Wine Growers' Trail through the safres of Rousset-les-Vignes

A beautiful, sunny circular loop, relatively sheltered from the Mistral wind, which allows you to visit two charming villages in the Drôme Provençale. The route winds its way through vineyards and olive groves, offering beautiful views of the Valréas plain, the south-west of the Baronnies and as far as Mont Ventoux, with an original passage through the safres hills.
Due to the presence of numerous trails that are not all listed on the IGN map, we recommend using the app's GPS on this route.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.10 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 175 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 175 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 463 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 319 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Coming from the D941 from Valréas, turn left at the roundabout and park at the entrance to the village of Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes, on the right in front of the town hall. To park in the car park on the left, go around the school and enter a little further on the left.

(S/E) From the car park, walk past the town hall and cross the Rieumau bridge (there is a very pretty covered wash house on the left, below). Turn right onto Route du Fournil. At the fork, turn right onto Route des Julliannes and follow it, ignoring the other roads. The houses become more sparse, giving way to orchards, farms, lavender fields and vineyards. This tarmac road then becomes Chemin des Juillanes. At the T-junction, turn right onto Route de la Beaume, which goes around a farm. There is a bench on the right where you can take a break in the shade.

(1) Turn onto the first path on the left after the farm. A sign indicates private property, but in the centre of the sign it says: "authorised for non-motorised vehicles". Dogs must also be kept on a leash as there may be free-range chickens. A little further on, pass a chain with the same warning signs. Go around an olive grove on the left to climb up into a small copse (there is a bottle-shaped marker for the Sentier des Vignerons trail). Continue between vineyards and olive trees on the Chemin de Meyresse, which becomes a small tarmac road. Look out for a pretty view of Rousset-les-Vignes on the left, through gaps in the vegetation. You will come out onto the Route de Nyons.

(2) Turn left towards Rousset. Caution! This is a fairly busy road, so stay on the wider left-hand side. At the entrance to the village, after a restaurant on the right, there are public toilets and a drinking water fountain. Enter the village via the Montée à l'église on the right (marked with a Sentier des Vignerons sign depicting a glass). Continue through the village along Rue du Four and then Rue du Château. At the end of the château, take a covered passageway that leads to the main road. Cross the road carefully to reach a pretty covered wash house.

(3) Pass in front of the wash house to descend Rue du Bourg, then turn right onto Chemin de Planas. Continue straight ahead on this path (marked with a bottle) which will soon climb steeply. At the top, continue on a plateau along a vineyard. Go around the vineyards on the left and descend on the right onto the next path (marked with a glass symbol). Walk alongside the vineyards again, going around the plot on the right as you leave Chemin de Planas. Look out for a path on the left that descends into the woods (marked with a red triangle arrow on a stake). Descend into the woods. Be careful! The path quickly becomes very steep and rugged. You will arrive above the safres hill of the Domaine de la Bouvaude, which organises a spectacular night-time sound and light show with organic wine tasting in the summer.

(4) Stay at the top and follow the path that turns left just in front of an old signpost with a yellow arrow. There is a beautiful view of the plain and Mont Ventoux.
When you reach the safres again, look to your right below for a stony path on a small hill. Join it by gently descending onto the safres. It turns right (glass marker), then left. Continue straight ahead, overlooking the vineyards on your right.

(5) Descend and go around these vineyards on the right (glass and bottle markings) until you reach the tarmac road. Cross the Route des Bourdis and continue on the wide stony path opposite (glass markings). Continue on this path between the vineyards until you reach a cross path.

(6) Take it on the right (red arrow signpost) and continue along the vineyards on your right. Continue along this main path, ignoring a turn-off on the right (red arrow signpost). The gravel gives way to tarmac. Continue straight ahead (bottle signpost). Pass between fields of lavender.

(7) Continue along Route de la Colline. At the crossroads, turn left and go straight down to cross the village (you can visit the church). When you reach the inn, turn left, then cross the bridge to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 321 m - Parking in front of the town hall. Cross the Rieumau
  2. 1 : km 1.92 - alt. 380 m - Fork in the road "authorised for non-motorised vehicles"
  3. 2 : km 3.62 - alt. 454 m - D538. Nyons road
  4. 3 : km 4.44 - alt. 433 m - Wash house
  5. 4 : km 5.61 - alt. 406 m - Fork in the road in front of an old signpost
  6. 5 : km 5.87 - alt. 384 m - Fork in the road at the end of the vineyard
  7. 6 : km 6.28 - alt. 398 m - Fork in the road
  8. 7 : km 7.41 - alt. 356 m - Route de la Colline
  9. S/E : km 8.1 - alt. 321 m - Parking in front of the town hall

Notes

Public toilets and drinking water are available at the entrance to both villages.
The remains of the old "Sentier des Vignerons" trail markers are not always sufficient, and on the safres, in addition to the description, the app's GPS can be useful.

