Sainte-Victoire la Croix de Provence

Sainte-Victoire is a highlight of Provence for hikers and climbers.

Before you start, make sure access to the massif is allowed because a regulation is applicable from 1 June to 30 September which and can limit access hours.

Technical sheet

26252
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.94 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 743 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 751 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,010 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 348 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the car park along the RD 10 Cabassol road, opposite the Chez le Garde restaurant, just before Vauvenargues.

(S/E) Follow the Chemin des Venturiers to the South.

(1) Keep following the same route to the South-East, until you reach the next crossroads.

(2) Go in the direction of Le Prieuré (GR®9) on the Venturiers trail, which is very well marked so you can't go wrong! Count on about 1.5 hours of climbing.

Once at the Prieuré Sainte-Victoire (3), visit and admire the landscape, then climb the Croix de Provence (4), with a panoramic view as far as Marseille and the Mediterranean if it's not too cloudy.
Then continue along ridges to the signal, still on the GR®9, and reach the Col Subéroque sometimes bordering the steep cliffs.

(5) At the Col de Subéroque take the trail on the left that is descending very steeply (green markers), which is the Sentier des Plaideurs (The "path of pleaders").
__The descent is very abrupt, with lots of rocks, so watch your knees, this is really quite difficult in my opinion!
When you get to the bottom, keep following the green route markers!

(6) Before you arrive at the river "L'Infernet", take a small trail to the left for 50m after a pile of wood.
Then join a track and after having crossed the river (7) follow a yellow trail to the left back to the car park!(S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 373 m - Parking des Cabassoles. Towards the - Cause (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.72 - alt. 361 m - Chemin des Venturiers
  3. 2 : km 1.02 - alt. 353 m - GR9
  4. 3 : km 4.94 - alt. 894 m - Prieuré de la Sainte-Victoire
  5. 4 : km 5.09 - alt. 944 m - Croix de Provence
  6. 5 : km 9.16 - alt. 939 m - Col de Suberoque (941m)
  7. 6 : km 11.05 - alt. 465 m - Left on the path
  8. 7 : km 11.54 - alt. 447 m - Left on the runway
  9. S/E : km 14.94 - alt. 373 m - Parking des Cabassoles

Practical information

I advise you to take an IGN map, especially for the shortcut on the small trail.
Otherwise take water because there is none on the route, and it's best in the morning to avoid the heat.
When you arrive at the Bau de Vespres just before the col, you can people climbing on the flanks of the mountain, which is very popular among climbers.

 Always stay careful and alert while following a route. Visorando and the author of this walk cannot be held responsible in the event of an accident during this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 70 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
alethpretet@live.fr
alethpretet@live.fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A very fine route, with superb views of the valleys and the Bimont dam.
Very stony paths on the ridge. Steep descent with rocks.
Good signposting throughout.

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titscoqs83
titscoqs83

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Super route for experienced hikers, to be done in the opposite direction (which is what we did) as it is more interesting and less traumatic for the knees.
Bring water and good shoes.
It took us 06h20 with all the stops, so I'd say around 05h30.
Crowds around the Provence cross
We walked along the track, having done the route in reverse

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Edouard Presson
Edouard Presson

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

The car park indicated as the starting point does not exist (or no longer exists), you can leave from Vauvenargues.

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Sissi
Sissi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

It's definitely a nice walk, done as described and I have no regrets about the warnings for the descent.certainly at the start of the descent, it's a bit tough but the rest is fine.especially there's about 4km to the end on an easy path.par contre j'ai du tromper car j'avais vu sur le château de vaunevargues après le sentier des plaideurs.j'ai donc traversé tout le village mais c'était agréable.quand on sortie du village possibilité d'emprunter chemin de l'oratoire jusqu'au parking.(Plutôt que de longer la route😉).
So 16km400 and 4h30 of pure walking (6h with breaks).
The person who says she did 2h30 has in my opinion just done the return trip to the Croix de Provence (no loop) or else trail mode.

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Alex.aix
Alex.aix

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Done this day with the sainte-victoire draped in a cloudy mantle (it gives a magical atmosphere, you just don't enjoy the view).
Decent difficulty, the western route is not very interesting as it is a very wide carriage road.
Nevertheless, it was a very pleasant walk. The only minor comment I would make concerns the time indicated by Visorando: 6 hours. I "completed the loop" from the Venturiers car park in 2? hours, getting lost in places... so I think the time given by Visorando is overestimated.

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Martine06130
Martine06130

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Not to be done in wet weather !!!!

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deuf13
deuf13
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb loop + Pic des Mouches to boot. That makes 20km and 1000 D+ (5 hours in all for me).
The climb is tough at the start, then calmer. The ridge goes really well apart from 1 km before the Pic des Mouches where you sometimes get a bit "lost", but you always find your way around quite well. 3 passages with chains to secure yourself but nothing too hard. Sublime views! You can even see the Ventoux.
On the other hand, the descent to the Venturiers car park was hellish for the first 3-4 km: steep, with protruding rocks and fairly high steps. I couldn't take it any more!

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amariebk
amariebk

A really tricky descent, but that's what it was all about.
A beautiful hike

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ddragon
ddragon

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Afterwards, it is preferable to do the hike in the opposite direction as the descent should be gentler.

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pascal lanxionnat
pascal lanxionnat

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice hike, big climb, magnificent views along the ridge, and of course a violent descent that puts thighs and knees to the test.

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MANU13480
MANU13480

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Mar 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

We set off from the village of Vauvenargues because the Cabassoles car park doesn't exist, or else you have to go down a private road where there's actually a sign saying 'parking des Venturiers'. As a result, we walked 17 km and fortunately took the route the wrong way round. The finish on the crests is well deserved. We didn't meet anyone except around the cross and priory, where the slippery stones have been worn away by too much walking. The descent via Les Venturiers is steep but not dangerous. This hike is for experienced hikers only and should be done in dry weather. Thank you for this beautiful route.

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JulieGrd
JulieGrd

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Nov 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

More of a technical hike (ridges and descent) than a physical one, as the ascent is relatively quick.
Magnificent scenery and views from the cross.
Be careful if it's windy as the path along the ridges is very airy.
Very good route, I recommend it!

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Pseudo en cours de chargement
Pseudo en cours de chargement

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Do it both ways, but I prefer the other way round to protect my knees.

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joelala13
joelala13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Oct 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

very nice hike done in reverse-not found the cabassols car park?? departure from vauvenargues sentier des plaideurs en montee, les cretes dans les nuages,

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JoelA30
JoelA30

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very pleasant walk. Made this day 28 May 2022.
The route is reliable and as described.
Be careful at the end of the route: very steep descent. Mountain boots are essential and good poles would be a plus.
Thanks to the author of this route.

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