The crests of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

A demanding route that climbs up to the crests above Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, where you will have unrivalled views.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.80 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 738 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 733 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 671 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 77 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park beside the D24, 250m before the bridge.
N.B. The car park is payable after 10 am: 4 Euros.

(S) From the car park, walk left along the D24 for 150m until you reach a cobbled lane leading up to the right.
The lane winds up the hillside, and is signposted Château.
When you reach Evêques de Cavaillon castle, take a break to enjoy the views, being careful on the cliffs, and then carry on up the path to the right (due south).
In January 2015, unofficial blue waymarks appeared on the portion that was not waymarked.
There are dry stone ruins dotted along the footpath. When the path becomes flat, just before it begins to go down again, look for the cairn and the waymarks indicating the start of a small path off to the left (1).
Take this path, which leads up to the rocky outcrop. Follow the track and make your way around the cliffs to the right above the Vallon de la Fontaine de l’Oule.
When the path comes back over to the cliff edge, turn left and look for the section in the cliffs with a rope attached (apparently there was no more rope on 12 May 2015).
You will need to climb fifteen metres vertically up the rock face using the steps cut into the rock!

Easier variant: It is possible to continue on the footpath along the cliffs until you reach a path that climbs up to the left to the ridge. Once at the top, bear left until you reach the chapel (2)

The first section takes you up to a rock shelter with the help of a rope, and then there is a final series of steps, with no rope, which takes you up to the top of the ridge.
Once at the top, turn left to reach the ruins of a dry stone chapel (2). From here there are 360° views to reward the brave hiker perched 230 metres above the fountain.
Retrace your steps and then carry straight on up along the ridge (northeast) following the cairns.
Be careful as there are several trails marked with cairns, which can make it hard to know the right path to take, so you need to keep following the line of the ridge wherever possible or follow the blue waymarks.
A large cairn marks the summit (3). The path takes you due north for about 500m before bearing off northeast and then east.
The vegetation around the path here becomes denser and the path often cuts through 3-metre high boxwood, so you can’t go wrong.
When you see a crossing up ahead, ignore the path to the left, which leads towards the Mourre de la Belle Etoile telecom tower, and instead go right for 300m until you reach another footpath.
(4) Turn left onto the footpath and at the fork 10m further on, take the path slightly to the left opposite you. Ignore the next path off to the right and keep going until you reach a wide plain. Take the path to the right until it reaches the GR6-GR97 (Grande Randonnée – Long Hike).
Turn left onto the GR track and keep going until you reach the crossing signposted Les Trois Luisants.
(5) Turn left towards Poste de vigie. This flat section leads you to a fire surveillance point that is used in the summer, and which has beautiful views all year round.
When you reach the surveillance point, ignore all the paths off to the left and right and go down on the path to the right of the observation post towards Mourre Pelé (6).
The path takes you down the mountainside and ends with some unpleasant scree. You will reach a large cairn.
Take the path to the left which climbs up a little until you reach the rocks overlooking Valescure valley. Follow the waymarks on the right, which lead to the forest, where another cairn indicates the path down to the left (7) into Valescure valley.
Follow the waymarks, which take you to Valescure Farm (8) (under renovation by volunteers for the last few years), and then continue on the path down, which is an access track to the farm. Further down, ignore the path that runs alongside the track on the right and continue on the track. After passing water cistern N°. 159, continue south, still on the GR waymarked path, which leads to the crossing signposted Cabane 500m further.
(9) Take the path to the left that climbs up to a borie (dry stone hut), and then continues down again.
Before long there is a second borie that is well hidden to your left, followed by another more visible one.
The path completes its descent alongside some olive trees planted in dry stone terraces (restanques) and then arrives at the crossing signposted La Perrière.
Carry straight on down the tarmacked road, Chemin des Beaumes Rouges, which then meets Chemin de la Fontaine.
(10) Turn left to do a return trip to visit the fountain (11).
Retrace your steps until you get to the bridge, which you then cross to the left.
Continue down the D24 under the arcades until you get back to the car park on the right.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 77 m - Car park by the D24 - Sorgue (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.86 - alt. 194 m - Left fork
  3. 2 : km 1.49 - alt. 335 m - Ruins of a chapel
  4. 3 : km 3.48 - alt. 569 m - Highest point of the ridges
  5. 4 : km 5.66 - alt. 646 m - Left on the path
  6. 5 : km 7.13 - alt. 662 m - Les Trois Luisants
  7. 6 : km 7.64 - alt. 645 m - Lookout post
  8. 7 : km 8.95 - alt. 411 m - Left fork
  9. 8 : km 9.83 - alt. 314 m - Ferme de Valescure
  10. 9 : km 10.93 - alt. 279 m - Cabane
  11. 10 : km 12.96 - alt. 80 m - Left Chemin de la Fontaine
  12. 11 : km 13.63 - alt. 114 m - Fontaine de Vaucluse
  13. S/E : km 14.8 - alt. 77 m - Car park by the D24

