La Luynes, between Luynes and Gardanne

pLEASE NOTE: work is being carried out on the Gardanne-Luynes railway line. The hiking trails are closed to the public.
A Sunday family walk through landscapes of small rivers and hills, without going into the department's large parks.

Details

n°404756

Creation:
07 Nov 2016

Last update:
04 May 2026

Last review:
04 May 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 5.23 km
Average duration: 1h 50
Difficulty: Easy
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 127 m
Descent: - 133 m
Highest point: 303 m
Lowest point: 167 m

Country: France
City: Gardanne (13120)
Start/End: N 43.471797° / E 5.44444°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3143ET, 3244ET
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Photos

A wonderful reward at the end of the walk!

There is a nice little water source at the start of the walk

Description of the walk

Park in the car park of the Pavillon de Chasse du Roi René, located on the right on the D7 connecting Luynes to Gardanne.

(S/E) From the car park, enter the landscaped park and walk to the banks of the Luynes river, then turn right onto the path that runs alongside the river (not shown on the IGN map). Leave the hunting lodge on your right. Walk to the wooden and cable footbridge and cross the river.

(1) After following the river, the path veers to the left (do not take the path on the right). Pass under the SNCF bridge and you will reach a vineyard. Take the path on the right and continue until you reach a small bridge, then take the path on the left which climbs steeply. You will then reach a small wooded valley. Climb straight up the rocks and rejoin the path above the rocky outcrop. Turn left and climb. You will soon see the chimneys of Gardanne.

At the fork, turn left (do not go up to the right). The path then runs along the left side of the factory road. The path approaches the factory buildings; continue along the main road via the path below.

(2) When you reach a path under a power line, turn left and continue straight ahead until you reach the road. Immediately take the path on the left that climbs to point 305. Continue downhill, following the power line. Pass a first crossroads with four paths and continue for a few metres to reach a second crossroads.

(3) At this four-way junction, turn left and you will come to a barrier marked MT202. Go through it and take the path that goes straight ahead (do not turn right or left). Continue straight ahead.

(4) Enjoy the view on your right: Sainte-Victoire Mountain, the slopes of the Valabre hills and the Gardanne power station. Continue straight ahead on the path, ignoring the path that descends to the left.

(5) Pass under the SNCF bridge and join the road. Turn left, pass the "Lycée Valabre" bus stop, then before the bridge over the river, take the path to the left of the road.

(6) Cross the wooden footbridge over the Luynes, then turn left onto the path that runs alongside the river.
Stay on this path until you reach the Pavillon de Chasse du Roi René and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 176 m - Parking at the Pavillon de Chasse du Roi René. Towards the - Luynes (rivière)
1 : km 0.31 - alt. 167 m - Follow the path that branches off from Luynes
2 : km 1.93 - alt. 282 m - Power line
3 : km 2.55 - alt. 277 m - Fork, left
4 : km 3.76 - alt. 218 m - Panorama
5 : km 4.36 - alt. 186 m - SNCF bridge
6 : km 4.68 - alt. 176 m - Footbridge over the Lunes
S/E : km 5.23 - alt. 176 m - Parking lot at the Pavillon de Chasse du Roi René

Notes

Information panels about the plant species encountered along the way are dotted throughout this hike (see photos).

Alternative route to avoid the section along the red sludge factory, this alternative route passes through the Vallon de Portalier:

When you reach the telecommunications antenna, take the path on the left just after it, which descends. Then continue straight ahead (do not take the path on the lower left).

At a fork with a rock on the ground, take the path on the left that descends. Then descend steeply among the rocks. Join a slightly wider path and follow it to the right. Walk along the railway line on the right.

At the railway line, before the bridge, take the path on the right before the vineyards. Red markings on a white background. Walk along a dry stone wall, do not take the path on the right that goes uphill, but continue straight ahead. Pass the ruined well.

Reach a path and take it to the right uphill. Then, at the crossroads of four paths, take the one opposite on the right that climbs slightly.

At the path with the power line, take it to the left, join the tarmac road and immediately take the path on the left that climbs uphill. Go around the two EDF pylons via the path on the left. When you reach the pylons, take the path that descends just below the high-voltage line towards Sainte-Victoire and the EDF power station chimney. When you reach the crossroads, go straight ahead on the clearer path with white stones.

Then take the path on the left opposite the MT202 barrier to rejoin the original route towards (3).

Worth a visit

King René's Hunting Lodge (in fact, it was built after his death, so he never visited it). Built between 1573 and 1583, it is a four-towered building.

ALTEO factory "red mud" storage area: storage of bauxite residues used in the manufacture of alumina at the Gardanne factory.

