Rustrel walks

La Grand Montagne overlooks Rustrel from a height of around 650 m. The army built several tunnels there, which are now used as the Bas Bruit Underground Laboratory. This walk takes you on a grand tour of these hidden treasures, offering stunning views of the Luberon mountain range, the Apt plain, its vineyards, lavender and olive groves, and, of course, the many ochre quarries stretching from Gignac to Roussillon.

A beautiful walk in the hills above Rustrel offering magnificent views of the Colorado Provençal.

Start the walk with a visit to the unmissable Colorado Provençal, then take a stroll through the hills in the triangle formed by the villages of Rustrel, Gignac and Caseneuve to admire the lavender fields and enjoy a beautiful view of the imposing Château de Caseneuve and the Grand Lubéron.This walk is a less tarmac-heavy alternative to the ‘Visit and Tour of the Colorado Provençal via the Ridges’ (official route)Best done early in the morning, in summer and in fine weather to make the most of the colours of the ochre cliffs and the lavender.

The hike begins with a visit to the Colorado Provençal Belvédères trail (pedestrian rate), a listed site managed by the Colorado de Rustrel Association, and continues with a tour of the Colorado via the ridges (GR®) to discover views of other ochre quarries. The hike reveals all the nuances of ochre colours in these former open-air quarries.Please note! The Mille Couleurs car park is reserved exclusively for visitors to the two marked trails managed by the Colorado de Rustrel Association for a limited period of approximately 3 hours. If you wish to hike the Tour du Colorado via the ridges, you must park in the village and pay the pedestrian entrance fee for the Belvédères trail.

The hike reveals all the nuances of ochre colours in these former open-air quarries. Paid parking, giving access to the trails to all occupants of the vehicle. There is a pedestrian rate, if you do not use the car park, which allows you to obtain the leaflet with the map, the history of the site and the code for the mobile discovery app. Please note that the Milles Couleurs car park (paid) is only accessible to visitors to the two marked trails managed by the Colorado Association of Rustrel.

A beautiful hike that will allow you to discover the surroundings of Rustrel's Colorado.

A walk in the Luberon that includes a visit to the beautiful village of Viens, some of its hamlets and chapels. Views of the ochre cliffs of Rustrel and Gignac, beautiful trails and forest passages. Geological curiosities (slab with footprints).

An easy circular offering beautiful panoramic views of the Luberon and the Provençal Colorado.

A beautiful hike that takes you to the hilltop village of Saignon via old mule tracks through the woods and fields. The Saignon rock offers an incredible panorama of the Apt valley, the Monts de Vaucluse and Mont Ventoux.

A lovely, pleasant circular walk at the end of June as the lavender is in bloom and the temperature doesn’t get too high due to the altitude. Only the end of the walk is a little steeper in the Vallon des Jardins, up to Les Esfourniaux. The beauty of the vegetation (rowan, plum, dogwood, etc.) will quickly make you forget the effort involved.

A superb hike combining magnificent views across the whole region with unmissable sights. Challenging sections are followed by pleasant, shaded paths or those running along ridges. One of the most beautiful yet little-known hikes around Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt.

A short, easy 2-hour walk starting from Viens in the Luberon. Beautiful views of the Luberon geological reserve.

Wild and difficult to access gorges, between 150 and 200m deep, very narrow in places, only a few metres wide. The descent of the Karstic Cave is very well equipped but tricky to navigate.

A beautiful loop around the Calavon Gorges from the village of Oppedette.

A long and beautiful excursion over easy but varied countryside, with some steeper sections on the descent but on an excellent path.

Starting from the centre of Apt, this is a very beautiful, easy circular, passing in front of Saignon and Rocsalière to reach the Claparèdes plateau before descending back to Apt via a beautiful paved slanting street.

A pleasant little hike that has the advantage of starting practically in the centre of Apt, reaching the Saignon rock and returning along the hillside among fruit trees and lavender.

Discover the villages of Oppedette and Vachères, the Saut du Moine waterfall, and sweeping panoramic views of the Luberon, the Alps...

This sixth stage crosses the wooded slope of Perréal Hill before reaching the village of Gargas and winding through the farmland of the Urbane Valley, then climbing up to the pretty village of Roussillon, where you can allow an hour to visit the old ochre quarry, with its magnificently coloured landscapes of cliffs and fairy chimneys. The route returns to the cultivated fields and enters the narrow Gorges de la Véroncle – a little gem waiting to be discovered – before heading up the Ravin de Vézaule to reach Camping des Sources.

A very beautiful walk starting from the pretty little village of Saignon.

This fifth stage takes you on a journey of discovery through the splendid Gorges d’Oppedette and, once past the Chapelle Saint Ferréol, visits the remarkable medieval village of Viens with its maze of narrow streets marked by the passage of centuries, before crossing the gleaming ochre landscapes of the Colorado de Rustrel, notable for its canyon-like scenery and fairy chimneys reminiscent of John Ford’s Westerns. The route reaches the hilltop village of Villars before continuing on to Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt.

This short circular route, starting from the medieval village of Simiane-la-Rotonde, will take you through pretty holm oak forests and along lavender fields. You will pass by old dry stone sheepfolds (or jas) and the ruins of three mills. At the end of the hike, you can visit the Rotonde and lose yourself in the narrow streets of the old village. As a bonus, you will have beautiful, unobstructed views of the Albion plateau, the Lure Mountain and even the Alps.

