Vallon de l'Évêque starting from Parc des Bruyères

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A short hike starting from Parc des Bruyères with beautiful hillside trails and superb views over Marseille. Return via Vallon de l'Évêque. An easy and very pleasant hike.

You are in the Calanques National Park, which is subject to specific regulations. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in a fine of up to €1,500.

Details

n°5842258
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.79 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 377 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 374 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 445 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 88 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Marseille (13000)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 43.274548° / E 5.440189°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3145ET
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Photos

On the way back...
View from the summit
View of Marseille

Description of the walk

Park at the entrance to Parc des Bruyères.

(S/E) Go to the playground on the left as you enter, then climb the stairs and continue along the wide track until you reach the Vallon de l'Évêque crossroads.

(1) Turn left onto the track and you will quickly reach the crossroads of a path.

(2) Leave the track and turn right onto the blue marked trail. Pass under the power lines. Directly below thesecond passage under the lines, you will find a trail junction.

(3) Continue south on the right, leave the woods and then veer slightly left to reach another four-way trail junction further on.

(4) Turn almost 180° to the right to descend the Vallon de l'Évêque on the yellow marked trail. Then enter the woods and find the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(1) Continue straight ahead, following the same route as on the way there, to return to the Parc des Bruyères car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 88 m - Parc des Bruyères car park
  2. 1 : km 0.97 - alt. 159 m - Green cisterns
  3. 2 : km 1.25 - alt. 197 m - Blue trail fork
  4. 3 : km 2.29 - alt. 367 m - Power line crossroads
  5. 4 : km 3.33 - alt. 421 m - Yellow trail fork
  6. S/E : km 5.79 - alt. 88 m - Parc des Bruyères car park

Notes

RTM bus stop 16 and 17

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 9 reviews
Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
julientestiboule
julientestiboule

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

No issues on the way there (halfway point)... however, the return route from the EDF pylons was very poorly marked (blue line) and barely visible at the trail intersections.

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Christelle 13
Christelle 13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2024
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, but best done in mid-season and when there is no mistral wind!

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MARSAL
MARSAL

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

One small negative point at No. 2 on this beautiful hike. The intersection to take on the right is very poorly signposted.
Apart from a tiny blue marker that is barely visible, it would have been better if this junction had been marked with a small yellow sign like those found in the Alps or Pyrenees.
Nevertheless, it is a beautiful walk with a stunning view of Marseille and the surrounding mountains.
On Sunday 3 December 2023, we saw four couples.

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JanPier
JanPier

It's a shame that the app is not free and that it doesn't show your route as you walk, like Waze or a satnav...

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JMS-13
JMS-13
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route with numerous views of Marseille, the Saint Cyr mountain range, the Étoile and the Calanques massif.
The route is busy at its starting point in Parc des Bruyères.
Be careful at the water tank: take the DFCI on the left and after about 500 metres, take a small path on the right that is not very well marked.
At the top, there are two small difficulties if you are afraid of heights.

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daubut
daubut

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Avoid in hot weather. Beautiful view of Notre Dame de la Garde, the islands and the Velodrome stadium.

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Astera2278
Astera2278

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike done last Saturday; quiet trails, hills covered in flowers in March. Beautiful views of Marseille. Using our phones allowed us to follow the route without any difficulty.
Thank you!

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Robertdu13
Robertdu13

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Route taken on a February morning.
A little chilly, but you warm up very quickly on the course.
Thank you...!

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Lalilolu
Lalilolu

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Not many people, but it's during the week.
Explanations unclear.
I would add that when you reach the cisterns, go in one direction, not the other.
On the left, follow the blue trail to the end. At the intersection of the four paths (at the end of the ridge), turn 180° to the right and follow the yellow trail back down to the park.
If you choose to start on the right with the yellow trail: 10 metres uphill after the cisterns, take the path on the left. And vice versa at the top before starting the ridge, turn left to follow the blue trail to the end.

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Nathalie 13130
Nathalie 13130

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

If we hadn't had GPS on our phone, we wouldn't have made it there. Not enough information.

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