reach Cours Jean Giono and turn left (West). At the road junction, turn right (North) onto the Grand'Rue and walk up along it towards the top of the village. At the first road junction (fountain), turn left onto Rue du Château and carry on onto Chemin de la Pourtalette. One of the "lavoirs" (old wash house) will be on your left-hand side. Carry on along the castle. At the next road junction, take the calvary left-hand side, towards Mur de la Peste.

Go left on the Chemin de la Muscadelle, which is a dead end. Walk to the end of the paved path and carry on the gravel path. Walk straight up to a wider area with a road junction where you will find a second calvary. Carry straight ahead on the path going downhill.

(1) At the road junction, waymarker "le Mur de la Peste" walk toward La Pouraque / La Peithe Est. Walk along the Mur de la Peste until you reach the waymarker "La Peithe Est" (around 1.1 Km) and walk toward La citerne.

(2) At the signpost "la citerne", walk straight ahead (the waymarker is broken, you need to cross the DFCI by leaving Le Mur de la Peste). Follow the GR^®6 - GR^®97 in front of you. Walk down to the bottom of the small valley and carry on until you reach Gordes (D100A) tourist road.

At the signpost "Le vallon des Especarons", walk towards Fontaine de Vaucluse. On this part of the route, you can see many cedar trees. Once at the road, waymark "Valette" walk toward Fontaine de Vaucluse / Font de l'Oule. Walk until you reach Fond de l'Oule valley entrance ( the Font de l'Oule signpost and waymarkers are broken) and a second wider area with trailheads.

(3) Take the path on the right. About 400 m further along, at the junction, turn left (a barrier restricts the access road for vehicles). Follow the path to the Château de Pétrarque ruines.

(4) Go around the ruins by the left: you can walk up to the ruin's upper part however, the path is goes along the lower part, on the left side of the wall. Go downhill until you reach the houses and the road.

Here, you can if you wish extend the walk for about 25 min to go up to the "Fontaine du Vaucluse" water source (round trip). If you wish to take this detour, as you reach houses, walk towards the village. Walk past the paddle wheel and across the Sorgue river. Walk upstream to its source. You can take the chance to go through Vallis Clausa gallery where you can meet craftsmen and visit the traditional Vallis Clausa paper mill, which presents the traditional manufacture of rag paper in the 15th century. The way back follows the same route. You cross the Sorgues river again and resume the route.

(5) Otherwise, turn left (South) towards Gordes. Stay along D24 (signpost Galas, towards Les Bastides Ouest).

(6) After the road junction with Gordes touristic road : signpost Les Bastides Ouest, walk toward Lagnes. This path starts behind the building located on the side of the road. Walk along houses and follow the GR^® de Pays Tour des Monts de Vaucluse. At the junction, stay on the main path waymarked with waymarkers for cyclists.

(7) At the T-junction, turn left and then left again walk along a paved path for a short distance.

(8) Carry on right (South) following GR^® (signposted La Bastide Rouge, towards Lagnes). Go past an old building entirely restored on your left-hand side: la Bastide Rouge. Then carry on the path until you reach the road (D100A).

(9) Turn right along the road and then straight away left following GR^® (signpost "Basse Capiane" towards Lagnes). Carry straight on until you reach Lagnes road after 730 m or so.

(10) Walk along it to the left (East) and at the next junction, go toward Cabrières. Be careful when walking along the road for 500 m.

(11) After passing by the beginning of the DFCI (Tête du Chat track), take the path left following the road below for around 850 m.

(12) Take the path on the left and immediately right along the DFCI track of La Pouraque (signpost "Bourbourin" toward Le Mur de la Peste Cabrières).

(1) The Mur de la Peste is now on your left-hand side. Carry on straight ahead and walk back to the start by using the same way to the carpark(S/E).

Start : Carbrières d'Avignon free car park behind the town hall.

Parking : Park in the free parking lot behind the town hall.

Terrain : ⚠️ Warning : choose the most practicable way to go down.

Before the descent to Château de Pétrarque ruins, you can take a path on the right which will allow you to access a viewpoint on the cliffs and the Sorgue hight part. A second viewpoint is on the right as you reach the ruins. Please note these viewpoints are not secured.

(5) Fontaine-de-Vaucluse village is on the right-hand side after the descent from the castle. You can visit it or go up the Sorgue river its water source (be careful, this will considerably lengthen the route offered here).

La Bastide Rouge is an old post office.

(11) As you reach DFCI (noted "piste de la Tête du Chat"), it is possible to take a left to follow the GR^® which goes up to the Tête du Soldat. This path via the Tête du Soldat will bring you back to the route at the waypoint (12).