Sainte-Baume

Walk along the Sainte-Baume ridge after visiting the Marie-Madeleine cave.

Details

59401
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.26 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,713 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,709 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,766 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,195 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Information following decrees (see practical information) prohibiting passage between points (5) and (6).
The descent from the Pas de l'Aï cannot be made as described. It is possible to pass through the Bau de Saint-Cassien by turning right instead of left just after the (5). This makes the route a little longer, but the passage through the Paradis sector is very pretty.

- Starting point: car park at the Sainte-Baume hotel.

(S/E) Take the path heading south, next to the hotel, alongside a field towards the forest.
Once in the forest, turn right and follow the "chemin du canapé" (sofa path) leading under the convent.

(1) Once you reach the Chemin des Roys (at the stele), turn right to go back up towards the convent and the cave.
Enjoy your visit!

(2) On your way back, go down the Chemin des Roys to the oratory.

(1) Take a path on the right to the Col du Saint-Pilon.

(3) Once on the ridge, turn left and follow the path to the Jouc de l'Aigle.

(4) Continue to Pas de Villecroze.

(5) Take the path on the left, following the ridge until you see the yellow mark indicating the Pas de l'Aï.

(6) The path is a little hidden, so be careful not to miss it.
Once you are on the Pas de l'Aï, follow this path which winds downhill to a large dead tree.

(7) Take the path that branches off to the left and follow it under the ridge for about 4 km.

(8) An alternative route is possible via the Sentier Merveilleux (see section below "Nearby").
From there, there are several paths to choose from. Take the main one for 150 m, then turn left. Continue to the car park at the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,198 ft - Parking at the Sainte-Baume hotel.
  2. 1 : mi 1.04 - alt. 2,740 ft - Chemin des Roys
  3. 2 : mi 1.17 - alt. 2,828 ft - Grotte Sainte-Marie Magdeleine
  4. 3 : mi 1.7 - alt. 3,123 ft - Col du Saint Pilon (934m)
  5. 4 : mi 2.72 - alt. 3,671 ft - Jouc de l'Aigle (1148m)
  6. 5 : mi 4.42 - alt. 3,448 ft - Pas de Villecroze (1050m)
  7. 6 : mi 4.54 - alt. 3,399 ft - Pas de l'Aï (1022m)
  8. 7 : mi 5.05 - alt. 2,979 ft - Path on the left
  9. 8 : mi 5.37 - alt. 2,867 ft - Sentier Merveilleux
  10. S/E : mi 8.26 - alt. 2,198 ft - Parking at the Sainte-Baume hotel.

Notes

- Depending on the season, protect yourself from the sun and bring water.
- Also depending on the season, remember to check access permits for the mountains (fire risk).
- It can also be windy on the ridge.

Worth a visit

- The Marie-Madeleine cave.
- The springs of the Huveaune.
- Refreshments are available at the hotel.

- There are several options for the return journey after the Pas de l'Aï:
The most challenging: about 300 m after the Pas de l'Aï, at thefirst real hairpin bend in the trail. A path begins with a visible yellow cross and an inscription on a large rock: Sentier Marcel Estruch.
This path leads back to the trail leading to the Col du Saint-Pilon (2 or 3 bends before the pass).
Caution: This is a challenging trail with ledges and chain passages and should therefore be avoided in case of rain or strong winds. Follow the yellow markings carefully. Do not hesitate to retrace your steps if you have not seen any markings for a while.

(8) The Merveilleux trail: about 500 m after the large dead tree (allow about 10 minutes), look for a yellow marker. It is on the right on the ground on a stone and on the left on a small tree at eye level. The Merveilleux trail starts at the tree. Follow the yellow markings (sometimes red) to return to the 3 chênes car park. This trail is more pleasant than the forest track and will add a little to your walk, but it is less monotonous. Consider this option depending on the condition of your group.

Alternative route between points (6) and (7) for the descent from Pas de l'Aï. You can go via Bau de Saint-Cassien by turning right instead of left just after (6). This adds a little to the walk, but the section through Paradis is very pretty.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 141 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 25136267

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A really lovely, enjoyable hike! There were lots of people at the cave, but hardly anyone after that.
The start of the path at point 6 isn’t actually very obvious, and we would probably have missed it if we hadn’t seen someone squeezing between two rocks.
It took us 4 hours.

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mitheclo
mitheclo

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk that takes you to the cave. There’s a stunning view from the ridge. However, it was tricky to find marker 6 to start the descent. We then made our way down via the ‘Wonderful’ path, which certainly lives up to its name.

