Badarel Gorge and Rochers de Baude in the Petit Lubéron

People ask me for my opinion, but I haven't read them just to keep the guidebook handy for my next hike!

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Hello furaxofmarseille
Glad you enjoyed the hike. Have a great future hike.

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Date of your route : Jun 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The cemetery car park is small and reserved for people visiting the cemetery. Parking in this car park is not very respectful. The car park at the town hall square is perfectly adequate.
A hike with beautiful views and lots of variety.
The Brayette cave and the mark in the Baude rock are definitely worth a detour.
Without going to the viewpoint, we covered 11 km.
A quick glimpse in a simple video: https://youtu.be/5D_FrySguyE

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Hello,

If you start your hike early in the morning, you'll have no problem finding a spot in the small car park in front of the cemetery...
I've parked there four times without any problems!
The loop via La Bergerie isn't essential, but it doesn't take long anyway.
Furthermore, I think this hike is closer to 16 km than 12... In other guidebooks, I even seem to remember reading 17 km... 🤔

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Date of your route : May 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with magnificent scenery and, in early May, extraordinary and varied flora.
For parking, do not go to the cemetery as there are very few spaces and they are reserved for people visiting the cemetery.
There is a large car park near the stadium and children's playgrounds.
i did the route by first going to the village and castle. After visiting the cave and the Baude rocks, several paths appear and I didn't go down to the road: to find your way, just look for the spring and go up the steep path, which is easy to find. I'm surprised by the 12.5 km distance indicated on the map. My phone shows 16 km, although there may be a small margin of error... Personally, I didn't find the short loop around La Bergerie, which is nestled in a small valley, particularly interesting.
I'm very happy with this route, thank you for sharing it!

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Date of your route : Feb 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike that can indeed be classified as difficult. Avoid this route after a rainy day as some sections may be slippery.
Beautiful views of Ventoux and Alpilles.

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

very nice, varied route with no difficulties, very interesting, beautiful scenery. I highly recommend it

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

A very beautiful, varied hike, somewhat physically demanding because we did not go to the viewpoint (6) on the map. We walked 11 km with an elevation gain of 800 m in 5 hours
No particularly difficult sections if you have good footwear, as there are several sections with stones
Picnic at the sheepfold in the sunshine... pure pleasure
Do not do this after a rainy day as some sections will be slippery
The section with the ladder is difficult if you are walking with a dog, as you will have to carry it

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Hello,

I have done this hike, and it starts from the Taillades cemetery.
It seems that you started from Robion, since you mention the theatre, and not Les Taillades.
I published a very detailed description of this hike on 22 April 2022, because I completely messed up the first time I did it, due to vague or incomplete explanations.
For your next attempt, I invite you to use my description, and you will find yourself on a great route.
Enjoy your hike!

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Date of your route : Feb 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, which we had to cut short but which I would gladly do again in its entirety.
Beautiful, pleasant gorges.
The only thing missing is a brief explanation of how to find the car park, as the cemetery does not appear on Google Maps, so it is best to refer to the theatre. Otherwise, the explanations are generally clear. Follow the yellow markings to stay on the trail.

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Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

After discovering this hike in 2021 (which I was unable to complete in its entirety), I made a second attempt in 2022 (this time successfully) and did it again with a friend who was unfamiliar with it.
We enjoyed ideal weather, sunny with a clear blue sky and not a cloud in sight.
For those who are limited by time, it is possible to complete the hike more quickly by skipping the detour to the viewpoint (6) and the passage through the Bergerie du Colombier, taking the Vallon de la Brayette trail directly, just before the Pin du Maillet. This should save you 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
My friend and I completed the entire route in 6 hours, including several breaks, one of which was at the Brayette cave to eat...
It's a really beautiful hike and my walking companion really enjoyed the route!

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Date of your route : May 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route completed on 27 May 2023. I did the circuit in the opposite direction to the description. From point 4, I went to point 13 and then on to Robion (point 11). During this fairly technical section, the average speed is quite low (1.6 km/h), so you need to be careful, especially on the descent after the Castelas breach (Col de la Gnole), but it is very beautiful. Then I took the Vallon de la Brayette, which starts with a nice climb and is very well marked and pleasant along its entire length. When I arrived at Pin Maillet (point 7), I followed the route to point 9. I had a picnic at the sheepfold. Then I left the Visorando trail and descended via the Vallon du Colombier. It is a very beautiful valley, completely shaded by large box trees, somewhat reminiscent of the Regalon. The slope is gentle and pleasant. When you reach the exit of the Vallon du Colombier, turn right towards Taillades as indicated by the sign (2.5 km). It is very pleasant.
The loop is 15 km in total, with 700 m of elevation gain, 4½ hours of actual walking, and a total duration of 6½ hours.
When I arrived in the village, I visited the historic centre of Taillades and its quarry. Don't miss it, it's very picturesque.
I recommend parking at the Stade car park on Avenue du Château, which is designed for hikers (especially if you have several vehicles). There is a water source and plenty of space. The cemetery car park (located 300 m away) is not very large and is reserved for cemetery use.

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You completed this hike in 3 hours and 45 minutes? Well done!
I did it in April 2022, on a Friday, with a friend, and we only saw four or five people along the entire route, no more!
So I provided a much more detailed description than the initial presentation, which I found too vague and a little confusing.
My description makes it easy to follow the entire route correctly, but perhaps you didn't read it...

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Date of your route : Feb 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

My Visorando data:
818m elevation gain
13.20km
3 hours 45 minutes
My impressions:
Hike completed on a Sunday. Several nice sections, a few steep sections. Little respect for the environment, multiple secondary trails, toilet paper on the trail, high traffic: I encountered more than thirty people, most of them very noisy, except for the dozen or so hunters accompanied by their dogs with bells, who were scattered along the route. I spoke with two of them, the first of whom criticised me for not wearing a yellow vest, while the second launched into a more... "passionate" tirade. They alone ruined my walk. The signposting is average, but with the route map you can find your way (although there is quite a lot of off-trail walking). I chose it because of some comments that mentioned a climb of over 1,000 metres, but this is clearly not the case. Its proximity to Avignon is a real bonus. Probably nicer during the week.

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Date of your route : Oct 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

To do this hike, you need to wear suitable footwear. Not suitable for beginners. The paths are very stony. The descent to the Baude rocks is difficult and even dangerous.
Not recommended in rainy weather.
However, it is a very beautiful site with stunning views.

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