Practical information

(N.B.!) The steep passage up the cliff to reach the ridge is very exposed and demanding, and it is only advisable for people who do not suffer from vertigo. On 12 May, the rope on this section was reported missing...

A variant is possible if you have vertigo, avoiding the steep passage up the cliff.
The proximity of the cliff edge is still a potential risk however, so be careful.

This route is not suitable for children or dogs.

In the nearby area

Evêques de Cavaillon castle probably dates from 1030 and was the property of the Bishops of Cavaillon and the lords of Vaucluse. It was also a place of pilgrimage.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 48 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
bernard coulomb
bernard coulomb

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : N/A
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

A sporting discovery in a typical heath setting. There's no problem avoiding the "clothesline" that serves as a safety feature for the staircase climb up the side of the cliff. Just continue along the path at the foot of the cliff and cross it a little further on without difficulty. No problem with GPX.
At the fire lookout, small groups of the not-so-common ibis can be found.

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GILLES CHABRIERE
GILLES CHABRIERE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A very beautiful circuit with beautiful scenery. You still need to be in reasonable physical condition. Just the end of the route is not well marked. We bypassed the route (I put an alert on the location of the course).

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abaussan56
abaussan56

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Walk on Easter Monday in fine weather. A cable was reinstalled for the first tricky section, but it can be slippery and/or sharp. The first step is difficult because the "step" is very high and you have to use the cable. Gloves may be useful. For the second section, no rope, but relatively wide steps in the rock.
Beautiful views all along the way.
A beautiful hike.

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mp2
mp2

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

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Sand84
Sand84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Dec 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very nice route, relatively easy classified as difficult rock climbing.

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swissP
swissP

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very fine, challenging walk with lovely views, especially over the first few kilometres. We tried the steep passage in the cliff, but it is dangerous. Definitely not to be done downhill, with children or when the rocks are wet.
The short trip to the chasm at the end of the route is well worth it (unfortunately, the history of the chasm and its impressive cross-section are not explained on site, but you can find out more on the internet).

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PfMC
PfMC

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Walked on 15/01.
Very nice route along the ridges and a nice climb to get there. The plateau before the descent wasn't my favourite part because the views weren't as good as at the start of the ridges. Nevertheless, it's a very pleasant hike that doesn't require any particular physical condition if you follow the easy path to reach the ridges.
The chasm was quite low on 15/01.

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HerveH13
HerveH13

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No

We opted for the alternative route up to the ridges.
It's a nice, athletic climb through scree.
Disappointing on the ridges, parish specific to Brittany, very few points of view, you look at your feet for a long time.
We never found the path that goes off to the left at point 9!
We searched through the dense vegetation for several minutes. So we followed the original path and there we had a pleasant surprise, a beautiful landscape of vegetation and rocks.
The chasm is dry at the moment

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Damien9999
Damien9999

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Nice loop, thanks for the route.

