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Travel
Information
Season:
Any day from March to mid June and mid September to October.
Please note that it is very hot in this area in July and August and those
months are avoided. This is an ideal trip for spring, early summer or
autumn: times of early flowers or golden hues rather than the Lavender
blues! Both spring and autumn can bring rain spells and electrical storms.
Arrival:
Anytime during the day, rooms may not be available if you arrive early,
but you will be able to leave your luggage and explore the town.
First
hotel: In Avignon
Travel:
Full package customers fly with Scheduled British Airways services from
London Gatwick to Marseille Airport. Land only customers could use the
cheaper Easyjet services, Gatwick to Marseille. The even cheaper RyanAir
services to Nimes are also
worth considering.
Transfers to and from Avignon TGV / SNCF are not included for both Full
Package and Land Only customers.
If
you are flying into Marseille with B.A. or Easyjet:
This is relatively straightforward: From Marseille Provence Airport
you take a bus to the Aix TGV
station from where (nearly every hour during the day)
you take a TGV to Avignon TGV station. also now direct trains
from Marseille Airport to the centre of Avignon.
Marseille:
http://www.marseille.aeroport.fr
The
travel time for the bus that goes from the Marseille airport to the Aix
TGV station (closer than Marseille train station) is about 15 minutes and
the one-way price is about 5 Euros. Buses leave every 30 minutes. After that the
TGV from Aix to Avignon TGV is 20 minutes duration. Then From the Avignon
TGV, take the
blue shuttle bus into
town. The shuttle bus fare is around 1.5 Euros.
If
you are starting from Marseille
Gare Saint-Charles
(i.e in town at the SNCF-French Railways) there are normally
trains every 1 to 2 hours to Avignon, taking
around 30 mins on the TGV. Non TGV services are also possible but
take around 1.5 hours.
If
you are flying into Nimes with Ryan Air:
Nimes:
http://www.nimes.cci.fr
There
is an Airport bus that goes from the Nimes airport to the Nimes SNCF station.
The travel time is between 15 minutes to 30 minutes (depending on
traffic).
The
one-way price is approx. 5 Euros. Buses leave after plane's arrival, and
don’t hang around too long! The train from Nimes SNCF to Avignon
Centre is 35-45 minutes and costs about 8 Euros.
Travelling
from Paris:
This is also quite straight forward! The TGV from Paris Gare de Lyon to
Avignon takes
only 2hours 40 mins.
End
of Tour: Saignon after breakfast on Day 8.
There is an included transfer to the bus station in Apt and then a
local bus to the Avignon central bus station (ticket included), taking about an
hour.
Then train and shuttle bus to Marseille airport (not included). British Airways flight
Marseille to Gatwick for return flight home for full package
customers.
Level of Difficulty
Fitness:
This is a very subjective matter, Sherpa walking grades presume a certain
standard common to similar tours and an individual’s perception of their
own fitness in relation to a grading will vary.
The
walking on this tour is varied: Easy
- Moderate. Although due to the length of walks and terrain we would
classify the tour as more moderate. Note that some trails are quite rough
and stony. A reasonable level of fitness and ability on rocky paths is
required especially for the gorge walking where there are a few short
‘scrambling’ descent sections, which are easily negotiated with
a little care. The last walk, in the Colorado Provencal has some eroded
sections that you also need to take care on. You need good boots
throughout the tour: The trails are generally good, but on occasion there
are steep or winding sections of loose limestone shingle. Carry plenty of
drinking water and adequate protection against the sun, including a sun
hat.
Day
stages:
3 –7 hours of Medium walking.
Waymarks:
The trail follows in the main, well-established paths, much of the way
being waymarked with wooden signs and/or local waymarks or the white/red GR (Grande Randonnee)
paint marks and presents no special difficulties. Straight forward map
reading ability is necessary.
General information
Note:
Baths:
it is not normal for your room to have a bath, the main reason being that
it takes up a lot of space, some hotels/guesthouses may have a separate
room in the house where a bath is available to guests, but in the main it
is showers.
Breakfast:
in countries such as France usually consists of coffee and
toast/croissant, and preserves. Some walkers may find continental
breakfasts ‘insufficient’, on this tour however, they do provide you
with quite a bit of food! It is important for you to tell us if you have
any dietary requirements when you book your holiday so that we can inform
everyone that you are staying with.
Single
Supplements:
are payable on most of our tours. The single supplement guarantees
the privacy of your own room, however, rooms can at times be small and in
some places may not enjoy the same facilities as double/twin rooms.
Language:
Note that you will not
necessarily come across people speaking English. Remember you have left
home to find things to be different so bring a phrase book, try to learn a
bit of French!
Luggage:
When staying in hotels,
sometimes your luggage will have been taken to you room awaiting your
arrival. However don’t be surprised if your luggage is waiting for you
to take it up to your room please politely ask someone if you need
assistance.
