Walking in Provence - West

Drôme Provençal, Vaucluse, Var

By Janette Norton

ISBN

9781852846169

Availability

Published

3 Nov 2014

Edition

First

Pages

272

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.80cm

Weight

300g

Delivery & Returns

Free 1st Class postage on UK orders. European postage is £3 per item. Worldwide postage is £5 per item. If you're not happy with your purchase for any reason, we'll give you a full refund.
More information...

Guidebook to 30 varied day walks in the west of Provence in the Drome Provencale, the Vaucluse and the Var, with practical information for the walker. Walks span from the Baronnies in the north to the Ste-Baume ridge in the south and can be tackled from charming bases such as Nyons, Apt and Aix-en-Provence.

Seasons

most of the walks are not high and can be made at any time of the year, especially near the coast; the most pleasant seasons are spring and autumn.

Centres

Nyons and Buis-les-Baronnies (Drôme Provençale); Vaison-la-Romaine and Apt (Vaucluse); St-Maximin-la-Ste-Baume and Aix-en-Provence (Var)

Difficulty

circular day walks, suitable for averagely fit people and graded Easy, Medium or Difficult, depending on length, total ascent and terrain; easy walks are short, while difficult ones take up to eight hours and may include sections that are precipitous or difficult to navigate; no special equipment is needed

Must See

dramatic mountain ridges and deep river gorges; perched medieval villages, arcaded streets, fountains, ruined castles, abbeys and churches; from the Baronnies in the north to the Ste-Baume ridge in the south

ISBN

9781852846169

Availability

Published

3 Nov 2014

Edition

First

Pages

272

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.80cm

Weight

300g

Overview

Guidebook to a range of 30 varied, graded day walks in the sunny south-east of France in the Drôme Provençale, the Vaucluse and the Var regions of Provence. Provence's lower western regions offer wonderful walking - the vineyards, lavender fields and rolling hills of the Drôme Provençale, the historic old towns and castles set in the river valleys and gorges of Vaucluse and low sheltered valleys and craggy ridges on the Sainte-Baume massif in the Var. There are charming bases from which to explore the regions, including Nyons, Apt and Aix-en-Provence. None of the routes require special equipment although some may be a little exposed. All should be suitable for walkers of average fitness. Routes are described step by step, with clear maps and profiles to help you assess them, along with the standard route summary table at the back of the guide.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Overview map

Preface

Introduction

A short history of Provence

Provençal writers and artists

Plants and flowers

Wildlife

Regional specialities

Markets

Travelling to Provence

When to go

Accommodation

Clothing and equipment

Using this guide

Drôme Provençale

Location of Walks

Walk 1 Nyons Olive Walk

Walk 2 Ferme de la Lance

Walk 3 The Cougoir

Walk 4 Serre de Crema

Walk 5 Rocher de Bramard

Walk 6 Gorges de Léoux

Walk 7 Grande Javonière

Walk 8 Château d’Ubrieux

Walk 9 Around the Rocher de St-Julien

Walk 10 Gorges de Toulourenc

Walk 11 Lavender Walk from Aulan

Vaucluse

Location of Walks

Walk 12 Vaison-la-Romaine to Crestet

Walk 13 The Gambade from Gigondas

Walk 14 Dentelles de Montmirail

Walk 15 Le Barroux to La Roque-Alric

Walk 16 Gorges du Curnier

Walk 17 Gorges de la Nesque

Walk 18 Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and the Wall of the Plague

Walk 19 Abbaye de Sénanque

Walk 20 Colorado Provençal

Walk 21 Fort de Buoux

Walk 22 Mourre Nègre

Var

Location of Walks

Walk 23 Montagne Ste-Victoire

Walk 24 Marcel Pagnol Country

Walk 25 Mont Olympe

Walk 26 Montagne de la Ste-Baume

Walk 27 Ste-Croix from Nans-les-Pins

Walk 28 Old village and castle of Rougiers

Walk 29 Mourre d’Agnis

Walk 30 Circuit de Latay

Appendices

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Maps

Appendix C Tourist information

Appendix D Market days

Appendix E Glossary of Provençal words

Updates

May 2023

Walk 12

The path has become very overgrown at point 4.

January 2018

Updates

Page 79 fourth paragraph additional comment added at the end .

A notice from the Mairie is displayed here permanently closing the original Sentier du Leoux route into the gorge, because of the acute risk of stonefall and it should no longer be followed.

Page 79-80 fifth / sixth paragraph removed up to the Red Point 1 and replaced with alternative route below :

Instead, cross the grassy track taking a narrow path opposite for a short distance to the D570 road and turn right to a hairpin bend. At the bend turn right immediately onto a stony jeep track, which re-joins the tarmac road higher up the hill. Turn up right and follow the road for just under a kilometre to the top of a hill with good views into the upper gorge. Descend on the road for a short distance until a jeep track rising from the gorge on the right is met at RED POINT 1, where there is a footpath sign at Rochesourde, 787m. (The jeep track here could be descended to the river which would be a good place for a lunch stop, before retracing your footsteps to the road).”

Reviews

"Armed with both new volumes courtesy of Cicerone’s “new guides for old” discount scheme and a clutch of IGN maps, we took our campervan to France and headed for Digne-les-Bains in the Alpes de Haute Provence.

We can confirm that even the most newbie, incompetent or navigationally-challenged walker should have no difficulty in following the detailed descriptions provided and avoid overshooting the generous timings allowed.

[These walks are] a small selection of classics that would thronged if they were in the UK."

Read the full blog post here.
January, 2015

Downloads

Walking in Provence - West - GPX File

Janette Norton

Janette Norton lived in France, near Geneva, for over 30 years with her physicist husband, Alan, raising four children and working in the marketing field. Her love of mountain walking dated from the time she was a guide in her twenties, and the proximity of the Alps and Jura to her home inspired her to continue her passion. After her children grew up, she branched out to explore other areas of France.

View author profile