Mimet walks

In the hills of Marseille, this beautiful hike leads to the Pilon du Roi, a solitary monolith that catches the eye from the plain and offers a splendid view of Marseille and the surrounding mountains. A long stretch along the ridge offering beautiful views, a small, shady and secluded valley, and a few almost forgotten paths are the main attractions of this physically demanding route, despite the overall elevation gain, which may seem insignificant.

Panoramic route, not difficult but quite long, on foot or by mountain bike around the Montagne de Bau Trauqua. Views of the Aix and Gardanne region with Montagne Sainte-Victoire, then the picturesque villages of Mimet and Saint-Savournin, and finally a wide open view of the bay of Marseille, before heading north and approaching Notre-Dame des Anges.

This is a very beautiful, short hike with a good climb for a while, and plenty of excitement with almost constant panoramic views for more than half of the hike. There is an orientation table, benches along the ridge and beautiful single-track trails with a slightly difficult section on the mountainside, but with good footing.

It is a very beautiful hike with a few sections that are a bit tricky for those with sensitive feet and for those who are afraid of heights. It climbs at the start to reach the lookout point via the ridges of Bau Trauqua. It passes by the Tête du Grand Puech and has a circular route that takes it around the Pilon du Roi. Much of the route is exposed, offering stunning scenery, especially on a clear, sunny day.

A loop around the Bau Trauqua mountain, part of the Chaîne de l'Etoile between Marseille and Aix-En-Provence. Hike along the ridge and enjoy the many magnificent views over the well-known massifs of Sainte Victoire, Garlaban and Sainte-Baume. In spring, the scents are magnificent, not to mention the flora and fauna that awaken. This hike starts off moderately difficult, then becomes a medium hike with some very fine views.

Hike in the Étoile massif with views of Sainte-Victoire Mountain, Ventoux, the Alps, and at the same time, Marseille and the Mediterranean.

A walk that starts in a woodland that feels more like a park. It has a few tarmac sections and is relatively shaded. It’s a lovely summer stroll along very easy-to-walk paths.

This short but fairly challenging hike takes you along numerous small paths and immerses you in a fairly wild area. It also allows you to reach the famous Pilon, visible from all over the Aix region.

This route, created by the Gréasque Mining Museum, takes you on a journey back in time to the mining era in Gréasque. You will pass by the mining remains that enabled the village to develop. The route is marked with permanent black markings on a white background and an explanatory guide is available at the museum.

A lovely hike with a big climb up the ridge of the valley. Return via the Vallon de Fontvieille (as it is known), where the lush vegetation makes you forget that you are in the Étoile massif.

Starting from the Marseille metropolitan area, a combination of classic trails and lesser-known paths to reach and explore a section of the Chaîne de l'Étoile ridges.

A challenging hike to the peaks of Bau Trauqua mountain via the valley of the Grotte des Ermites, then back via the Col Sainte Anne and the Grotte du Facteur. Along the way, you will find caves, grottos, springs and a well. A wild landscape with strangely shaped rocks.

A difficult hike offering access to the ruins of Notre-Dame du Rot and the Pilon du Roi via less well-trodden paths, as they do not appear on IGN maps. Along the way, you’ll encounter a spectacular landscape with strangely shaped rocks and magnificent views of Marseille, Gardanne and the Sainte-Victoire massif.Please note: there are a few difficult ascents and descents where you will need to use your hands (see practical information).The use of a GPS or the app with the route track is essential.

A beautiful hike above Cadolive that will take you to the summit of Mont Julien, where you can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of Sainte-Victoire, the Alps and the bay of Marseille.

This hike starts at Logis Neuf near Plan-de-Cuques and takes you to Pilon du Roi, climbing up the beautiful valley of the same name. From there, follow the ridges offering magnificent panoramic views of the entire region to reach the Tête du Grand Puech. During the descent, you will discover the Aire de la Moure before returning, after a short climb, to your starting point.

