On the rain water reservoir trail towards Travignon

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.

Details

4148014
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.85 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 149 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 140 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,002 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 897 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The starting point is at the beginning of the Liguière track above Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt. In Saint-Saturnin, take the D230 for about 9 km. The track branches off to the right. You can park on a flat area on the right after a few dozen metres of track.

(S/E) Follow the track for about 1.3 km to reach the Barralier rain water reservoir carved into rock.

(1) Continue for about 50 metres, then leave the track and take the path on the left. Pass the drystone shelter of La Cassette and continue along the path that enters a private area (pedestrians allowed). Follow this path for about 800 metres until you reach a crossroads.

(2) Turn right and pass the beautiful Cassette farmhouse. Join a track.

(3) Turn right again and head south-east.

(4) Look for a sign on the right indicating the small rain water reservoir carved into rock at Gayéoux. Follow the track for a few metres, then turn left to reach the large rain water reservoir at Gayéoux. Retrace your steps and continue left to immediately join the Travignon track, which you take to the right, heading south-southwest for about 400 m.

(5) Follow the path on the left that climbs into the forest and pass a pass.

(6) On the descent, 800 m further on, you will arrive at the Travignon rain water reservoirs carved into rock. Cross the site following the green markings which take you back to the path, which you then cross straight ahead to take the small path downhill opposite. Make a small detour to the left to discover the ruins of Travignon.

Return to the path (GR® 9) and continue downhill for 1 km until you reach the Lays track.

(7) Continue right uphill for about 500 m until you reach a fork.

(8) Turn left and continue to follow the Lays track. After about 700 m, look for a beautiful drystone shelter on the right before joining the Liguière track.

(1) Take this track again in the opposite direction to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 961 m - Liguière track
  2. 1 : km 1.34 - alt. 969 m - Rain water reservoir carved into rock at Barralier
  3. 2 : km 2.2 - alt. 994 m - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 2.87 - alt. 976 m - Track on the right
  5. 4 : km 3.41 - alt. 976 m - Small rain water reservoir carved into rock at Gayéoux
  6. 5 : km 3.99 - alt. 957 m - Path on the left
  7. 6 : km 5.56 - alt. 953 m - Site of the Travignon rain water reservoirs carved into rock
  8. 7 : km 6.89 - alt. 897 m - Lays trail
  9. 8 : km 7.34 - alt. 929 m - Fork in the road - Piste des Lays
  10. S/E : km 9.84 - alt. 962 m - Liguière track

Notes

You can picnic at the particularly pleasant site of the Travignon rain water reservoirs carved into rock, taking care, of course, not to leave any rubbish behind.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

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

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 30 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
DomiHuong
DomiHuong

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

An interesting hike to see rain water reservoirs carved into rock while walking along forest trails. Interesting information panels. Unfortunately, there are no (or very few) panoramic views... Interesting vegetation: laburnum, aphyllanthus, service tree, rock rose.

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uju
uju

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very good hike, ended in the rain, but who cares!
Numerous well-maintained rain water reservoirs carved into rock.
accurate and comprehensive information sheet
We met a fairly large group
Thanks to the author.
Uju

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mimiche26
mimiche26

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There are many rain water reservoirs carved into rock, all in excellent condition and very different from one another, which makes this hike particularly interesting!

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pp34
pp34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A beautiful hike with rain water reservoirs carved into rock as its theme. All the ingenuity needed to collect and store this precious liquid, essential for animals and humans alike. Beautiful drystone constructions for rain water reservoirs and drystone shelters. Beautiful view of Mont Ventoux from the highest point.

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passion rando
passion rando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent hike.
This circuit of rain water reservoirs carved into rock and drystone shelters, and the site of Travignon are very beautiful and interesting thanks to the various information panels.
However, there are no signs indicating the Lays trail at the marker. By deduction, we understand that it is the trail that goes uphill.

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alain cregut
alain cregut

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Beautiful hike, easy trail with stunning views

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godillot1
godillot1

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful route that is easy to follow. Unfortunately, we had a bit of rain. Despite this, the route remained very interesting.

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danileo04
danileo04

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We had already done a tour of the rain water reservoirs carved into rock, but we didn't know this one, so GPS was essential. Thanks to Guy. Leonor and Daniel, hikers 04.

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philisa
philisa

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

More visible signage is needed at major intersections

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Michèle d'istres
Michèle d'istres

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
The route is only tracked by GPS, so it's easy to follow if you download the map the day before. Otherwise, there is no network coverage from the car park.
Very interesting hike through the ruins of Travignon and the history of the rain water reservoirs carved into rock, with explanatory panels. I also recommend taking the car to drive from the mills of Saint Saturnin to the dam and following the ramparts that lead to the castle at the top. Allow an extra hour and a half to visit this. Follow the green dots.
Also, be careful of hunters during this season. We had a bit of a scare on the way back from the circuit. When we asked a hunter we met if there was any hunting going on, he said no!
How can you avoid this kind of inconvenience?
Thank you
Michèle Wurbel

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steph84220
steph84220

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note that you should not take the first tunnel as it is dangerous due to the risk of falling rocks and lack of maintenance. The other two tunnels indicated on the route are a little further on.
For those using GPS, it is not reliable due to poor reception. It indicates distances that are longer than the actual distances.

Stephane

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Claude V1.
Claude V1.

That's efficiency!

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POULIN Gérard
POULIN Gérard ★

The distance between Saint-Saturnin and the start has been updated.

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Claude V1.
Claude V1.

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I wrote that the reliability of the description is very disappointing because it says: At Saint Saturnin, take the D230 for about 6 km...
At 6 km there is a turn-off for rain water reservoirs carved into rock, but these are not the ones for this hike.
The start is not 6 km along the D230 but almost 10 km (9.5 on my car's odometer), which is quite a difference and misleading.
It would be good to correct this.

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guitare84
guitare84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, easy hike through stunning natural surroundings.
Discover numerous rain water reservoirs carved into rock and drystone shelters, perfect examples of the austere life led by our ancestors. The village of Travignon is a perfect example of this...
This is a must-do hike, especially at this time of year, with spring just around the corner!

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