The Sault State Forest

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From the peaceful hamlet of Les Abeilles, set off to explore the Sault State Forest.

Details

n°27956
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.80 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 807 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 787 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,707 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,186 ft
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Ventoux
Forest

Description of the walk

Start from the car park in the hamlet of Les Abeilles on the D1 between Villes-sur-Auzon and Sault.

(DA) With your back to the chapel, take the yellow-marked path at the far end of the car park, which climbs towards the Col des Abeilles alongside a fence.

(1) When you reach the edge of the D1, cross it and head up the wide track opposite, which leads towards Les Bataliers. Ignore a path on the left very soon after, and 400 metres further on, take a 90° right-hand bend to head towards Les Bataliers.

(2) At the Les Bataliers junction, follow the track to the left (north) towards Le Frelon, whilst enjoying the views of Mont Ventoux to your left. Ignore all turn-offs to the right and left until you reach a coniferous forest which leads to the Le Frelon junction.

(3) Turn left towards L’Arigier. 300 metres further on, you can take a path to the left of the track, which rejoins it a little further on. At the next junction, turn right towards Le Rat. The track winds its way through pine and beech trees in a shaded setting for over two kilometres. When the track takes a sharp left-hand bend, continue for about fifty metres until you find a path on the left.

(4) Take this path and follow it for about one kilometre as it descends into the valley, until you reach a fork.

(5) Continue to the right. 500 metres further on, two more cairns indicate a change of direction.

(6) Turn left onto the narrow path that climbs through the forest; it widens as it leads onto a flat area.

(7) You’ll reach a lavogne (artificial pond); walk past it and take the path on the right, which leads to the Chapelle Saint-Jean, tucked away deep in the forest.

(8) From the chapel, rejoin the signposted path, heading due south towards the Col des Abeilles. At the next junction, turn left towards Les Granges Rouges, ignoring the other trailheads to stay on the yellow markings.

(9) At the Les Granges Rouges junction, turn right towards the Col des Abeilles, staying on the main signposted path. Back on the D1, turn left to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,196 ft - Les Abeilles hamlet car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.27 - alt. 3,268 ft - Cross the D1
  3. 2 : mi 1.03 - alt. 3,346 ft - Les Bataliers – Turn left
  4. 3 : mi 2 - alt. 3,576 ft - Les Frelons – Turn left
  5. 4 : mi 4.25 - alt. 3,698 ft - Leave the track – Turn left
  6. 5 : mi 5.12 - alt. 3,386 ft - At the fork in the road – turn right
  7. 6 : mi 5.48 - alt. 3,255 ft - At the cairns on the left
  8. 7 : mi 5.79 - alt. 3,392 ft - Turn right onto the flat stretch
  9. 8 : mi 6.08 - alt. 3,422 ft - Chapelle Saint-Jean
  10. 9 : mi 7.23 - alt. 3,474 ft - Les Granges Rouges – Turn right
  11. S/E : mi 8.8 - alt. 3,196 ft - Les Abeilles hamlet car park

Notes

No signposting between (4) and (8).

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5
Based on 20 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Denis26
Denis26 ★

Thank you for your comments; I’ve just amended the route to avoid the impassable section and head down through the valley between (4) and (5).

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Ricovert
Ricovert

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Up to point 4 – spot on – then an unknown path through thick, thorny undergrowth; in short, we turned back

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ALMOUN
ALMOUN

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The section between point 4 and point 5 is completely impassable (loose scree, dead trees, etc.), but otherwise it’s a lovely walk, especially when it’s hot down in the valley.

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Randoestelle
Randoestelle

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

We did this route with a group of eight experienced hikers.
Between points 4 and 5: no trail, just a scree slope covered in brambles and shrubs. We navigated by sight and GPS. What's more, this section is quite dangerous, with a descent down a scree slope (one of us fell), and really NOT WORTH IT.
In fact, you have to leave the route before point 4, at a hairpin bend between points 3 and 4, to descend directly via the Combe de la Clare and reach point 5.
It's a shame about the rest, as the autumn colours are magnificent and the arrival at the chapel is superb.
PS: I don't even understand the point of offering a route in such conditions!!!!

