The Hermitage of Saint-Jean-du-Puy, Mont Olympe and the Rocher de 11 Heures

A magnificent hike towards Mont Olympe and Rocher de Onze Heures, where hikers can enjoy views of Sainte-Victoire, the Sainte-Baume massif and, finally, Mont Aurélien throughout the route.
This hike starts at Pas de la Couelle and passes by the Hermitage of Saint-Jean du Puy.

Details

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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.60 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 681 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 673 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 817 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 530 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Trets (13530)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.406675° / E 5.684992°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3244ET, 3344OT, 3345OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

In Saint Zacharie, take the D12 and park at Pas de la Couelle.

(S/E) Take the path that climbs up to the right through young pine trees. On the left, on the other side of the departmental road, there is a path with a DFCI barrier towards Le Regagnas.
Follow this path, marked with yellow signs, to a junction (elevation 624).

(1) Turn left. The trail descends steeply and then climbs again to an intersection.

(2) Continue left and stay on the ridge line through the pine trees. Leave the next three paths on your right and continue to some large rocks. The markings are still yellow, with some blue markings also present.

(3) At the large rocks, there is a passage with a chain, which is tricky but fun and not particularly dangerous. Continue straight ahead until you reach a junction of several paths. The path on the left descends onto a wide track. Leave this path and continue straight ahead, following the yellow and blue markings. Join theGRP® at the next intersection.

(4) Take theGRP® and continue straight ahead to the Hermitage of Saint-Jean du Puy.
This site includes the Léon Baille refuge, a chapel and, on the heights to the left, a tower. From the tower, there is a beautiful view of Sainte-Victoire, Trets and the entire valley.
Go around the hermitage on the right, pass under a porch, and the path descends slightly to a crossroads and a wide track.

(5) Turn right towards the large blue cross. There is a beautiful view from the top of the cliff. Continue along the path until you reach a beautiful wide track.

(6) Take this track on the right, pass cistern no. 155. Continue to point 582 at a wide crossroads.

(7) Cross the track and take the path opposite. Begin the difficult climb up Mont Olympe. The path winds from right to left, making the climb easier. The blue-marked path is difficult to spot in the scree.
When you reach the summit, the view is worth a few minutes' pause, as it is extraordinary: Sainte-Victoire, Mont Aurélien, Tréts, the Sainte-Baume massif from Pas de l'Ail to Pic de Bertagne.

(8) The blue trail is sometimes difficult to find. The key is to follow the ridge line near the ravine. Continue along the path until you reach a rocky outcrop, the "Rocher de Onze heures", which overlooks the Saint-Maximin plain. Magnificent view of Mont Aurélien.

(9) Note: on the IGN map, the trail does not go any further.
Then return by the same route to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 530 m - Departure from Pas de Couelle
  2. 1 : km 0.69 - alt. 622 m - Turn left
  3. 2 : km 1.07 - alt. 638 m - Turn left and follow the ridge line
  4. 3 : km 1.7 - alt. 599 m - There is a section with a chain on the large rocks
  5. 4 : km 2.2 - alt. 610 m - Intersection - L'Ermitage
  6. 5 : km 2.87 - alt. 624 m - Turn right
  7. 6 : km 3.2 - alt. 636 m - Take this track on the right
  8. 7 : km 5.26 - alt. 584 m - Cross the track
  9. 8 : km 6.29 - alt. 784 m - Reaching the summit - Mont Olympe
  10. 9 : km 7.92 - alt. 724 m - At the end of the trail, turn back
  11. S/E : km 15.6 - alt. 530 m - Return to Pas de la Couelle

Notes

Good hiking boots.
Binoculars, IGN maps.
There are no water sources in the area.
In wet weather, the rocks at the start of the hike can be slippery.
Although this hike is not particularly difficult, the climb up Mount Olympus is physically demanding.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 25 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
83Isa
83Isa
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We walked this trail on a beautiful clear day. We really enjoyed the ridge leading up to the hermitage, with views of Sainte Baume on one side and Sainte Victoire on the other. The hermitage site is welcoming, with picnic tables. We were less enthusiastic about the rest of the hike. The climb up Mont Olympe is steep but not dangerous, and the view is interesting, but not breathtaking after all that effort. We didn't reach the 11am rock due to lack of time and also because we know it from starting from St Maximien. But the beautiful atmosphere of the first part won us over. No more chains and just a few rocks to climb, which are completely safe, over a distance of about 2 metres. Thank you to the author for the route!

