Régalon Gorges

This is a classic hike that can become very difficult in bad weather and when there is water.

You are entering the Luberon State Biological Reserve and National Geological Nature Reserve. This site is extremely fragile and difficult to access in some places. Please respect this area. (see practical information).

𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐮 𝐑𝐞́𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧. Due to rock falls, access to the Régalon Gorges is prohibited until further notice as a safety measure. An assessment will be carried out shortly to evaluate the situation.
𝐅𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐝e 𝐑𝐞́𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧

Details

26638
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.25 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 314 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 312 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 376 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 116 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The start is between Cavaillon and Cadenet, west of Mérindol. The Gorges du Régalon car park is signposted from the D973.

(S/E) Start north of the car park and take a path between two tracks. Join and cross an olive grove. You will soon reach the entrance to the gorges.

(1) Walk up the unpaved gorge, heading north. The surroundings are quite extraordinary. There are some fairly narrow passages, caves, etc. It is a particularly wild place. Exit the gorge between two huge caves.
(2) Immediately after exiting the gorges, follow a wider path to the left, immediately join theGR®®6(red and white markings) and follow it north.

(3) At the crossroads, turn left. Continue on theGR®® which winds its way in a general north-westerly direction. Continue uphill to the Vallon de la Galère.

(4) Leave theGR®® when it turns sharply to the right (south-east) and continue straight ahead, following the yellow markings. Shortly afterwards, the path makes a wide turn to the left and continues southwards. The view becomes increasingly beautiful.

(5) At the crossroads just after a cistern on the left of the path, turn left and ignore the path that immediately branches off to the right. Still following the yellow markings, keep heading south-west. When the path turns left, leave it and continue straight ahead along a path that climbs a hill, then rejoin the path on the other side of the hill. Then descend with a few bends to the Ferme de Mayorques.

(6) After passing the farm, turn left and then immediately right at a sharp angle at the barrier. After about 150m, turn left at a right angle and cross the Crau des Mayorques (yellow markings). At a fork, follow the path on the left. You will soon discover the view of the Durance, then begin a steep descent that leads to a track.

(7) Follow the track to the left, ignore a path coming from the left and, at the next fork, turn left. Then ignore two paths, one on the right and one on the left, and pass through Les Bastides. Continue east-south-east and pass through Rioufret. At the three-way junction, turn left to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 118 m - Gorges du Régalon car park. Near the - Canal de Carpentras
  2. 1 : km 0.77 - alt. 147 m - Entrance to the - Gorges du Régalon
  3. 2 : km 1.93 - alt. 215 m - Exit from the gorges - Junction with the GR6
  4. 3 : km 2.59 - alt. 250 m - Crossroads
  5. 4 : km 3.91 - alt. 323 m - Leave the GR
  6. 5 : km 4.72 - alt. 369 m - Crossroads
  7. 6 : km 6.1 - alt. 311 m - Mayorques Farm
  8. 7 : km 7.87 - alt. 166 m - T-junction
  9. S/E : km 9.25 - alt. 118 m - Régalo Gorge car park

Notes

The Régalon Gorges suffer from the negative effects of increased visitor numbers. In order to help protect them and the endangered species that live there, it is strongly advised not to visit between January and September.
Contact a nature guide for an accompanied outing in the Régalon Gorges, outside the nesting period (October to December).
Contact details for a guide can be found here.

Please note: The gorges are not developed and some parts are quite difficult. Some rocky passages require climbing with the help of your hands. The rocks can be slippery in wet weather. It may also be necessary to take off your shoes for a few metres if the water level is too high.
Check conditions in advance and do not enter the gorge if the water level is too high.

Worth a visit

The Luberon and its hilltop villages.

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

4.8 / 5
Based on 65 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
lauzerte1851
lauzerte1851

I had already done this hike and planned a longer route (11km - 300m elevation gain), but due to a rockfall, the gorges are closed until ??

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Ardinat Olivier
Ardinat Olivier

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike from the car park towards the gorges, in the cool air, until you reach the highest point halfway along the route. Then the landscape becomes monotonous as you turn your back on the Luberon. Unless my Garmin watch is wrong, you need to add about 1 km to the distance indicated, and at a very average pace, it's easily doable in 2½ hours.
Be careful during busy periods in the gorges, when you may encounter families in flip-flops 🩴 going up or down the gorges 😅. It can get a bit congested 😉.
Bring water during hot weather for the second part of this hike. The sun beats down hard.
The hike is not difficult, as indicated, for experienced hikers with good footwear.

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Ch'Buq
Ch'Buq

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hiking in the riverbed... excellent (be careful, it can be a bit technical at times!)
and a climb to the top for a great view of the Luberon mountains
A must-do!

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User 25825607

Didn't follow the hike...

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Gijean
Gijean

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 01/04. There was water everywhere in the gorges and one section where the water was halfway up our calves, the rest up to our ankles.
Beautiful route through the gorges, and the Majorques too.

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paė
paė

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful outing on Sunday, 6 April 2025, few people, a little water at the bottom (10 cm), a few rocks to climb without difficulty,
beautiful route.

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jpb2
jpb2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Very beautiful hike in the gorges. Avoid in wet weather (rock climbing is slippery).

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cacahuete*
cacahuete*

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike, but best avoided after rain as the rocks in the gorges are slippery even when dry.

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Loiseau bleu
Loiseau bleu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A great hike, but the section in the gorges has a few difficult passages involving some climbing, but these can be managed without any problems with good footwear.
It is best to do it in the direction indicated because, in my opinion, the descent into the gorges is more complicated than the ascent.

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Leleu
Leleu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
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 that I will return to with my 7-year-old daughter, as she loves the scenery.

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Paccou
Paccou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, in my opinion, starting with the gorges. A wonderful discovery of the Mayorques farm.

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Erwanito
Erwanito

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

One of the most beautiful hikes in the area!
I prefer to do it in reverse to enjoy the view of the Luberon mountains when you reach the plateau and the Ferme de Mayorques, and finish with the Régalon gorges.
Not to be done after rain!

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fabjoss
fabjoss
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, difficult but doable.
After heavy rain, we had to walk through water for a third of the route in the gorges.

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gerard52
gerard52

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike with impressive gorges.

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epsilonbleu
epsilonbleu

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very interesting route through some beautiful gorges. There are some sections where you need to hold on with your hands, but it's not dangerous.

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