Walk in the Alpilles

Starting from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a beautiful walk along large, clearly-marked, shady trails. Beautiful viewpoints over the Alpilles, the village and the château des Baux-de-Provence.
The fragrant plants of the South and also pines and even cedars.

Technical sheet

n°4098784

A Saint-Rémy-de-Provence walk posted on 31/03/13 by MPrice. Last update : 27/11/16

Activity: Walking
Distance: 15.32 km
Calculated time: 5h15
Difficulty: Moderate
Return to departure point: Yes
Vertical gain: + 310 m
Vertical drop: - 301 m
Highest point: 287 m
Lowest point: 70 m

Area: Alpilles
District: Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (13210)
Start/End: N 43.784368° / E 4.828474°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3042OT, 3043OT
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Description

Free parking is available at the cemetery car park (south of Saint-Rémy) (S).

While heading in a southerly direction, cross the small canal and, about a hundred metres later, join the 'chemin gaulois' (1), an old Roman road. Head towards the right and follow the marked trail of the GR 653D along the small road which passes through a hamlet of pretty (mostly Provençal) farmhouses .

(2) On reaching the D27, turn left and follow this new route for a few metres. A DFCI path, with GR waymarkers, starts on your right and continues to climb upwards through forest and garrigue.

Follow it until it meets a new perpendicular track, turn left and almost immediately left again to follow the sign in the direction of "Saint-Rémy-de-Provence". This time you need to follow the GR6 marked trail.

(3) Cross the D27 which we meet only to then leave it again immediately, taking the small road which climbs up to the orientation table before turning into a track, providing exceptional views over Les Baux-de-Provence and the plain.

Follow this track, the GR marked trail and, a little after passing beyond the Lombards trail which starts on the right, turn to the left through a gap in the rocks and leave the GR.

The trail goes back down towards Saint-Rémy. At the water tank, stay on the trail which heads downwards and you will reach the car park at Lake Peïrou.

Head away towards the left, keeping an eye on the yellow waymarkers that more or less closely follow the route.

When we meet D5, turn left and a few metres later follow the signs for the cemetery car park.

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 72 m
1 : km 0.23 - alt. 79 m
2 : km 3.89 - alt. 97 m
3 : km 5.9 - alt. 213 m
4 : km 7.81 - alt. 228 m
5 : km 11.08 - alt. 281 m
6 : km 11.38 - alt. 262 m
7 : km 12.31 - alt. 206 m
8 : km 13.02 - alt. 158 m
9 : km 14.66 - alt. 90 m
S/E : km 15.32 - alt. 72 m

Useful Information

Access is controlled in summer, make sure you check before leaving.

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.

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During the walk or to do/see around

The ancient site of Glanum, Les Baux-de-Provence, etc.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5

Based on 2 reviews

Clarity of route description
3.5 / 5

Clarity of route map
4.5 / 5

Walk interest
4 / 5

adventureali

le Mon 22 Jul 2019 15:48:52 EDT

Overall rating: 4 / 5

Date of walk: 21/07/19
Clarity of route description: ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map: ★★★★★ Very good
Walk interest: ★★★★☆ Good

Completed this walk in July 2019. It was a nice walk, through a lot of scrubby bushland and up what seemed to be fire trails and old 4wd tracks.

The directions could have been a lot better however, and I was constantly reliant on the GPX map that I'd loaded onto my phone. There were large sections of the trail that were not referred to in the description, the most important being the track through someone's property - make sure to turn right to find the track just after the driveway and don't follow the painted waymarkers because he didn't like someone wandering through his property (fair enough!).

The view over Les Baux was amazing - I would have liked to know how to get there on tracks without following the road (a bit dangerous), but even after having walked it I'm still not sure there is a quicker way. Les Baux is a nice little village. Very touristy but pretty and worthy of a detour, if only for lunch. It's about 1.5km away.

All in all, a fairly enjoyable walk.