A beautiful hike to Mont Julien and the Grotte des Fées with magnificent views of Marseille, Cadolive, Gardanne and the Sainte-Victoire Massif in the background. Return via the Figuière and Vache valleys.

This is a pleasant, easy hike on beautiful, clear tracks and paths, allowing you to discover the Aire de la Moure, a reddish plateau used for training civil defence water bombers, and then the Baou de l'Aigle cliff, a climbing site.

A challenging, long circular route starting from the Vallon de la Vache towards Mont Julien, the Grotte des Fées, the Tête du Grand Puech and the Aire de la Moure. A few DFCI tracks, plenty of steep, well-signposted paths offering a magnificent 360° panorama. As an added bonus, in the morning you can watch the civil defence aircraft training above the Aire de la Moure.

The circuit allows you to discover pretty secret valleys in the Grand Puech massif and magnificent panoramic views of Marseille, Cadolive and Sainte-Victoire.

This is more of a walk to enjoy with family or friends. The route follows a DFCI (firebreak), so the paths are very wide and very pleasant for children to cycle on or for pushing pushchairs. The path is wide, practically along the entire length of the route, but gently sloping. This is the Chemin de Mimet. When you arrive near Notre-Dame-des-Anges, below, there is a narrow, rocky and picturesque path for experienced walkers. It leads to the Grotte des Ermites, some 100 metres below. You then have to retrace your steps. Children will be safe during this descent to the Grotte des Ermites, which will leave them with a very nice memory. It's not very long, but it's really very pretty.

Starting from the village of Logis Neuf, a classic hike to the Pilon du Roi via its valley, but with an alternative return route through another small valley passing below Notre Dame du Rot, which is well worth exploring for its wild and rugged character.

A circular route on either side of the Ratier valleys along beautiful DFCI tracks. Shortcuts through the valleys, heaths and forest allow you to shorten the route by bypassing many hairpin bends. They also lend a wild and challenging character to this route, right up to the ascent of Mont Julien (see also the practical information).

A lovely circular route above Gardanne. Most of the route is through wooded areas.

Another idea for a route to reach the magnificent site of La Parloire is to take beautiful trails with views of Marseille, the Chaîne de l'Étoile and the Montagne de Sainte-Victoire.

A suggested route to reach the Aire de la Moure, taking you off the usual wide tracks and favouring paths at the bottom of valleys with varied and wild scenery. Please do take the practical information into account.

A short hike in the Étoile massif between tracks and trails. You will often come across a herd of goats roaming free on or near the boules court. Please do not feed them (there is a sign reminding you that this is prohibited). However, if you have any water left over after your hike, especially in summer, please feel free to fill their water tanks.

A hike through the pines and scrubland of the Massif du Garlaban, so dear to Marcel Pagnol. Starting from the Pichauris car park, the circuit first leads you to the Puits de l'Aroumi (the wells of Aroumi) then the Mont du Marseillais along beautiful, well marked paths, often along ridges, offering magnificent views over Marseille, Sainte-Victoire, Mont Ventoux and, in good weather, the Préaples de Provence. The intense luminosity of the rocks under the brilliance of the sun will leave no-one indifferent.

This hike starts from Pichauris and takes you through spectacular scenery: La Parloire, a large, steep cirque reminiscent of an ancient theatre, and Barre Coupée, a long rock formation that looks as if it has been carved with an axe and has only one point of passage.

Wide DFCI tracks, pleasant footpaths and one of the Ratier’s narrow, densely wooded valleys feature on this easy circular walk starting from Pichauris and passing at the foot of Mont Julien. Set against a magnificent panorama, you’ll come across two wells, an old limestone quarry and a karstic cave along the way. (See also the practical information).

A walk in a regional park with beautiful trails, varied routes and trees, trees and more trees. Departure from the park’s car park at the Pichauris Hostel.

A pleasant route around the old hamlet of Pichauris and the Bastidonne estate. Beautiful tracks and paths through heath and kermes oak trees, passing numerous wells. Beautiful views of Mont Julien.