The first part is a bit chaotic, due to a lot of vegetation and a path that is sometimes approximate.

The blue markers are OK on the whole, but don't always correspond precisely to the author's route. The view from the ridges is magnificent, as is the section before the lookout. The subsequent descent is quite arduous, especially at the end of the hike. Fortunately, a short stop at the Valescure farm allows you to take a break and enjoy the magnificent scenery.

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Ranice
Ranice

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb tour, thank you for the route, it's very easy to follow with a GPS, we went round to avoid the aerial part. We chose to descend via the Valescure karstic cave (well worth the diversions) before rejoining the GR at the Valescure farm. Many thanks to you!

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mimibob04
mimibob04

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Feb 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very nice hike, but be warned that the climb up to the Chateau des Évêques is very slippery, as the rocks have been weathered by the many passages.
The rope used to secure the aerial passages no longer exists. So we put one back on during our ascent. The view from the ridge is well worth the diversions.
The route along the stony paths to reach the Mourre de la Belle Etoile is a bit monotonous... there are many criss-crossing paths, so a GPS is very useful.
At the lookout, we took the path down into the Valescure valley to see the Valescure arch and karstic cave. We descended through scree, so it's best to have a steady footing, then returned via the Domaine de Valescure and the hamlet of "Les Cabanes".
Les Copains randonneurs du 04 http://www.lescopainsrandonneurs04.fr/

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Elmajor
Elmajor
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jan 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Route completed today in bright sunshine and a strong cold wind.
The description in the guidebook is really realistic.
Clearly, it's better to go over the ridges than take the valley in the shade, which is certainly far too monotonous.
The view is magnificent, especially as it was a very sunny day. Admittedly, it was very windy, but we were well protected by the vegetation along most of the route.

The small section of cliff we had to climb was akin to rock-climbing, or even via ferrata if we'd had a rope or chain. It's an easy climb with small steps, but it's really challenging because I can confirm that there's no rope to hold on to. It's a good place to put your feet and hold on with your hands, but be careful, it's a cliff....
The first 6-7m climb takes us to an upper ledge and finishes with a 2-3m passage that's a little trickier.
It's easy to do, even with novices, but there's no room for error, especially on the short step above to finish the climb.
It's best done with experienced climbers and, better still, with belayers as there are anchor points.
Do not take this route on the way down as it is too risky! (except by abseiling).
On the other hand, you can avoid this climbing step by simply continuing along the path that runs along the cliff below to reach the ridge a little further on and rejoin the path. This is what another group did.

All in all, the route is very varied with some very fine views.
I'd advise you to avoid the summer season because it's so exposed to the sun and to do it in the direction of the route as the climb is a little longer but less steep and more regular than the descent.

That's all I have to say, just go for it!

Thank you for mapping it out and sharing it with us.

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reivilo59
reivilo59

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 11, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hello ,
The description is very detailed and there's a rope to cross the cliff.
I had downloaded the Gpx point in my watch to follow our position in real time.
Without it, I think you have to look for the right path, especially at crossroads where they all look the same and the route is illegible or left behind...
Lovely walk with a view of Fontaines les Vaucluses for the first few kilometres, then a walk through the maquis and boxwood forest.

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slinky
slinky ★

Hello Ant71,

Thank you for your comment about WPT6, I've just moved it so that it's consistent with the description.

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Ant71
Ant71

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Nice ride.
No one in front, behind or in sight! But it may be exceptional...
The blue markings are indeed not recent, and are doubled right up to the ridge by "green-blue duck" dots that lead to the cliff shortly afterwards (these may be markings for climbers).
For the aerial passage, the steps are well marked and in very sound rock, the rope is in good condition.
It's very easy to "lose the trail" on the ridge if you look too closely at the birds, but all paths lead to the summit...
Point (6) in the description would benefit from being placed 2 lines ahead at the lookout.
Don't miss the visit to the huts (stone houses) at the end of the hike. There are lots of uninteresting details.
Thank you

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