Worth a visit

Don't forget to visit the two villages and admire their covered wash house, fortifications and church.
In summer, the La Bouvaude wine estate offers a particularly interesting and spectacular night-time tour "between vineyards and lights" with organic wine tasting. For more information:
https://www.bouvaude.com/vignes-et-lumie...

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 17 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
boninmi
boninmi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Recent signposting makes this hike even easier. There are no longer any "bottle" signs (except in one place), but numerous "stylised vine leaf and grape cluster" signs with a red arrow.

This signage differs slightly from the Visorando description, but you can follow either route. In particular, this red signage avoids the busy Nyons road without adding much extra distance, and still allows you to reach the village of Rousset les Vignes and visit it if you haven't already done so, which is well worth the detour.

This is a consistently enjoyable hike in a beautiful landscape.

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yvesblaise
yvesblaise

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Easy and very pleasant route

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papou26200
papou26200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with magnificent scenery. At point 2, we decided to turn right to join the Route du Maquis de la Lance with the aim of eating at Notre Dame de Beauvoir, which overlooks Rousset les Vignes. If you are interested in this alternative route, allow for a total of 10 km and 4 hours. Once on the Chemin de la Lance, take the first track on the left before the house. The slope is steep and crosses private property with a hunting reserve. Once on the plateau, you will find a path on the left that leads into the forest (visible on Visorando but not on Géoportail). The slope is very steep and you will need to use your hands to help you along the path. A minimum level of fitness is therefore required. Hiking boots are essential and this route should be avoided if it has rained. After enjoying the scenery, you will rejoin the original route at Rousset by descending the Chemin de Croix. Thank you for this hike.

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Odile de Champdurand
Odile de Champdurand

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route with a lovely visit to the flower-filled village of Rousset les Vignes.

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Rando84
Rando84

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

An easy walk, completed in two hours; lovely panoramic views of the vineyards and lace-like hills.
Lots of small tarmac roads and few footpaths, but a surprise in the second part: the "path" through the safres and the descent into the bed of the Trignon: surprising and very pleasant...

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alaindessources
alaindessources

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little hike in Provence with no particular difficulties. The description is very well done and the GPS track is spot on. There is a mix of undergrowth and open spaces. The panoramic view from the top of the Virgin's Rock is well worth seeing. Thank you to the author of this track.

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Peg26
Peg26

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with beautiful views. Worth doing again when the lavender is in bloom.

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boninmi
boninmi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful discovery. Highly recommended.
Rich and varied landscapes and atmospheres. There is a bit of tarmac, but not that much really, and always in charming locations. Even on the main road arriving in Rousset les Vignes, the hard shoulder on the left is spacious and hassle-free, with a beautiful view of the vineyards below.
Very accurate description. As for the vineyards, there may have been some recent uprooting and replanting since 2022, possibly with olive or fruit trees. The GPS helps to reassure you about the route, and the track is very reliable. To leave the safres, stay on the left, which is almost level, to find the stony path.
Thank you, Francine, for this beautiful hike.

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Pepinetta
Pepinetta
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant surprise for this family outing, which we ended up doing for the second time today (the first time was in mid-January). It's beautiful and peaceful, very sunny and well sheltered from the wind overall. Twice we couldn't find the path out of the woods, so twice we struggled a bit for 20-30 minutes, which was less easy than the rest. Otherwise, the wide paths are perfect for chatting with friends while getting some fresh air.

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josifer
josifer
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk for an afternoon stroll.
The passage through the safres is magnificent with a superb view.

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Eliane Marin
Eliane Marin

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
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 among vineyards and olive trees. The route is well marked and described.

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Marin Gerard
Marin Gerard

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very well signposted.
Superb scenery with passages between olive groves and vineyards.
A beautiful hike

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barbier dominique
barbier dominique

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is in Rousset's saffres that one can get lost and that there are inaccuracies in the explanations
Rousset is worth a visit

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Gérard et Annie
Gérard et Annie

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A real treat! Magnificent views, pretty villages, easy path, with only one climb and one more challenging descent.
Be careful on the path through the sandstone outcrops, which should be avoided when it rains (slippery conditions guaranteed). Even when it's not raining, you need to be sure-footed. We didn't see the sign with the yellow arrow for the descent. But stay on the high ground for a long time. You will eventually come to a stony path that descends. You will see a small road below, not far to the left. When you reach it, cross it and continue straight up for the rest of the route. You can avoid the section through the safres by taking a small road from Rousset. Two hours and twenty minutes, including quick visits to villages.

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Luga26
Luga26

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route to see the safres of Rousset, the vineyards and the pretty village.
A description of the route to review when arriving at Safres: turn left at the yellow arrow signpost

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