Cicerone Guide Book: Walking in Provence - West

Cicerone Guide Book: Walking in Provence - West

Drôme Provençal, Vaucluse, Var - by Janette Norton 

Guidebook to 30 varied day walks in the west of Provence in the Drôme Provençale, 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.

Provence’s sunshine and Mediterranean charm attract many visitors to its coast, yet the area also has much more to offer the walker. The countryside inland boasts a range of scenery from remote mountaintops to spectacular gorges. History is everywhere, in medieval villages, arcaded streets, abbeys, churches and castles. 

This guide covers the western regions, with its companion volume, Walking in Provence: East, covering the rest of this fascinating and historic landscape. The walking is incredibly diverse; from the green waves of the Barronies hills in Drôme Provençale, to the unforgettable silhouette of Mont Ventoux giving way to limestone plateaux cut with ravines in the Vauclause. Further south lies Var, containing rock and wood-strewn hills inland, and a coast full of gnarled inlets and hidden beaches.

Suitable for all walkers of average fitness levels, the walks range from 4 to 21 kilometres, and are graded for difficulty from short, easy routes to more challenging walks that can include precipitous sections, but no special equipment is needed.

30 day walks in the Drôme Provençal, Vaucluse and Var in the sunny south-east corner of France
walks illustrated with clear sketch maps and height profiles, as well as inspiring photographs

all the practical information required for a perfect trip from public transport to maps and market days

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