Four day walks in the Vaucluse-Provence, France
Getting there: By high speed train (TGV) we arrived in early afternoon at Avignon. Behind the train station you’ll find a bus to the heart of the Vaucluse. Le parc naturel régional du Luberon
We started in Cereste (2 hrs. bus). Here you can buy good walking maps. Well marked walk-ways, such as parts of the local GR’s (the Grande Randonnée).
Maps: We used: IGN 3242OT and 3142OT. Scale: 1:25.000. Or: Didier Richard, nrs. 14 and 27, 1 cm. = 500m, Ventoux and Luberon, Sainte-Victoire.
Accommodation: Plenty: hotels, pensions, Gites d’étappe, chambre d’hôtes , Gites ruraux, at the farm, at a castle, whatever you want.
March 2000: an (almost) round walk in a hilly landscape, nice valleys, gorges (canyons) and vineyards.
Height: highest peak on trail: 700m.
Day 1: Cereste - Viens...............................10 km
Day 2: Viens - St.Saturnin d’Apt...............18 km
Day 3: St.Saturnin d’Apt - Gordes............18 km
Day 4: Gordes - Fontaine de Vaucluse....16 km
and from here the bus to Avignon.
On trail: Near Rustrel - Roussillon the Colorado offers an amazing range of colours going from bright yellow to vivid orange; Roussillon and the living van Gogh orchards; the Abbeye de Senanque; Gordes, in full sight, the colourful lavender plantations.
It is almost certain that Rembrandt used ochre of the Roussillon mine/quarry for the color of his paint.
Walled villages or little towns, ruins of castles of the 6th century or before, like St. Saturnin les Apt.
Or, just sit on a terrace at the village pump with a good glass of wine on the table in the shade of planetrees...
If time is not your problem: visit at the last day the old town of Avignon….Palais des Papes, the museums, like le Musée du petit Palais. Or the Festival d'Avignon, in july-august. A popular and contemporary artistic adventure.
Sur le pont d’Avignon…..
Below a video about the Colorado de Rustrel. Beautifil pictures! To prevent you from going "crazy": stop the audio.
