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Alpilles
Litterally meaning “little Alps”, the Alpilles chain does not exceed 500m (1650ft) in height and is only 25km in length. Though what it lacks in height is easily compensated by the beauty of its surroundings. Van Gogh, attracted by the countryside, spent more than a year in the town of St. Rémy, at the foot of the Alpilles. He saw in it what attracts many of today’s visitors: the jagged lines of the limestone ridge, the lone cypress tree bent by the Mistral winds in an open field, the olive groves highlighted by the intense Provençal sun.
Calanques
From Marseille to Cassis, over a stretch of 20km, the Calanques are a set of jagged limestone inlets carved out along the coast. With each hidden inlet you’ll discover the breathtaking waters, intensely turquoise, caressing the white limestone cliffs that sink into the sea.
Camargue
Covering most of the delta of the Rhone, the Camargue regional park is a 75,000 hectare (185,000 acre) marshland paradise, where tens of thousands of pink flamingos fly gracefully over bulls and pure white horses. This is preserved nature as far as the eye can see; tiny roads and tracks allowing you to explore the park by foot, by horse, or by bike, and observe over 350 species of birds that come to reproduce and nest in the park.
Canyon du Verdon
The deepest canyon in Europe, the vertiginous cliffs of the Verdon canyon rise as high as 700m (2300ft) above the river below. This majestic site is a paradise for sports of all kind: hiking along the narrow canyon paths, rock climbing, kayaking, canyoneering... The river flows into lake Sainte-Croix, where on a canoe you can paddle in quiet contemplation of the beauty of your surroundings.
Cevennes
The Cévennes mountains, a national park created in 1970, are part of the larger Massif Central mountains. Sparsely populated, the soft rolling hills of the Cévennes are set among deep valleys, and high extensive limestone plateaus.
Cote d'azur
Who hasn’t dreamed of visiting the Côte D’Azur, the celebrated French Riviera that has attracted the rich and famous for decades. From the town of St. Tropez, westward to the Italian border, the Côte D’azur is a blend of long stretches of beaches and chic towns such as Cannes, Menton and Monaco.
Dentelles de Montmirail
“Dentelles” literally means lacework, and makes reference to this jagged “lacework” of mountains set beside the Rhone Valley. It’s probably more appropriate though to extract the word “dent” from Dentelles, meaning tooth, as the chain of mountains appears to be three sets of limestone teeth, soaring vertically into the sky. However you wish to interpret “Dentelles”, the region is a playground for walking, mountain biking, and for rock climbing. From the “chambre du Turc” – the limestone chamber (or tooth cavity!) leading to the very summit – a once-in-a-lifetime panorama opens up.
Esterel
Situated along the French Riviera, in between the towns of Saint Raphael and Mandelieu, the Esterel mountains jut out sheer from the sea. So jagged is the vibrant red volcanic rock that even here, along the French Riviera, no village has ever been founded as its base. It is a land of steep cliffs with sharp contours, tiny inlets shaded by parasol pines, thousands of little blood-red islands dotting the immense, indigo Mediterranean.
Haut Var
With rolling hills and dense forests, the Haut Var is a popular region to visit, the shape of its landscape and small country roads lending particularly well to cycle-touring. Thanks to an exceptional quality if the region’s clay, the Haut Var’s tradition of fine pottery is centuries old.
Iles d'Hyeres
The Iles D’or – or Golden Islands – set just off the coast of the French Riviera, offer an untamed wilderness just a short ferry ride from the coastline. This is the sunniest and southernmost part of France, offering a year-round beautiful climate, with mild winters and a sea breeze to cool the hot summer sun. The red rocks of the islands glisten in the sun, casting a golden light toward the mainland, an invitation to come and explore.
Luberon
The Luberon mountains, the setting for the famous Peter Mayle novels, have much to offer to the active visitor: walking trails and hidden country roads that link high-perched Medieval villages, each worth exploring in length. Among them: Lacoste and the chateau of the Marquis de Sade, Lourmarin and its quaint cafés, Mérindol and its rich and tainted religious history, or even the hidden hamlets of Sivergues and Auribeau...
Massif des Maures
Situated just behind the coastline in the department of the Var, the Massif des Maures is a granite-based range in an otherwise limestone Provence. The mica in its reddish rocks glistens in the ever-present Provençal sun, creating a golden aura. The range is covered by “maquis”: a scrub land composed of aromatic herbs, heather, cistus, scrub oak, and sparse aleppo pine. The walking paths are numerous and picturesque.
Montagne de Lure
At 1827m in altitude, the Montagne de Lure is part of the southernmost pre-Alps, its bare limestone summit a playground for numerous species, such as chamois and vultures. Far from the tourist regions of Provence farther to the south, the region of the Lure is dotted with authentic perched villages and welcoming “gîtes”. The plateaus surrounding the mountain are covered in pastures and lavender fields, the local “Banon” goat cheese a pure delight.
Monts de Vaucluse
Two of the most “postcarded” images of Provence – the village of Gordes and the 12th century Sénanque Abbey (the one always shown with the lavender field in front...) are located in this region. They’re connected by a beautiful walking trail. Not far away is the village of Roussillon, set beside a now abandoned ochre quarry; the deep coloured pigments from the quarry were used to paint the homes of the village, whose façades now shine in different hues of yellow, orange, and red, every narrow street bursting in colour.
Mercantour
Much of it bordering Italy, The Mercantour National Park is one of 9 national parks in France. Its 28 perched mountain villages, authentic and welcoming, are surrounded by untamed mountain slopes. Listen to marmots whistle fiercely to warn each other of the presence of a golden eagle, and observe chamois and ibex climbing to the rockiest perches to ensure their safety. Follow the tracks of the elusive wolf, recently returned to France after a 50 year absence.
Sainte Baume
The Sainte Baume is a rocky bar, 12km in length, and culminates at over 1000m in altitude. Its two slopes are quite different in aspect: to the north, the abrupt slope descends to a shady, cool and humid forest, pleasant all year round; to the south, the gradual limestone slopes shine a bright white under the hot sun, the grounds covered by aromatic herbs and shrubs. There are many walking trails in and around the Sainte Baume.
Sainte Victoire
Hovering majestically over the town of Aix-en-Provence, the Sainte-Victoire mountain bares its razor sharp cliffs that plunge dramatically to the south, while its slopes descend gradually to the north. Many paths lead to the summit, from where the view is spectacular.
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux, at 1912m (6300ft), is perched high above Provence; from the summit its 360° panorama, made clear and far-reaching by the howling Mistral wind, is nothing short of awe-inspiring: looking to the south the Rhone River, snaking its way through the vine-covered plains and into the Mediterranean Sea; and to the north the entire chain of the snow-peaked French Alps, including Mont Blanc.
WALK INN SARL - 30 Bd PAUL FLORET - 84000 AVIGNON - PROVENCE - FRANCE info@walkinnprovence.com
COMING TO PROVENCE
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