Tour d'Arbois Departmental Park

This short hike is ideal for a family outing in open countryside (avoid days when the mistral wind is blowing).
In summer, you may encounter a herd of red goats on the plateau. These are Rove goats.
This hike is dotted with information panels about the environment.

Details

368212
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.16 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 134 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 134 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 231 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 126 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Aix-en-Provence (13100|13090|13540)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.488965° / E 5.317153°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3143ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the car park specially provided by the Departmental Council. It is located on the D65D on the left immediately after the departmental guard.
The trail is marked in blue by Departmental Council markers.

(S/E) Leave the car park towards the Departmental Council reception building and toilets.

(1) After the small bridge, at a fork, follow the left-hand path (less steep than the right-hand path).

(2) Join the path you previously ignored, which comes from the right. Cross the TGV bridge and continue north-west.

(3) At the fork (elevation 186), take the path on the right that descends. Stay on the path marked "sentier Badaïre", follow the valley, and enjoy the view of the Canal de Marseille and the Vautubières farm (ruins).

(4) At the crossroads, turn left, cross a footbridge, turn right again and climb back up to the plateau.

(5) Return to the main path you left earlier.

(3) Follow it to the right.

(6) At the next fork (elevation 231), stay on the main path straight ahead. Pass under a power line.

(7) A few metres further on, leave the main road and take the road on the left (south). At the T-junction, turn left and, after about 50 metres, turn right uphill. Pass under the power line again and continue south-east.

(8) Take the hairpin bend to the left and descend. At the crossroads, follow the path that branches off to the right and immediately turn left, descending.

(9) At the crossroads, follow the path furthest to the left. Follow the path downhill, winding several times.

(6) Turn right.

(5) Leave the path you took on the way there on your left and continue east.

(3) Turn right and follow the route you took on the way there in the opposite direction.

(2) At the fork, take the left path (not taken on the way there).

(1) Continue north-east until you reach the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 134 m - Parking on the D65D
  2. 1 : km 0.23 - alt. 128 m - Small bridge
  3. 2 : km 0.67 - alt. 158 m - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 1.45 - alt. 187 m - Viewpoint - Canal de Marseille
  5. 4 : km 2.55 - alt. 189 m - Crossing
  6. 5 : km 2.91 - alt. 223 m - Loop junction
  7. 6 : km 3.06 - alt. 231 m - Fork
  8. 7 : km 3.42 - alt. 227 m - Power line
  9. 8 : km 4.62 - alt. 203 m - Hairpin bend
  10. 9 : km 5.24 - alt. 191 m - Crossroads
  11. S/E : km 8.16 - alt. 134 m - Parking on the D65D

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 33 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Ulucopteur
Ulucopteur

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Hello everyone,

I completely agree with Michèle17's comment
It's a very dodgy area. I had some strange "surprises". I saw lots of people dressed up as women engaging in some rather unorthodox practices. I went there with a friend who was visiting to see the area and we were very disappointed. I wouldn't recommend this trip to anyone, unless you're into that kind of thing.

Machine-translated

Michèle17
Michèle17

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Extremely disappointed by the Arbois car park belonging to the departmental council and its surroundings, which is used as the start and finish point for the hike. There were men parked with their doors open, some even naked in the middle of the mountains, with wet wipes and empty alcohol bottles on the ground. We asked the men parked alone in their vehicles in the car park why this place was so dirty and so strangely frequented, but they did not respond. We later learned from a local resident that this car park is listed on the internet and that it is very badly frequented both during the day and at night. What a disappointment! We did not dare to go on the hike with my family and children for fear of being attacked. Here is the link that the resident gave us. Looking at the comments, it's enlightening to see what this Arbois car park is like.
https://lieuxdedrague.fr/lieu-de-drague/...

Machine-translated

Anne38140
Anne38140

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

Nice route, simple and easy, but the markings on site are difficult to follow. It's best to have the route on a GPS device.

Machine-translated

nella13
nella13

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk suitable for all ages. We passed through some stunning scenery. The only downside for me was the large high-voltage power lines.

Machine-translated

randobelix
randobelix
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Hike completed in beautiful weather with no wind...the best
easy to follow with a few variations
avoid in strong winds...

Machine-translated

pauleetpierre
pauleetpierre

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's a plateau, so I would advise against going on a windy day.
And to avoid getting lost, follow the Badaïre trail.

Machine-translated

pauleetpierre
pauleetpierre

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's a plateau, so I confirm that you shouldn't go there on windy days.

Machine-translated

Derviche333
Derviche333

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I confirm what has already been said: easy, pleasant with a few nice views (the Marseille canal from the "Rocher" (point 3), two ruined farms, a few valleys, a general view of the Arc valley, etc., but still a bit monotonous. And a bit difficult when it's windy.
About 200 metres before (3) at an intersection, you can turn right and make a round trip to reach the Marseille canal.

Machine-translated

Jean-Pierre G
Jean-Pierre G

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

When you arrive, there is a clearly marked car park, which is very convenient!
The route is all the more enjoyable as it is relatively quiet at this time of year, with beautiful views of Sainte Victoire in the distance, as well as the Arbois plateau and the canal.
The GPS tracking on the app is perfectly suited to the route, and it should be added that the trail is also clearly marked with concrete blocks installed by the CD 13 along the entire 8 km.
There are lots of information panels about the environment along the route: a must!
There are also beautiful views of two old abandoned farms.
On a more anecdotal note, part of the path passes through a wild boar hunting area and the "hunting in progress" signs are only visible from behind once you have passed the barriers, which suggests that you are entering a hunting area without knowing it at the start...
A pleasant, easy and relaxing hike...

Machine-translated

kris13013
kris13013

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

You can't get lost: just follow the signs: badar

Machine-translated

anran
anran

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, easy walk. Beautiful panoramic views of the Étoile massif, Sainte Victoire, etc.
A few inaccuracies and errors in the route description at numbers 7 and 8, but we found our way thanks to the map!

Machine-translated

La Verdière
La Verdière

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

Nice walk

Machine-translated

Lex van Rheenen
Lex van Rheenen

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

When the sun is shining: you will need a hat or cap.
When the mistral wind is blowing: it is better to wait for a less windy day because you are on a very open plateau.

Machine-translated

ziou
ziou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Avoid in very sunny weather, as there is very little shade. Fortunately, it was very cloudy on the day we visited.
Easy path suitable for all. Very pleasant walk.

Machine-translated

Cheminsdebalades
Cheminsdebalades

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

RAS
Not too busy, easy route

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.