A pleasant hike starting from the Parc de Pichauris along beautiful, well-maintained and signposted tracks and paths. A steep climb to reach the summit of Mont du Marseillais with a 360° view of the Chaine de l'Étoile and Marseille, Sainte Victoire and the snow-capped Pre-Alps, Sainte Baume and Garlaban. The route via the summit of Le Défens towards the Puits de l'Aroumi offers views of the Grand Vallon. The route also passes close to numerous wells.

A challenging hike to explore Mont du Marseillais via steep paths and wide tracks. Along the way: the ruins of La Bastidonne and its three wells; the bed of the Cride stream with its waterfalls and potholes; the wild Mau Vallon with its large limestone slabs; then a return via theGRP® Sentier Provence Mines d’Energies towards the hamlet of Pichauris, with numerous wells to discover and the ruins of La Plâtrières. A magnificent landscape throughout the route.

A magnificent circular walk starting from Parc de Pichauris, taking in the Grand Vallon via the Sentier des Tourdres. The route then passes by the Aroumi well and Barre Coupée, offering fine views of Marseille, the Chaine de l’Etoile, the Sainte Victoire massif and the Pre-Alps, visible on a clear day. Finally, take a detour at the end of the walk to visit the ruins of Ners Castle.

Starting from the Micocouliers car park above Pichauris, this beautiful circular route around the Grands Ubacs will take you to the orientation table and beneath the antennas of Mont du Marseillais. You can discover the places where Yves Robert located Marcel Pagnol's holiday home in the film "La Gloire de mon Père" (My Father's Glory).

A circular route through ridges and valleys, mostly on well-maintained paths, towards the Collet du Ratier hill. Magnificent scenery throughout the route and old stone quarries to explore. 

The main attraction of this route is reaching the summit of Cride de Peypin hill via a path with no truly visible or existing tracks (see § Practical Information). At the top: a cross, the remains of an ancient Gallo-Roman oppidum and, above all, magnificent 360° views of the surrounding hills and villages. Starting from Pichauris, the route passes by the Cride stream and its large limestone potholes and, on the return journey, through a picturesque valley extending from Mau Vallon to reach the hamlet of Le Régage.

An alternative route to the Grand Vallon other than via Lascours. This route starts from Pichauris, climbs up to Mont du Marseillais, follows the Sentier des Tourdes, then descends to the Pas du Grand Vallon. The ascent of the Grand Vallon is a classic route featuring the famous, highly technical section equipped with chains (see § practical information) before reaching the Col du Régage. The return to the hamlet of Pichauris follows theGRP®2013. Varied and magnificent scenery throughout the route. Please note: there are a few difficult sections; please read the route description carefully.

A beautiful hike in the Étoile massif on tracks or paths with magnificent views of Marseille, the Étoile and Mediterranean vegetation: fig trees, arbutus trees, heather, rosemary, etc.

An alternative route, entitled ‘From La Nègre to L’Oasis’, runs between the southern and northern slopes of the Chaîne de l’Étoile. Starting from La Nègre, it takes you to the Col des Ouides, then down the Mérentiers stream towards the place known as L’Oasis. The climb back up to the Pas de la Colle, followed by the descent towards the Vallon de Mauvelle and a section passing close to the Tête du Jacquot, then leads back to the La Nègre area.

A fairly challenging walk from the Parc de la Nègre to the Pilon du Roi, returning via the Tête du Jacquot. The main attraction of this walk lies above all in the long stretch along the ridge of the Massif de l’Étoile, with superb views on both sides, rocks of all shapes and, finally, the arrival at the Pilon du Roi, an imposing monolith visible from across the region. Please read the route description carefully at (7).

A beautiful hike in the Massif de l'Etoile, with superb views of Marseille, its surroundings and the Frioul Islands. The colours and scents of the heath accompany walkers throughout the circuit.