Accommodation & Meals
7
Continental Breakfasts and 6 Dinners are included. Dinners include entree,
main course and dessert and are particularly wholesome, normally prepared
by your host. Picnic lunches are not included in the tour cost but are
available from hotels or can easily be obtained from local shops. We
indicate in the route notes where there are suitable restaurants or cafes
for lunch stops, or recommend you carry food if there are none convenient
to the trail.
q
Night
1: In a 2* hotel
inside Avignon’s fortified centre. This is an attractive small town
hotel on a quiet boulevard, only 15 minutes walk from all the sites and
Palace of The Popes (B&B).
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Nights
2 & 3: In a
guesthouse near Mérindol. Relax
by the pool with an aperitif before sharing a full Provencal
dinner
with the other guests here, just outside of the
beautiful village. Rooms are all beautifully different , reflecting the
owner’s penchant for
travel. The grounds are quiet as
you are at the edge of woodland. (Halfboard)
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Night
4: In a guesthouse
outside Lauris, a restored farmhouse lost in heart of the Luberon Regional Park.
There are a couple of places used here,
but both are rustic. Enjoy another
locally prepared dinner. (Halfboard)
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Night
5:
In a hotel just outside the village of Buoux. You’ll
stay in a lovely residence nestled in the bottom of the Aiguebrun Valley
with its pool and a locally renowned restaurant that prepares traditional Provencal cuisine. (Halfboard)
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Nights
6 & 7:
In a quiet guesthouse in the heart of Saignon. From the village enjoy
views over the Luberon all the way to Mont Ventoux.
The guesthouse, although modern, has a 2000 year old Roman well and a
Mulberry tree from the same period within the grounds.
Dinner is prepared here or sometimes taken out in the village in a
nearby restaurant. (Halfboard).
Please
note that in the case of late bookings or hotel closure we may use various
other hotels, which offer a similar standard of accommodation and
cuisine.
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Outline
Itinerary
q
Day 1: Arrive Marseille. Transfer from
airport to railway station in Avignon. Start your trip in the heart of
Papal Avignon. From the “Palais des Papes” to the “Pont d’Avignon,”
a stroll through history. Dinner on your own. Hotel Avignon.
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Day
2: In Avignon; morning free, mid-
afternoon transfer to Mérindol by private taxi. The city was a
strategic site in the Rhone valley, owing its origin to the ‘Doms’
rock, which made a great defensive site over looking the river. With the
arrival of the popes in the 14th Century, the city became a second Rome.
It was enriched by art in the 17th and 18th Centuries and it remained
Papal property up to the French revolution. Stroll around the shopping
streets in the pedestrian area (Joseph Vernet and St Agricol streets), the
district of la Balance and along the wide Avenue de Republic. You will
find Provencal materials, ceramics and pottery, terra cotta figurines (santons),
handicrafts, and other specialities of the region. You may want to try one
of the cruises on the River Rhone, there are cruises of various lengths
which can be booked. Recommended is a 1-hour cruise around Avignon to see
the Bridge, the Rocher des Doms, Fort St André and Philippe Le Bel tower,
in order to look at the bridge and town from the waters edge. (Cruises may
not operate early or late in the season).
Transfer to
Mérindol by private taxi (included). From the top of the old village,
contemplate the vast plain of the Durance River below, from where an
abundance of melons and vegetables are farmed for the famous Cavaillon
markets.
Mérindol
is a village that symbolises the repression of the Protestant Waldensians. The village was destroyed in 1547 during the Wars of Religion. Fortunately the population were forewarned and most escaped
into the mountains, returning later to reoccupy the site and to
re-establish an attractive town. Hotel in Mérindol.
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Day
3: Mérindol - Gorge du Régalon - Mérindol (5 h, 14 km distance.
575 metres total ascent)
Discover the Régalon gorge, which plunges to a depth of 30 metres whilst
the shortest distance between the gorge
wall faces is less than 50 cm! The Gorges du Regalon are famous for their
Mediterranean vegetation, that has survived thanks to a microclimate with
an ideal degree of humidity. Types include: Stone Oaks, Maples, Aleppo
Pines, Filarias, Winter Oaks, Alders and Wild Cherry trees. This place is
very popular and can get busy at times, but if you are there out of high
season / weekend and visit quite early, you maybe the only ones in the
silent chasm with its dripping trees and morning fog. There are a few easy
boulders to climb over during your walk through the gorges. The day will
give you enough time for a picnic and to have a further look round Mérindol.
Guesthouse in Mérindol.
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Day
4: Mérindol - Recaute (7h, 18km, 1000
metres total ascent) We walk in the hills at the top of the Petit
Luberon above the village of Lauris, perched in the Petit Luberon
foothills, with amazing views across the Durance valley, the Alpilles
range and the Luberon.