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User 567649

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Point 4 of the description stated: "Leave the track and take a path on the left that descends into the forest. There are no markings on this section, but after descending for about a kilometre, you will come to a fork." There was no path on the left and no cairn to indicate the way. We had to use GPS to guide us, and the descent into the valley was very difficult: scree, brambles, etc. It took us an hour to reach point 5 without incident. In fact, there is no point in doing this section. Before point 4, it is better to take a path on the left marked by a cairn that descends directly through the Clare valley to point 5!

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Laurent LEMOY
Laurent LEMOY

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, the route was very difficult between points 4 and 6, with no paths, trails or anything else...
without GPS, you'll get lost!

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jeani84
jeani84

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I couldn't find the path between points 7 and 8, so I turned back and took the Combe de Clare in the bend at point 6.
but it was a very pleasant hike in warm weather.
thank you

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Ballade en famille
Ballade en famille

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Indeed, when the trail disappears, it's a bit tricky going through the forest, but still, we enjoyed this hike and the magnificent view of Mont Ventoux. The landscape was still in normal "winter" mode at this altitude.
We'll have to do it again when the lavender is in bloom.

:

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Jean Yves B.
Jean Yves B.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

However, it is impossible to find the route between 4 and 8 because there are no longer any markings or access paths. It is impossible to find your way without GPS between 4 and 5.

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cabonine
cabonine

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We followed the route on the GPS. It's true that between points 4 and 5, you have to cut through the woods and make your own way to reach the bottom of the valley and find the path. You have to accept the scratches and the back-and-forth exploration, but ultimately, by following the clear areas of scree, you get there, keeping in mind that you have to descend into the valley. In the valley, the cairns that mark the way out are clearly marked. A beautiful hike with autumn colours.

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julielealudovic
julielealudovic

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Between points 1 and 2, you pass under a power line

Between points 3 and 4, after the sharp left turn, we searched for the prohibition sign and cairns, about 600 metres away, but couldn't find them. We retraced our steps and found a large cairn on the left and a mountain bike post on the right (going up the track) 60 m after the bend. Is there an error in the distance? We took this path to the chapel.

At point 9, the crossroads is not Les Granges Rouges but the Ortie crossroads; Les Granges Rouges is 600m before that

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rachenne_emilie
rachenne_emilie

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 22, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The route is impossible to follow without a GPS watch, and even then... I agree with Bernard on this point.
We couldn't find the famous chapel or the water source. We had difficulty finding our way between points 4 and 6, and only managed it thanks to the GPS.
Otherwise, it was a very nice walk, with fields of lavender (not yet in bloom) and a view of the summit of Mont Ventoux.
While we were lost, we were lucky enough to come across a group of deer and fawns, which was lovely to see! And a flock of sheep and their shepherd!

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slinky
slinky ★

Hello Bernard, thank you for your comment.

Indeed, the section between 4 and 6 is a bit complicated because it is no longer marked.

To answer your question: why leave the marked trail? Because hiking isn't necessarily linked to marked trails, and you can often discover nice spots off the beaten track. In any case, that's my approach to hiking, which explains this type of route.

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bernardSalon
bernardSalon

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello
Definitely a hike to do in AUTUMN with its magnificent colours. One problem: between points 4 and 6, it took us almost two hours (and a few scratches!!), which spoiled the fun a little. Without GPS, it was mission impossible! TO BE REVISITED! Why leave the markings?
But thank you anyway.

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Barbalala
Barbalala

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

No problem with the route description, except that it is not the Sault national forest but the Ventouret forest...
It's not particularly interesting as there are few spots with a view due to the density of the trees. However, the forest paths are pleasant, especially when it's hot. On the downside, there are swarms of flies, including horseflies, and I came back with quite a few bites...

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