Suziechan

le Mon 08 Jul 2019 04:14:22 EDT

Overall rating: 4 / 5

Date of walk: 15/06/19
Clarity of route description: ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map: ★★★★☆ Good
Walk interest: ★★★★☆ Good

This map was very useful. We followed this route to get from St Remy to Les Baux and back in order to visit Les Carrieres de Lumieres. We had been informed in Avignon that, with a change in bus timetables (mid June 2019), the 59 bus route between St Remy and Arles had been discontinued. The alternative is a taxi ride at €30 each way. We chose to enjoy the walk.
The start of the walk involved a lot of paved road but once we got onto the track it was pretty straightforward to follow the route. We used Google maps on our phone to ensure we didn’t go astray from your map as well as way markers on trees. The return route was supposed to be straight forward with little direction offered after the water tank. However there was a divide in the path. The main route (GR6) was to the left while the map indicated to take the right fork. We followed the map. After 400 meters or so we doubted the wisdom of this move and we found a little path and a steep climb back up to the main route. This seemed to align with the map. It would have been easier all round to stay on the main route.
All in all, a good walk. Average difficulty, as indicated. We were lucky too in that there was a strong wind which kept the the air cool, otherwise this walk would have been unbearable in the heat.

Other walks in the area

Le Rocher des Deux Trous (The Rock with Two Holes)

Departure from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

At the heart of the Alpilles Regional Nature Reserve, a small easy hike on good paths. The route takes you to the picturesque Rock with Two Holes painted by Van Gogh during his stay in Saint-Paul de Mausole from May 1889 to May 1890. It offers vast panoramic views over the two slopes of the Alpilles. To the south, in clear weather the view stretches to the Mediterranean, to the north over the Montagnette, the Gard, the Mont Ventoux, etc.

The Alpilles ridge

Departure from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

Nice walk between the wild and steep ridge of the Alpilles and the plains of Romanin.

Glanum and the Alpilles ridges

Departure from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

Starting from the site of the Antiques de Glanum, a beautiful climb in the valley of Saint Clerg, which serves as a botanical trail, up to the ridges and back down to Lake Peiroou or Peirou, on the IGN map.

N.B.!: the short technical part with cables and some metal steps fixed into the rock that allows you to cross the rock above Lake Peiroou has been temporarily closed for safety reasons.

The Lombards trail via the ridge

Departure from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

A ridge walk starting off the beaten track, with views over the south of the Alpilles. A climb through an almost untouched valley to join the ridge trail, offering panoramic views of the north.

The Watchtower by the North Slope in Les Baux-de-Provence

Departure from Les Baux-de-Provence (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

A circuit on the north slope of the Alpilles on good tracks nice, overlooking cross-shaded valleys and ridges that offer views on all sides of the Alpilles. The view goes far beyond this. The tour starts with a track which “keeps its cards close to its chest”. Apart from the return by the GR 6, you will meet few if any other people on this route that is far off the beaten track.

Spectacular scenic views of Baux-de-Provence

Departure from Les Baux-de-Provence (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

A short hike around Baux-de-Provence, mostly on good trails. There is a short climb down a well-maintained rocky path. 360° views at the viewpoint (or what remains of it). The Baux cover "every angle" with many panoramic views. Return via the village with the option to pay it a visit.

The Quatre Termes and Baume Brignolle

Departure from Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

A hike in the Alpilles along good paths. A varied landscape ranging from pine forest to Mediterranean scrubland with fine views over the hills and valleys.

The Saint Sixtus chapel and the "Tête du Long Jean"

Departure from Eygalières (13 - Bouches-du-Rhône)

The route starts from a typical village of the Alpilles, takes you past a chapel famous for its beauty in a delightful setting, and continues round a hill with views of the north slope of the ridge and the plain of Mollégès. On the return leg, there is a superb view of the old village of Eygalières.

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MPrice
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