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Chantal&Olivier
Chantal&Olivier

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We went to Mount Olympus (8 May) 4 hours

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PUBOL
PUBOL

thank you for clarifying that

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svcricri
svcricri

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with superb views of our beautiful region.
A few details: the route is no longer marked in blue but in yellow, although the trail is very well signposted.
At the rock where chains are indicated, they are not there (or no longer there), but there is really no difficulty.

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PUBOL
PUBOL

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 15 March 2023 in very strong winds, not very pleasant and very chilly early in the morning.
I only encountered two people on the trail.
The route is very interesting, especially the section along the ridges, which offers magnificent views. There are some great photo opportunities of the SAINTE-VICTOIRE MOUNTAIN RANGE.
For the "fun" part of the climb up the rocks, I didn't see any chains.
Furthermore, for those who are not keen on climbing, there is the option of going around to the right just before you reach the passage.
I would not recommend this route in wet weather.

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Fanesdecarotte
Fanesdecarotte

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The hike was slightly modified from what was originally planned (departure from Trets and stop at the summit of Mount Olympus) and completed as a trail run.
Great run, magnificent views from the summit. Easy start and very steep finish, not easy. Quite a few people out on this sunny Sunday.

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Mimie182406
Mimie182406

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful route.
The climb up Mount Olympus was tough!!!

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nanou13430
nanou13430

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike, but in my opinion it is more difficult or average, and therefore suitable for experienced hikers.

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ulysse13
ulysse13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello everyone,

Route completed on 30/09/2021 starting from the Col de la Couelle. This route is not very busy during the week.
This circuit is classified as "moderate", but be warned that the climb up Mont Olympe is very physically demanding and not for everyone... I would therefore classify this walk as "difficult"... You sometimes meet some very nice people. That was the case today. A charming lady from the Aix region...

Alain

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leballadeur
leballadeur

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful views all along the way, lovely hike. More rugged at the beginning, before the hermitage, and at the end, after Mont Olympe. The trail is now marked with GRP® signs until the hermitage, then yellow signs to Mont Olympe, then blue and finally pink for the climb to the Rocher des Onze Heures. Note the view of the wind turbines on Sainte Victoire

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Kilou83
Kilou83

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. Starting from St Zacharie, there were no problems with signposting, but as soon as we started climbing towards the Hermitage, there were almost no signs. Fortunately, I knew the area, otherwise it would have been easy to get lost. There were even more problems on the way back, as some crossroads did not indicate any direction. Not easy for those who are completely new to hiking.

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sylvanomars
sylvanomars

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 14, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I got a nasty surprise when I found myself in the middle of a big game hunt.
I hadn't seen the signs when I arrived.
I had to turn back and shout "hiker" every 10 seconds, afraid of getting hit by buckshot.
Not very bucolic...
I came back in the afternoon and was able to enjoy this beautiful ridge trail, but only as far as the hermitage...

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jmdexter
jmdexter

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Avoid the hunting season!

Had to turn back three-quarters of the way due to a hunt.
GPS reliability is very good.
One section where you need to use your hands.
Good hiking boots recommended.
Superb views.

The hike is worth doing again outside of hunting season.

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Chris13
Chris13
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike along the ridge with splendid views of Sainte Victoire and Sainte Baume, especially from the summit of Mont Olympe. Continuing on to the Rocher de 11h adds nothing to the hike, which is already quite long. The descent from Mont Olympe requires caution to avoid slipping (but it is not dangerous). Don't forget to make a detour to the bell tower of the Ermitage (viewpoint) and don't miss the Croix Bleue (viewpoint).

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Bruno Torrésani
Bruno Torrésani

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk, thank you very much
The only downside was that the timing was underestimated. Allow between 7 and 8 hours rather than 6 hours 10 minutes for the round trip to the rock at 11 a.m. (including breaks and picnic).

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