Forest Ecomuseum: CD, 7 Chemin de Roman, 13120 Gardanne

Entente pour la Forêt Méditerranéenne - Valabre. Its missions:
To share, coordinate and pool skills, resources and tools in order to serve its founding partners in four areas of intervention:
MIP: Information and prevention against forest fires
ECASC: Training in civil security professions
CEREN: Testing and research for operational staff
PôNT: New technologies and geomatics

Reviews and comments

3.9 / 5

Based on 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5

Route interest
3.6 / 5

User 4047606

04 May 2026 at 15:35 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The stated elevation gain doesn't seem to be correct. We met some hikers who had an app that showed an elevation gain of 230 metres.

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Sandra Brun

13 Oct 2025 at 09:55 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, varied walk, particularly enjoyable at the start of autumn. Areas of full sun and partial shade, forest, views of Sainte-Victoire, vineyards, ancient plane trees and a river at the start of the walk. Very nice, families and runners, not very busy between waypoints 3 and 4 and generally very quiet the rest of the time!

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phildaix

29 Aug 2024 at 09:38 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The route is of moderate interest, as the views are much less spectacular than many other hikes in the region. However, the undergrowth is pleasant, especially in summer, as most of the walk is in the shade.
The section along the red sludge factory poses no problems: no view of the storage area, no restrictions, everything is fine.
It seems that the GPS track after point 1 and the passage along the vineyards no longer corresponds to reality: in any case, the path to the left after the vineyards is not the one shown on the track; it then cuts across the GPS track and returns south to rejoin the GPS track above the rocks.

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MBtx

08 Apr 2024 at 09:08 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Very varied, beautiful panoramas

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2arbre

24 Oct 2023 at 09:07 7200 • Edited: 24 Oct 2023 at 16:18 7200

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

This is an easy, short walk above Luynes, with some beautiful scenery and... views of the Gardanne thermal power station. There are many paths on the first part: make sure you have the GPS track, as the description may not be sufficient. Compared to older reviews, the TGV line has been finished for years, so vegetation has reclaimed its rights, the tracks are pleasant to follow, and at times even marked... the route allows you to ignore the fact that you are actually between a high-speed line, busy roads, high-voltage lines and industrial areas! Because that's also what Provence is: a ravaged landscape.

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biloba

16 Oct 2023 at 10:25 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

i downloaded the GPX file, but the route appears to be offset from the actual path,
stuck between the red sludge treatment plant and the Gardanne power station
apart from a beautiful view of Sainte Victoire, it's not particularly interesting

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PeterCox

19 Apr 2021 at 11:33 7200

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Railway works
Difficult track
Not recommended in shorts due to thorny bushes and narrow track
Road noise during most of the route.

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jcharle1

29 Mar 2021 at 11:02 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

low interest

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aixois

14 Dec 2020 at 16:33 3600

hiking impossible: roadworks ongoing

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grandin

29 Jul 2020 at 15:00 7200

Thank you for your opinion, fromdu

As for the app, you need to post here
https://www.visorando.com/forum-randonne...

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fromdu

26 Jul 2020 at 14:20 7200

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

Poorly marked start, no signposts along the way.
Not much of interest except for the view of a new railway line, an aluminium factory, magnificent electricity pylons and glimpses of the south face of Saint Victoire...
Very disappointed with our first walk this year.
But we know we will discover new walks in the neighbouring mountains.

Thank you for the app, however, apart from the incessant requests for subscriptions.
Couldn't there be temporary or local subscription options?
See you soon

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lorenzotess

01 May 2019 at 11:19 7200

hello, unfortunately I don't have an answer for you. To be honest, I've planned a picnic on that route today, so I'll be able to tell you more tomorrow.

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Boss13

30 Apr 2019 at 15:51 7200

Hello, I'm new to the forum and I have a question about this walk.

I had planned to do this short hike tomorrow, 1 May 2019, with my wife and child, but I see that the trail is closed due to work on the railway line.

Is this trail closure still in effect? We don't know when the information found in the hike description was posted. Does the current route avoid the problem, or is that not even possible due to the construction?

Thank you in advance.

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Jules BREA

04 Apr 2019 at 16:41 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

In my opinion, the average interest is linked to three aspects:
1-The SNCF construction site has led to the physical closure of many paths in some cases.
2-The section of the route that runs alongside the Altéo factory's red mud storage centre has, in my opinion, only one point of interest: appreciating the size of the site and its impact on the environment
3-The trails have been modified to allow construction vehicles to pass. They are very dusty and the vegetation is turning grey with dust
In conclusion, I do not recommend this hike while the work is ongoing in 2020, and the proposed alternative route that avoids passing by the factory should be considered the main route. Once these three issues are resolved, the route is pleasant and offers interesting views.

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grandin

18 Mar 2019 at 12:52 3600

Thank you, Aixois, for the information

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Author

lorenzotess
19 Walks

Visorando Member

City: Aix-en-Provence (13100|13090|13540)

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