La Croix de la Lavande and the Vallon des Jardins

A lovely, pleasant circular walk at the end of June as the lavender is in bloom and the temperature doesn’t get too high due to the altitude. Only the end of the walk is a little steeper in the Vallon des Jardins, up to Les Esfourniaux. The beauty of the vegetation (rowan, plum, dogwood, etc.) will quickly make you forget the effort involved.

Details

n°3491427

Creation:
29 Jun 2020

Last update:
15 Jul 2020

Last review:
30 Sep 2024

Activity: Walking
Distance: 9.96 mi
Average duration: 5h 45
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 1,385 ft
Descent: - 1,375 ft
Highest point: 3,730 ft
Lowest point: 2,959 ft

Country: France
Area: Monts de Vaucluse
City: Lagarde-d'Apt (84400)
Start/End: N 43.983597° / E 5.472774°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3240OT, 3242OT
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Description of the walk

Car parks on either side of the D34, next to the chapel and Lagarde-d'Apt Town Hall.

(S/E) With your back to the town hall, follow the D34 to the right and take the first road on the left. Join a path on the right.

(1) At the fork in the road, leave the tarmac road and take the path on the right (^GR®4, red and white markings). Walk alongside the fence of the Esfourniaux farm, a place where deer, does and fallow deer are reared, and head north-west.

(2) Turn left, still following the GR^®. Continue to the Berre farm.

(3) Go round the farm (private property), which was a key site for the Resistance during the Second World War. After walking alongside the fields, you’ll reach a cross-path.

(4) Turn right and continue along this track until the next junction.

(5) At the “Berre” sign, cross the road and head towards “Croix de la Lavande”. Follow a steady climb to reach the crossroads at “Croix de Fer” or “Croix de la Lavande”.

(6) Then head left towards "Savouillon". Enjoy the beautiful view of the lavender fields and Mont Ventoux.

(7) At the “Savouillon” sign, head right towards the pretty hamlet, which you cross after turning left. Join the wide Travignon track.

(8) Turn left and head to the junction at the “Savouillon” sign.

(7) Turn right onto the wide Safranier track until you reach the sign for "Berre".

(5) Continue to the right along the route you have already taken towards the Vallon des Jardins.

(4) At the fork, continue straight ahead.

(9) At the three-way junction, leave the track and turn left. Follow the signposts; the path heads south into the Vallon de Berre, until you reach the “Vallon des Jardins” signpost.

(10) Turn left into the Vallon des Jardins. The path descends for a few metres, crosses a stream, then climbs steeply through lush vegetation consisting of numerous shrubs: service trees, plum trees, blackthorns, dogwoods... until it reaches the fence of the Domaine des Esfourniaux.

(11) Turn right for the final climb before reaching the Esfourniaux farm. In season, you can enjoy a cold drink or an ice cream and may spot some animals (fallow deer or roe deer) at the edge of the woods.

(12) At the “Les Esfourniaux” signpost, follow the small road for about 1.5 km to reach the car park in Lagarde-d’Apt (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,579 ft - Lagarde-d'Apt
1 : mi 0.48 - alt. 3,668 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop
2 : mi 1.44 - alt. 3,681 ft - Junction
3 : mi 3.04 - alt. 3,376 ft - Berre Farm
4 : mi 3.44 - alt. 3,281 ft - Junction, turn right
5 : mi 3.64 - alt. 3,369 ft - Sign for "Berre"
6 : mi 4.35 - alt. 3,602 ft - Croix de Fer or Croix de la Lavande
7 : mi 4.89 - alt. 3,281 ft - Savouillon
8 : mi 5.49 - alt. 3,196 ft - Travignon track
9 : mi 6.62 - alt. 3,245 ft - Berre
10 : mi 7.78 - alt. 2,986 ft - Vallon des Jardins
11 : mi 8.59 - alt. 3,471 ft - Fence around the Les Esfourniaux estate
12 : mi 8.85 - alt. 3,645 ft - Les Esfourniaux
S/E : mi 9.96 - alt. 3,583 ft - Lagarde-d'Apt

Notes

Take plenty of water with you. A cap is essential for the exposed sections.

La Croix de Fer or Croix de la Lavande is an ideal spot for a picnic break.

Worth a visit

Ferme des Esfourniaux: animal farm (fallow deer, does, stags, etc.).

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5

Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5

Ease of following the route
4 / 5

Route interest
3.6 / 5

ocattoir

30 Sep 2024 at 14:15 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk that my companions really enjoyed; it’s well shaded, so it’s suitable for hot weather, and there isn’t much tarmac

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cerise 84

20 Jun 2022 at 11:31 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It was hot; I can only imagine what it must be like in the height of summer!!

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manonroro

01 Sep 2021 at 18:31 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

At point 1, you must take the path on the right marked by the Red Cross and White Cross; there are no GR signposts here.
At point 2, there are no GR markings as this is not the GR route; there is only a sign for “Les Caires” on the right, so turn left along the wire fence.
The “Berre” signpost is located at point 4, not point 5, but the descriptions for points 4 and 5 are perfectly accurate. It is impossible to get lost.
A very pleasant walk, perhaps best enjoyed on a fine winter’s day to take in the view of the snow-capped peaks of Mont Ventoux and the Lure mountain, but above all without the mistral.

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danielle pique

23 Aug 2020 at 18:18 7200 • Edited: 23 Aug 2020 at 18:19 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We looked for the starting point, and after a few trips back and forth, it turned out to be the one where the GR sign is blocked at the entrance to the path, even though 50 metres further on, the markings are correct! And then, at a junction, there’s nothing to indicate that you should turn left, and you have to walk several metres further before you find the correct markings again! You really did have to turn left!
So this needs correcting, especially at the start, where the path is blocked, even though that’s the one!
After that, everything was fine – a lovely walk through the lavender fields; the Vallon des Jardins, nicely shaded, takes us to Les Esfourniaux, a farmhouse inn surrounded by does, fallow deer and red deer... where a cold drink was much appreciated! It was a very hot day!

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AUDO13

21 Jul 2020 at 16:33 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Apart from the lavender fields, which are currently in bloom, the walk isn’t particularly interesting, as three-quarters of the route is through shaded areas with no unobstructed views. However, the altitude means you can walk in the height of summer without getting too hot.

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