Mourre de la Belle Étoile via the fountain trails

Park in the car park behind the town hall in Cabrières-d'Avignon.

(S/E) Go around the town hall on the left, arrive at Cours Jean Giono and turn left. At the crossroads, turn right and go up Grand Rue.

(1) At the second fountain and plane tree, turn left onto Rue du Château. Pass the wash house and the castle. At the next two crossroads, turn right and go up Chemin des Barres.

(2) Look for the return path on the left and continue straight ahead.

(3) Stay on the main path, ignoring the one on the left, and continue to the end, where it turns into a dirt track called Chemin des Baumions. Take this track and stay on the main path that winds along the bottom of the valley.

(4) Pass a spring converted into a fountain on your left: the Fontaine des Baumions. Continue to the end of the valley and come out onto a wider track, which you should take to the left until you reach the DFCI, Piste de la Pouraque.

(5) Turn right and continue to the junction marked by the "Lauzas Sud" signpost. Turn left towards Fontaine de Vaucluse and continue for about 50 metres to the next signpost, "Lauzas Nord", where you will join the GR®6, marked in white and red.

(6) Continue straight ahead, as well as at the next junction. Watch out for a narrower path that branches off to the left before the GR® turns right. Stay on this path and, at the first crossroads, turn right to climb up to the stony plateau with a lookout post and a very large cairn. You are now at the summit of Mourre de la Belle Étoile, the highest point overlooking Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.

(7) Turn around.

(6) Follow the GR®6 to the right, towards Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, and descend for more than 2 km. Just after a small tarmac area, look out for a small path that branches off to the left of the main trail and leads to the Fontaine de l'Oule.

(8) Then rejoin the GR® and continue downhill. After the barrier, stay on the main track that branches off to the left and join the road.

(9) Turn left. You can either walk along the road or take the small path that runs alongside it (choice of route). Continue to the "Valette" signpost.

(10) Turn left and follow the GRP® Lubéron Monts de Vaucluse towards Cabrières-d'Avignon. Ignore the paths branching off to the left and right and continue straight ahead to rejoin the DFCI Piste de la Pouraque.

(11) Cross this track. At the "La Peithe Est" signpost, continue straight ahead towards Gordes. At the first crossroads, leave the GRP® on your left and take the path, which is narrow at first but then widens, continuing straight ahead. Ignore the small paths that branch off to the sides and, at the first major junction, turn left and join the dirt road known as Chemin de Terre Rouge at a cistern.

(12) Turn right and follow this road to the houses, then to Chemin des Barres, which you took on the way there.

(2) Turn right and retrace your steps to return to the car park (S/E).

This is a fairly shaded hike. The elevation gain is significant and requires suitable footwear.

(6) From this point, you can turn left if you do not want to go to the summit of Mourre de la Belle Étoile.

(11) Alternative: if you do not want to return directly, turn right and follow the Mur de la Peste route no.89876883.