The rock shelter at La Tapy

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Short family hike in the hills above Saumane-de-Vaucluse.

Details

n°1549298
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.06 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 312 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 314 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 342 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 183 m
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Photos

La Tapy
Source of the rock shelter.
Rock shelter at Saumane-de-Vaucluse
Chemin de la Tapy

Description of the walk

In Saumane de Vaucluse, park in the car park on the right.

(S/E) Head up towards the centre of the village via Cours René Char.

(1) At the wash house/library, where you can refresh yourself and read, turn left onto the road leading down to the town hall. Continue straight ahead.

(2) At the bottom of the road, in the bend, take Chemin de la Tapy opposite, which climbs slightly.

(3) At the fork shortly afterwards, ignore the path on the right, which is the return route, and continue straight ahead.

(4) After passing the Font Rugne estate, turn right at the crossroads and follow the road alongside the property. Cross the stream and follow the dirt track uphill, overlooking the properties.

(5) A few metres before reaching Chemin Les Pesades, turn right and follow the wooden signs indicating "Abri sous roche" (rock shelter).
Between points (5) and (6), the path is not marked on the IGN map but it is shown on the OpenStreetMap (O.S.M).

(6) Admire the shelter in question, rebuilt by a local association, then continue down the path. You will come out onto the path you took on the way up and follow it to the left.

(2) Head straight ahead to climb back up into the village.

(1) At the wash house, turn right to reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 203 m - Saumane-de-Vaucluse car park
  2. 1 : km 0.15 - alt. 205 m - Wash house Library
  3. 2 : km 0.57 - alt. 183 m - Chemin de la Tapy
  4. 3 : km 0.78 - alt. 190 m - Crossroads of the circular
  5. 4 : km 1.94 - alt. 273 m - La Tapy, on the right
  6. 5 : km 2.65 - alt. 342 m - Les Pesades, on the right
  7. 6 : km 2.98 - alt. 280 m - Rock shelter
  8. S/E : km 7.06 - alt. 203 m - Saumane-de-Vaucluse car park

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 15 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
BEETHOVEN
BEETHOVEN

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route. Be careful when leaving the shelter to take the path that goes down at a right angle and not the one that goes up, which is the one you are on. Fortunately, the app put us back on the right track.
Apparently, it's not 7 km but less. Both the app and the smartwatch showed us a little over 5 km.

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autrans
autrans

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Interesting route, beautiful scenery and sights...
Unfortunately, a group of motocross bikes passed through this beautiful natural setting, which was rather unpleasant!

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anneG
anneG

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk for a winter afternoon!
We enjoyed walking through the village. We hesitated quite a bit about the path along the edge of the property. We climbed too high at first. You mustn't go past the hamlet.
But we had plenty of time!
And we found the pretty, easy path to the shelter
Thank you for the website.

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Remiol
Remiol

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy hike, done with a 12-year-old child who thoroughly enjoyed it.

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KHATTAL
KHATTAL

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is fairly easy to follow, but the directions are sometimes poorly marked on the map provided. However, signposts help you find your way easily. The path is passable, pleasant and not very busy. There is a slight incline at the start. The route takes about two hours to complete at a normal walking pace, including a break. Enjoy your walk!

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becan
becan

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, relatively easy hike with a "superb" attraction: the well-marked rock shelter.

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sauvinette13
sauvinette13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

My husband and I loved the magnificent scenery... it wasn't dangerous at all. It took us two hours, including a 20-minute break for a snack...

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Bernard Madonna
Bernard Madonna

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Some comments mention a dangerous and horribly rocky route... There is no danger and no vertiginous areas for the average hiker. The rock shelter (whatever its name...) is an absolutely extraordinary site. Fans of drystone shelters (bories) will discover some very unusual ones just a short distance from the route, which, it is true, is not always signposted. You can also continue to use IGN maps in the field...

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tilman
tilman

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The title is misleading. In fact, it is not the Tapy rock shelter! It is the Baume de Marculy.
If you take the trouble to write down a route that could be useful to other hikers, please make sure you give it the correct title.

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ALLION, Robert
ALLION, Robert
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lack of directions along the route - Places marked on the map are not visible on the site or are unclear (path on the right running alongside a property??) -
Pebble path quite dangerous (and not dirt as indicated) for a hike marked as "easy"
Signs sometimes appear too late (e.g. the rock shelter)
Otherwise, a beautiful hike (1 hour 50 minutes instead of 2 hours 50 minutes, even with a detour and use of GPS).

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IsaPampe54
IsaPampe54

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The entire route took us two hours, including a 30-minute lunch break at point No. 6.
Otherwise, it was a very beautiful and pleasant walk with superb views.

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papiculteur
papiculteur
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Easy walk, lovely place to explore, shame the route is poorly signposted, no signs?

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fouquet violaine
fouquet violaine

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 06, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The directions on the website are not sufficient to reach the site under the tapy. There are no signs indicating the site. Fortunately, we met some lovely people... hikers and mountain bikers who put us back on the right route.
A must-do, easy and very beautiful walk.

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henri57
henri57 ★

Hello,

The route isn't very reliable...

Did you have any problems with the route?

Did you follow the route with a GPS or a GPS application?
Did you deviate from the route?

Did you consult the OpenStreetMap Visorando (OSM) map, in addition to the IGN map, when preparing for your hike?

See you soon!

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hardilesgars
hardilesgars

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The route isn't very reliable... Luckily, we met another group who put us back on the right track.
But it's worth it!!!!!

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