From the pretty hilltop village of Simiane-la-Rotonde, a route through coppiced woodland with lovely views to the east, south beyond the Grand Luberon, and north on the return journey from the summit of the Espéron.

Discover rain water reservoirs carved into rock, which enabled rural life to continue in this waterless area.

A four-day circular route that takes you up to the highest point of the Grand Luberon massif and along its ridges, offering superb panoramic views. You pass through numerous villages and hamlets, each boasting a rich heritage. Halfway through, you can add a loop to extend this route to five stages.

This first stage is mainly uphill, leading to the foot of the western part of the Grand Luberon ridges. Halfway through, there is a descent to pass by the foot of the Rocher des Druides and the hamlet of Roscalière, followed by a climb back up. It is possible to avoid this detour and thus shorten the stage.

This circuit leads to the top of Mourre Nègre, the highest point in the Luberon (1,115 metres), from the north, via a series of detours. The climb is gradual. Beautiful view from the summit. The descent also offers beautiful panoramic views but requires good footwear on a stony path.

This is a beautiful, easy hike in the Luberon in a magnificent landscape where you can discover numerous rain water reservoirs carved into rock and drystone shelters.

This hike takes you to the highest section of the Luberon ridge. 360° panoramic views. The route is often shaded by holm oak forests and some beautiful pine forests, which is pleasant in hot weather. Several open sections offer views to the south or north. This very natural hike is fairly easy, except for the slightly significant elevation gain, but this is intentional, intended for those who are not afraid of a little effort.

The Mourre Nègre, the highest point in the Luberon mountain range, offers breathtaking views from its crest, stretching from the Étang de Berre to the Southern Alps and including the Sainte-Victoire and Mont Ventoux peaks. On the way down, passing through the Vallon du Roumi, you can get close to the ruins (currently being restored) of the ancient Château Saint-Pierre and the adjoining chapel of the same name.

Short path to access Mourre Nègre via the shaded slopes of the northern side of the Luberon.

A pleasant route along the Aigue Brun, a tributary of the Durance, which over the years has wound its way between the two Luberon mountains, the Grand to the east and the Petit to the west.

This easy hike can be enjoyed in any season. The blue of the lavender gives way to the warm tones of autumn or the green colours of spring. Along the route, you will discover hidden drystone shelters or majestic structures built in the middle of fields. You will alternate between small paths in the undergrowth and paths through fields offering magnificent views of the Luberon mountain.

The final stage of this route is long and varied. The first section takes place on the plain at the foot of the Luberon ridges, which were traversed in the opposite direction during the second stage. We then gain altitude, climbing successively to the villages of Glorivette, Castellet-en-Lubéron and Auribeau, the latter two boasting a rich heritage. We then descend all the way, passing through the beautiful village of Saignon along the way.

Route around the village of Montjustin. Magnificent views of the Grand Lubéron and the Encrême valley.

An easy hike from Céreste to the Priory of Carluc, along farmland, lavender fields and oak woods.

This walk begins with a refreshing stroll along the Aiguebrun, then climbs up to the ridge of the massif via the Petarelle valley. The descent is along a path that passes through the Rocher gorge. The landscapes are splendid and peaceful. Throughout this hike, you will encounter numerous vestiges of a time when this mountain range was a place of life and resources. Best done in spring or autumn.

Wooded areas and panoramic views punctuate this route north of Vitrolles-en-Lubéron

The Luberon massif, whether the ‘small’ or ‘large’ Luberon, is mainly forested.It is only from an altitude of 1,000 metres that the forest gives way to open areas offering a 360° panoramic view of the entire region, provided you are on the ridge.Starting from the Col de l’Aire Deï Masco at 700 m, between Céreste-en-Lubéron and Vitrolles-en-Lubéron, the route heads westwards to tackle the first two peaks of the Grand Lubéron, both over 1,000 m in altitude. From there, the view is magnificent, both to the south and to the north.As an added bonus, there’s the signal at the summit of Mourre Nègre on the western side.Whilst the climb along the GR® on the way out may leave you feeling there’s no hope of ever making it, the reward is complete after just 4 km.On the return journey, the suggested route follows the track, which is easy, open and offers some lovely views to the south at the start of the descent.The fittest walkers will probably not hesitate to continue along the ridge to Mourre Nègre… but not on a scorching hot day!

A lovely hike along the Luberon ridges, often through woodland with views on both sides. Views of the Pre-Alps and the Vaucluse mountains during the first part and of the Aigues valley and the Durance valley and beyond, weather permitting. A few kilometres on the DFCI track overlooking the valleys, but the view is well worth it.

A short loop from Buoux follows a balcony path above the Aigue Brun valley and returns along the stream.

This hike starts in the village of Buoux, in the heart of the Luberon massif, and takes you to the banks of the Aiguebrun, at the foot of Fort de Buoux (open to visitors), then through the woods to the impressive cliffs of Buoux, world-renowned for their climbing sites. Once at the foot of these impressive walls, you will walk around them and then along the top, enjoying some breathtaking views of the Vallon de l'Aiguebrun, before returning leisurely to the village.