dossier

Day 2: Rustrel / St .Saturnin-les-Apt 11km/7mi/3hr
We give you a lift to the starting point in Rustrel, where you can begin the day with an hour-long circuit in the Provençal Colorado, once ochre quarries and now a strange landscape of fantastic shapes and vivid colours. Today’s main walk is through classic Provençal countryside where you will see vineyards and cherry orchards, fig trees and olive groves, and neat plantations of scented lavender. You finish at our friendly, family-run hotel in St. Saturnin - great food!

Day 3: At St .Saturnin-les-Apt
St.  Saturnin is one of our favourite villages. It stands on the edge of the Plateau de Vaucluse with lots of mediaeval and 18C buildings and a pool open from July to September. Views over the entire Luberon are superb. Visit Apt, which is famous for its crystallised fruits and traditional pottery. It has a museum of the Luberon, plenty of shops and cafés and a colourful Saturday and Tuesday markets.

Day 4: St .Saturnin-les-Apt / Roussillon 16km/10mi/4.5hr
The walk today heads south and up through cherry orchards, vineyards and pine forests - a magnificent panorama across the Apt plain and the Luberon. After Gargas, you continue through pine forest along blood-red ochre-coloured tracks, then descend in to Roussillon. Our modern hotel is bright and airy with landscaped gardens and nice pool. Dinner is taken in a restaurant close by.

Day 5: At Roussillon
Roussillon, officially one of the most beautiful villages in France, is famous for its streaked ochre cliffs. Visit too the superb perched village of Bonnieux whose vast shady cedar forest was planted in 1861 by woodsmen who brought seeds back from the Moroccan Atlas. Closer to home is Pont Julian, a well preserved Roman bridge to the south of the village. Or just relax by the pool!

Day 6: Roussillon / Joucas 11km/7mi/3hr
Today’s walk takes you through the most incredibly beautiful ochre coloured countryside, as you stroll through cherry orchards, vineyards and fields ablaze with lavender. After lunch, walking with the striking “eagle’s nest” village of Gordes ahead (lots of time to explore tomorrow), you finally turn off north to Joucas - where you’ll find a warm welcome at our family-run hotel. 

Day 7: At Joucas
This is a great opportunity to explore the picturesque village of Gordes, which clothes the hilltop with wonderfully photogenic houses, terraces and gardens. The village is dominated by its Renaissance château, housing dazzling “geometric” pictures by Hungarian modern artist Vasarély, and the streets are crammed with cafés, restaurants and shops. 

Day 8: Joucas / Le Beaucet/ St Didier   7.5km/10mi/5hr
After breakfast we give you a lift to the C12 cistercian abbey at Sénanque where today’s walk begins. Up first through pine and oak forest, then out across the plateau de Vaucluse. Stunning views of Mt Ventoux and the jagged peaks of the Dentelles de Montmirail. Then it’s down through cherry orchards back to St Didier for a final swim.

Day 9: Leave St Didler after breakfast.
We take you to Avignon station after breakfast.