Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire walks

A beautiful short family hike in the Luberon Regional Nature Park. The commune of Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire is located between the Lure mountain and the Luberon massif. Lovers of old stones, Provençal nature and astronomy will be charmed by this route.

If you like Bories, you'll see them in the distance at the start, then up close, and you can even go inside some of them. On your way back, before you get to the village, you'll walk up a superb calade (cobbled) street, and there's a little detour to see the Château de Mane.

Located north of Focalquier, the Mourres rocks are a geological curiosity. The area is full of enormous mushroom-shaped rocks several metres high. The word Mourre means 'snout' in Provençal.

The small village of Limans is known for its six dovecotes.

A loop which poses no problems so can be undertaken with children to discover a dovecote which is still in a good state.

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.

This loop goes around a rock (La Roche Amère), which will be visible for much of the hike. A quarter of the way round, I suggest a detour to the Chapelle de la Roche. If you wish, continue past the chapel (not marked on the map) and follow the path that leads to the top of the rock (ruin), where you will have a beautiful view of the Durance valley.

A country walk between the villages of Ongles and Lardiers. A bucolic and peaceful route in the spirit of Jean Giono, surrounded by fields, farms, lavender and oak forests.

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).

This is a pleasant hike with a visit to the Chapelle Saint Brice, another to the cairn built here for the 20th anniversary of the Sainte Tulle Hiking Club, and finally the Trou du Loup reservoir.

An easy loop starting from Corbières, with the Torrent de Corbières gorges and the Trou du Loup. The start of the walk offers a glimpse of the gorge on a gently ascending path, with very cool spots and a wide variety of flora. The Ravin de Bernadine has the same atmosphere but with a torrent that is often dry. The climb to La Bosse and the descent on the way back take you through scrubland typical of the Luberon. A pleasant way to discover the hills and scrubland of the Luberon.

The hike reveals all the nuances of ochre color in these ancient open-air quarries. You'll have to pay for parking lot.

The walk begins with a visit to the Colorado Provençal lookout trail (pedestrian rate) run by the Association du Colorado de Rustrel and continues with a tour of the Colorado via the ridges (GR®) to discover views of other ochre quarries. The walk takes in all the different colours of ochre in these old open-air quarries. Please note: the Parking des Mille Couleurs is reserved exclusively for visitors to the two signposted trails managed by the Association du Colorado de Rustrel for a limited time of around 3 hours. If you wish to hike the Tour du Colorado, you must park in the village and pay only the pedestrian entrance fee for the Belvederes trail.

A colourful visit to a place known as the Colorado of Provence.

A short walk with lots to discover: the priory, of course, as well as an old millstone quarry and the oppidum known as Villevieille.

A beautiful, easy hike starting from the charming village of Saumane, with beautiful sheepfolds in very good condition and magnificent landscapes. Bring something to drink on sunny days as much of the route is in direct sunlight.

Discover the Ganagobie plateau covered with oak and pine trees and its monastery. Beautiful view of the Durance valley and the Croix de l'Allée des Moines.

A beautiful walk in the Grand Luberon with the Mourre Nègre, the highest point of this massif, as your destination.

A hike between Gréoux-les-Bains and Saint-Martin-de-Brômes, starting in the mountains, continuing through the Colostre valley and returning via a small path along the Verdon.

This walk near Gréoux-les-Bains allows you to discover a tributary of the Verdon, the Colostre, a charming little river that flows all year round in a small, fairly steep-sided valley. Also on the programme are an oppidum and the magnificent village of Saint-Martin-de-Brômes.

A family hike partly along the edge of Lake Esparron with many opportunities for swimming and picnicking. The second part of the hike is mostly in the woods with views of Lake Esparron. This hike is generally very shaded.