The Drovers' Road of the Frères Nouguier

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

An astonishing and magnificent circuit, particularly with this half-tunnel under the rock.
Mixed feelings about the descent (Drovers' Road) and the return to the village
Descending under the trees on a stony path, and as I am tall, I had to hold my walking sticks in front of me to avoid the countless spider webs, as well as the trail runners training, going up and down this drovers' road. It spoiled the fun for me.
What's more, the return journey is on a tarmac road, which is best avoided in hot weather.
If I do it again, I will turn off towards the village before the drovers' road

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Date of your route : Sep 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike offering a glimpse of the Petit Luberon. The route is varied, both in terms of difficulty and the beauty of the landscape. The distance is just right for gently getting back into the swing of things. Take care on the small stones, which make it easy to slip on the descent of the Nouguier brothers' drovers' road.

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Date of your route : Mar 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice short hike, technically challenging but not too much, except for the section on the plateau opposite the Col de la Niole, where you need to use your hands for a few metres.
beautiful all along, alternating between trails and clear views, all superb!
the end of the GR trail on the road is a bit dull, but you can avoid it by taking one of the many paths that bypass it, including one located 200 metres before the roundabout at the entrance to the town.
otherwise, the road allows you to finish quietly and take stock of this beautiful hike.
I highly recommend it 👍🤩
we just got a little confused at the top of the plateau, so follow Combe de Maubec and look out for the Nouguier brothers' drovers' road a few hundred metres further on, on the left, with an old wooden sign!

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Date of your route : Aug 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed in the afternoon using the Visorando app.
A short round trip after passing point 3, then looking for a path that matches the GPS track.
A short walk back and passage along the dotted path on the map (IGN or open), which corresponds more closely to the description.

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Date of your route : Feb 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb little winter hike in a rugged and varied landscape, with the first crocuses heralding the arrival of spring. Sure-footedness and/or walking sticks required... Excellent map, signposting and information boards, thank you!
Given the sometimes surreal comments on this site, I would like to take this opportunity to say that you should not embark on a hike described as difficult without a map, a compass, a GPS and a minimum of skills to use them! And if you get lost, turn back... Circular routes are preferred in the guidebooks because they offer more variety than a return trip, but the risk of getting lost is inevitably greater than if you retrace your steps. Hiking isn't just about working your legs, it's also about exercising your brain for orientation!

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Date of your route : Oct 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

First hike for me. Big blue skies but a bit too windy...

The climb is quite physically demanding and dangerous at first. You find yourself climbing a steep rock face with few markings and loose stones. Falling would be very, very painful...

Once at the top, the view is breathtaking and you can finally sit down for a moment to enjoy it. The next half hour is fairly easy. Flat terrain at the summit, a feast for the eyes!

The last part, the Nouguier brothers' drovers' road itself, is not particularly difficult either. A long descent of about an hour (with lots of stones) with this passage (too short!!) along the precipice... just magnificent.

As I said, I'm inexperienced when it comes to hiking, but I'm still a bit of a sportsman, which helped me a lot.

Listen to those who advise against going in rainy weather. I can't imagine what state I would have been in if the rock had been slippery in the first part...
Don't take children either, they'll cry, unless you put them in your rucksack... In which case, you'll be the one crying

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Date of your route : Jun 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike with exceptional scenery. Difficult due to the long, steep climb at the end. We descended via the Badarel Gorge after the Col de la Gnôle to enjoy a change of scenery. Remember to restock your first aid kit at the pass! Good footwear is essential on the scree slopes and descents.

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Date of your route : Oct 02, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

allow for a few more kilometres (10) and extra time; that seems normal to me. A very beautiful and enjoyable hike.

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Date of your route : Feb 10, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Good evening,
I wanted to do this little hike yesterday afternoon and had written down all the directions. Everything was perfect until I arrived at the two broken signs!!! So, to avoid getting lost (as I didn't have a map), I followed the direction indicated at the bottom of the signs, which said Robion, but after about 20 minutes I couldn't find any more markings. Given the time(4:50 p.m.), I had to turn around and go to the police station, where they confirmed that many people had encountered difficulties in this area. I am sending you this short message to let you know that it is a shame that the signs and markings are not maintained for hikers and also for the police, who have other things to do.

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Date of your route : Jun 19, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

beautiful hike with a few tricky sections but very nice views of the circuit.

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Date of your route : Apr 10, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Nothing difficult in dry weather.

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Date of your route : Feb 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike, without much difficulty.

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Date of your route : Feb 20, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The climb to Castelas takes you across several scree slopes. When you reach the first sign for "Le Pin Millet", turn right towards Combe de Badarel, Vallon de la Barre and then "Vidauque". On the plateau, there is a superb view to the west over Cavaillon, the Durance valley and the Alpilles, watched over by Mont Ventoux, which will show you north if you get lost, as "the markings are not very visible along the entire route".
If you don't have ankles of steel, please wear high-top shoes. On the downhill trail, your ankles will be working hard to twist and turn.
This hike via Vidauque is shorter than the one via Robion - Maubec but just as enjoyable.
Sportingly yours

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Date of your route : May 21, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike that takes 3 hours and 15 minutes.
The first part up to Castellas is absolutely beautiful.
You need to be careful during the climb between Castellas and the summit because the path is difficult to see, but several cairns mark the trail.
The descent into the drovers' road of Maubec is tricky because it is very rocky, so be careful not to slip.
Next time, I'll take my daughter, but I'll come back down via the Badarel Gorge. The walk is shorter and more fun for a child.

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Date of your route : Apr 12, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

As indicated, this is a fairly difficult hike. We did it in the opposite direction to the description. In this direction, the first part can be covered not on the road but on a path (which starts opposite the cemetery) that runs alongside it to Maubec, a very pleasant path.
After the climb up the Drovers' Road and the flat section (the rockroses were in bloom) where we had a superb view, the descents that follow may pose some problems for people who are prone to vertigo (this is the case for Moutch). For anyone who is really prone to vertigo, avoid hiking in this direction.
The passages through the half-tunnels are very nice without being too tricky.
For less experienced hikers, allow more than 3½ hours.
Conclusion: we had an excellent day, even if it was a little tiring.

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