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Joe Dewez
Joe Dewez

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely route that takes you to the Grotte Sainte-Marie-Madeleine and then along the Sainte-Baume ridge.
One slight downside is the noise at the start of the ridge when the engines roar on the Castellet route.
On the ridge, take care and follow the GR markings, as it’s easy to stray onto a good path slightly to the left of the ridge line for a while. You come to two caves; I’m not sure where the path continues, so we decided to retrace our steps a little and rejoin the ridge via a small path just after the first cave (after retracing our steps, so before that point in the route).
According to the guide, the GR leaves the ridge to follow a good path heading due east, whilst the trail continues close to the ridge.
About 200 m after leaving the GR, you come to the first opportunity to descend from the ridge to the left; this is the Pas de Villecroze, marked with yellow signs. The descent is fairly short and easy. Then we head north-east again (rock with a Yellow Cross), following the ridge below a small rocky outcrop. This is the ‘Sentier du Paradis’, a very beautiful path leading to the Paradis climbing area. I confused the Pas de Villecroze with the Pas d’Aï, so I don’t know whether the Pas d’Aï is closed or presents a technical difficulty. This is the only section where I considered the description to be average, as the text regarding points 5–6 is unclear. On the map, point 5, which is marked as the Pas de Villecroze, is at the junction where the path leaves the GR. It’s true that 200 m on the map is very little, but the yellow markings inviting you to descend at this point might lead you to think you’re at the Pas d’Aï.
The return route is fairly easy. We then took the wonderful path, but it’s worth noting that it winds through the trees, climbs about ten metres at times and is therefore more tiring, even if it’s more pleasant – certainly in summer, as it’s significantly more shaded than the track.

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CROUZET CHRIS
CROUZET CHRIS

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The walk begins with a gentle, gradually steeper climb through a beautiful forest.
Then a long walk along the ridge of Sainte Baume with a superb 360-degree view.
Do make sure you wear good walking shoes, however, as the path is particularly stony.
Return via the Pas de l’Ail, which features a short ‘aerial’ section.
The route ends easily on a gently sloping path through the forest once more until you reach the finish.

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User 4609817

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

For my first hike at La Ste Baume, I chose this route after reading the reviews, and I don’t regret it.
Accompanied by my daughter, we were treated to some stunning views (and our legs certainly felt it ).
We set off around 1.30 pm, so there was hardly anyone on the climb up to the cave and then on to the Col du St Pilon.
We continued on to the Croix du Jouc de l'Aigle (1,148m). Magnificent 360° views
A brief hesitation at the Pas de l'Aï, then back via the wonderful path in under 5 hours.

Thank you for all the valuable information that enabled us to enjoy an unforgettable day in perfect weather (sunny and windless).

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thober13
thober13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb walk, despite the gloomy and windy weather, punctuated by an unexpected mass in the cave of St Mary Magdalene (for those interested, mass is held every Sunday at 11am).
Unfortunately, the view was obscured by thick fog, but I still enjoyed the upper part of Sainte-Baume and the return trip along the wonderful path beneath the trees.
With a clear view, it must be sublime...
Thank you for the itinerary and finally, sections 5-6, which were supposed to be closed, were apparently not, as there were no signs???

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Randonneur de l’ain
Randonneur de l’ain

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 05, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent day for hiking at the end of 2025. The sun was shining. The ground was frozen in places. It was fairly easy going up to the cave and quite busy, of course, but then it became more challenging, as we expected. It was only when we reached the pass that the view really opened up.
There was a moment of hesitation at the pass, but once we found our bearings and the trail, there was no problem. And there were breathtaking views all along this magnificent ridge, with a 360-degree view from the highest point at 1,148 metres that we never tired of. And the rest was just as beautiful. When we reached Pas de l'Ai, we decided to continue on to Bau de Saint Cassien, an option suggested by Cyril. and there we encountered a small difficulty that could prove insurmountable for some people. My wife, who is not very experienced in this kind of exercise, managed it but not without fear (very steep slabs with very few handholds over a distance of about fifteen metres, forcing you to descend first with your back to the void and then ending up on your backside). But once we had crossed, what a pleasure it was to find ourselves in this little paradise, which would surely have been impassable in wet weather without special equipment. Then we began the descent, our heads full of images, and chose to follow the wonderful path (which you have to take further down, just before a bend, but which is not easy to find). This little detour added to the sporting spirit of the hike.
This was a beautiful hike and a beautiful day that we were able to enjoy this year, because in 2024 at the same time of year, bad weather (fog, rain and wind) had forced us to give up.
I recommend this hike, but make sure you have good shoes and are in good physical shape.
Thank you, Cyril.

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leauviv
leauviv

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk along the coastal path

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User 6908942

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views, on the GR9 at Pas de l'Aï. Look out for the cairn, which is not very visible, to take the path that is circular and leads to the wonderful trail. Thankfully, the GPS with Visorando is there to help.

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carrias
carrias

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beware of the mistral wind. During our hike, strong gusts at the summit prevented us from following the route on the plateau. We had to turn back to find the markings because we had cut them off with our heads down 🤣

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User 25347671

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

To be done in autumn or spring, avoiding strong sunlight.

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NITRITE
NITRITE

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Less frequented route after the cave. At the end, to avoid the main track, take the path indicated on the map with a yellow circle marked "chemin merveilleux" (wonderful path).

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Fred83110
Fred83110

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This is another lovely route, starting with the magnificent Marie Madeleine grotto and then the Sainte Baume ridge with its magnificent panorama... The return journey is through the forest, which is also very pleasant...

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/adjedj
/adjedj

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice walk.... very busy up to the grotto (place of meditation and pilgrimage).
When we reached the ridge, we made a short round trip (about 3 km) to the chapel.... magnificent panoramic viewpoint.
We then took the route again, surrounded by flowers and breathtaking views.
Be careful, however, as the path (unmarked but well-marked) runs a little below the GPS track that follows the cliff up close....
After the pas de l'Ai, the return along the track is a little tedious....

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TonyAnna83
TonyAnna83

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful walk ... with a beautiful 360-degree view between the sea and the mountains. A very well-marked route, accessible even to beginners. A leisurely 3.5 hour walk.

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