We arrive
at a beautiful Cedar forest, where there is an opportunity for an
additional loop. Originally from the Atlas Mountains of North Africa: The
Atlas Cedar was sown on the petit Luberon around 1860 on only a few
hectares and has since spread to more than 250 hectares on the plateau.
The coolness of the forest explains the presence of mushroom species rare
in Provence and many birds
find refuge here too!
Continue
the walk on to your guesthouse, lost in the Luberon National Park.
Guesthouse in Recaute.
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Day
5: Recaute - Lourmarin - Buoux (4 h 15, 11km, total ascent 750 metres).
Morning transfer by local taxi to Lourmarin, listed as "one of the
most beautiful villages in France." The town nestles in the middle of
vineyards, olive groves and almond trees. A very animated village in the
summer due to its numerous cafe terraces, restaurants and boutiques, it
attracts many visitors. There is a 15th and 16th Century, castle that has
peculiar stairs and magnificent rooms to admire (only the Renaissance part
of the castle is open to the public.) In the village you will notice the
typical Mediterranean architecture in its winding narrow streets, lovely
old restored houses and well shaded public squares where you can immerse
yourself in the gentle Provencal ambience. The inhabitants will want to
remind you that Albert Camus, winner of the Nobel Literature Prize, lived
and wrote here. In fact he is buried in Lourmarin cemetery. (Morning
market on Friday).
The walk
starts from Lourmarin and
heads towards Buoux Fort,
which served as a refuge for the population during the Wars of Religion.
The small village of Buoux, (which is just off our route, but can be
walked to if required) is situated among the rolling hills in the
heart of the Parc Naturel Regional du Luberon. Due to its geographical
situation, the village has played a naturally defensive role since
prehistoric times. At the top of the rocky spur, the Buoux fort served as
a refuge. In 1660, King Louis the 14th ordered the fort's destruction and
from this date, the village abandoned its defensive vocation. Today, Buoux
is a peaceful rural village. While walking around it you will see that
most of the houses date from the middle and the end of the 17th century.
These solid farmhouses, which belonged to wealthy Protestants, have been
restored and maintained so well that they add unique style and character
to the village. (Optional walk up to see the village)
In the grounds of the Fort you can also discover pieces of the rampart and
walls of the chapel, which are all that survive of the fortress today.
The steep
surrounds of Buoux provide a paradise for climbing enthusiasts from around
the World. The irregular contours of the Aigue-Brun River are filled with
caves, cliffs and peaks.
Hotel near
Buoux (below the village).
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Day
6: Buoux - Sivergues - Saignon (4 h, 10 km distance, 450 metres total
ascent)
A shorter day to stop and enjoy the area! Following the Aiguebrun River
through its gorges, you arrive at Sivergues, a hamlet whose 39 inhabitants
mainly work in lavender and goat breeding. You'll feel as though you're in
a village at the end of the world. You won't find café terraces or
restaurants, but the peace and quiet will relax you as you enjoy strolling
through the hamlet. You will come across some fine 16th and 17th century
houses. Walk as far as the Fort de l'Archidiacre built in the 13th century
(now a hiking gîte). It overlooks the whole of the Aiguebrun valley and
you’ll now understand why Sivergues was chosen by the Protestant
Waldensians as a strategic site to escape from their Catholic persecutors.
The walk
rolls on to Saignon , which is a
peaceful little village that you can explore on foot, perched at the top
of a hill overlooking the city of Apt. There is an easy access to the rock
of Saignon, so do not hesitate to climb to the top where
there is a fabulous panoramic view. On good days you can see Mont
Ventoux, the Lure Mountains, the Alpes de haute Provence and the heights around Avignon! While walking through the narrow
streets you will discover ancient fountains, picturesque shady
squares and beautiful old houses with intricate doorways. Opposite the
town hall you will see a very pretty 12th Century Romanesque Church.
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Day
7: Saignon - Colorado
Provencal
- Saignon (5.30 h, 12km dustance, 825 metres total ascent).
Walk
from your guesthouse to Rustrel,
a tiny village nestled at the foot of the Plateau d’Albion (and back to
Saignon by taxi) from where you visit the Colorado Provencal ochre quarry.
The
exploitation of ochre began more than a century ago and Rustrel soon
became an important production centre and part of the Industrial
Revolution, thanks to its ferruginous minerals. Today the exploitation is
almost at an end, although the ‘Colorado Provencal’ has received a
second lease of life, open to visitors who marvel at its colours and
forms.
The
Walk to Rustrel crosses the river Doa and you pass a number of walkways
that will take you towards an incredible succession of rusty–coloured
rocks, golden cliffs and red earthen chimneys which rise majestically out
of the vegetation. The village of Rustrel is dominated by a beautiful 17th
century chateau and it is also well known for its ‘Cotes du Ventoux’
wine! Guesthouse in Saignon.
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Day
8: After breakfast transfer from Saignon to Apt by taxi for the local
bus (included) to Avignon central bus station, then take the
train/bus to Marseille airport for your flight.
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