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The hike starts at the car park of the Eyguières bullring(S/E).
The path follows the GR6 at the start.
Take the path to the left of the arenas (as you look at them), the path passes between the cemetery and the arenas.
After 100m, ignore the paths on your right and continue straight on.
Cross the bridge a little further on.
When you get to the bitumen road, ignore the dirt road to the Vallon des Glauges to your right(1), and continue straight on for about 100m until you reach the D17
At the D17, turn right and continue on the D17 for 200m, pass the small Garrigues canal and(2) pick up the GR6 on your right, marked with the sign AL236
Follow the GR6 for 4500m, you'll see the Baraques (barracks) after 1 km on your right and the ruins of the Romanière Bergeries (sheep pens) after 2km(3)
Pass the bull enclosure (4)and take the Tardières path (not marked) on your right, leaving the GR6. Continue straight on ignoring the path on your left at 50m.
Stay on the main path for 1000m. At the fork take the right-hand path that enters the Opies(5).
Follow the path for 1600m and you'll arrive at the col marked by a large cairn.(6)
The path for the Tour de Guet starts from your right (hairpin).
Be careful, the path requires a little bit of climbing and can be very slippery in wet weather.
When you arrive at the tower(7), turn around to return to the col.
Descend on the stony path for 1000m(8) and take the rocky path to the right (you'll see the ruins of the Château de la Reine Jeanne opposite you in the distance) which descends into the valley.
Follow the path for 1500m until you arrive in the Vallon des Glauges
Follow the path opposite, straight ahead.
At the barrier, to visit the ruins take the path on the left,(9) The ruins are 400m away.
Otherwise follow the main path that turns to the right.
At the end of the path, turn right. The path follows a power line.
After 300m leave the Glauges path to your right(10) (unless you want to taste some wine).
Follow the path through the vineyards and olive trees, and which turns into tarmac at the end. Once you get to the GR6 (followed on the way), take the return path to the left, the Col du Melet path.
The Tour des Opies- the Eyguières Alpilles
Hiking in the Alpilles, starting from the Eyguières bullring.
A quiet start among olive trees and cicadas at the foot of the Opies.
You'll discover the old Romanière sheep pens.
The ascent starts on a beautiful path through the maquis and ends with a little climb to finish at the Tour de Guet where a magnificent 360° view awaits you.
You can also visit the vestiges of Villa Gallo Romaine.
Technical sheet
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Activity: Walking -
Distance: 16.02 km -
Average duration: 5h 45 -
Difficulty: Moderate -
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Return to departure point: Yes -
Vertical gain: + 411 m -
Vertical drop: - 411 m -
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Highest point: 493 m -
Lowest point: 91 m
Photos
Description of the walk
Waypoints
- S/E : km 0 - alt. 92 m - Parking des Arènes
- 1 : km 0.87 - alt. 101 m - Vallon des Glauges crossroads
- 2 : km 1.28 - alt. 105 m - intersection D17 GR06
- 3 : km 3.07 - alt. 130 m - La romanière
- 4 : km 5.91 - alt. 151 m - Intersection GR6 chemin des Tardières
- 5 : km 7.06 - alt. 192 m - intersection with Les Opies
- 6 : km 8.92 - alt. 344 m - Col 344m
- 7 : km 9.56 - alt. 493 m - Opies Tower
- 8 : km 11.15 - alt. 220 m - Intersection towards Val de Legue
- 9 : km 12.51 - alt. 153 m - Intersection of Gallo-Roman site
- 10 : km 13.15 - alt. 141 m - Intersection of the Glauges valley - Vignes
- S/E : km 16.02 - alt. 91 m - Parking des Arènes
Practical information
Take good walking shoes.
Difficult sections to get to the Tour de Guet.
Not recommended in rain and with young children.
In the nearby area
A visit to Eyguières and its fountains.
The Alpilles.
The Baux de Provence.
Calès caves.
Saint Rémy de Provence.
The Camargue
Arles
Reviews and comments
4.7 / 5
4.7 / 5
4.6 / 5
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : May 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes
A family walk with children, a little monotonous at first as the path is open and fairly flat, but once you've branched off just after the bull park you get right to the heart of the matter. No difficulties. The return trip to the Tour des Opies is easy.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : Mar 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No
A nice easy hike, except for the climb to the Opies tower. If you don't like using your hands or have knee problems, stop at the pass before the climb! What's more, the blue markings on the way up are not "impeccable", so it's easy to make a mistake...
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : Nov 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes
Lovely walk with lovely views 😊
Avoid mistral weather...
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : Nov 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
We were a group of 42 people. Very nice hike. The view from the summit stretches as far as the Etang de Berre and the Mediterranean. On the way down, at point 8, we missed the signposted path. In fact, it's a path. We were blown away by the size of the "path" and our lack of concentration. Nothing to worry about, we picked up the route further down. We didn't return via the GR6 because we were on the bus. Thank you for suggesting this hike.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Nov 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
A great walk to do in fine weather to enjoy the view, but avoid in summer!
Perhaps avoid the flat part (if you can) between Eyguières and Aureille!
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A very pretty walk. To be avoided on a mistral day for the summit of the Opies...
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of walk : Apr 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No
nice walk but access to the tower a bit difficult very good overall
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of walk : Mar 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
A very pleasant route, especially as the weather was very fine. The climb to the summit of Les Opies was difficult because of the difficulty of finding the path and the very steep gradient.
The rest of the walk was extremely pleasant and rich in its environment.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Feb 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes
A very pretty walk.
Do it in fine weather for the beautiful view from the Tour des Opies... But to be avoided on a mistral day.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Nov 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes
A pleasant route
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Oct 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
Beautiful scenery, the view from the tower is magnificent.
It took us 4h15
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of walk : Nov 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No
very nice hike, magnificent view from the summit. thank you
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Bad news: since yesterday there has been a fire between (5) and (6) .
Edit of 11/09/2022 : I went up this afternoon coming from Saint-Pierre de Vence (roughly, I did (9), (8), (6), (7), and a path to go down directly to the val de Lègue, then to (9)). It's effectively burnt between (5) and (6), but also half the way between (6) and (7) and the first hundred metres of the descent between (6) and (8).
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of walk : May 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Busy trail : No
The trail is rather monotonous for my taste (I hike in the Alps).
The Orpies tower saves the day.
Thanks to the initiator of this sheet.
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