Saint-Saturnin-Les-Apt, Villars, Rustrel, Gignac, Caseneuve, Viens, Cereste, Montjustin, Vitrolles-En-Luberon

Long Distance Mountain Bike Trail, Stage 7 – From Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt to Vitrolles-en-Luberon

La Provence à Vélo

Route

Crossing

Difficulty

Difficult

Duration

5h

Distance

46.40km

Positive elevation

1318 meters

Negative elevation

1 meters

Altitude

Min. 278 meters

Max. 695 meters

  • circuit
  • variante
  • voie verte
  • liaison

Departure / Arrival

Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt / Vitrolles-en-Luberon

Parking

Vitrolles-en-Luberon

Elevation

Pygal50050010001000001000010000200002000030000300004000040000Distance (m)Altitude (m)

GPX track

The tourist service at Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt :

Although this section presents no real difficulties, there is one particular highlight that will take you through the Luberon’s renowned ochre massif. After a brief detour into the Alpes-Haute-Provence department, you’ll head for the Grand Luberon mountain range, along enjoyable and varied paths.
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After a few kilometres of fast cycling through vineyards and cherry trees, along roads and paths, you’ll come to the ochre massif with its unusual landscapes and autumnal colours. The sandy and gritty single-tracks of the La Bruyère mountain range contrast with the hard, rocky landscapes of Provence. The ochre mountains then give way to stony trails leading to Rustrel. You’ll cycle along the Colorado Provençal, climbing a series of forest paths up to the Pierroux mountain ridge. This lovely single-track path, which boasts a wonderful panoramic view of the Lure mountain, will eventually lead you to the lovely village of Viens with its old city walls.

The scenic route down to the valley, that you’ll hit shortly after Viens, will quickly awaken the mountain biker in you! The trail leads to the banks of the Calavon river, then through an old abandoned railway tunnel, to Céreste. After this little foray into the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, you’ll cycle along the ridges of Montjustin and its village, renovated by Giono and friends. You’ll then climb the vast undulating hills of the Grand Luberon mountain range before racing down the western slopes to Vitrolles-en-Luberon, nestled in the southern foothills.

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public transport

Bus line Zou 16 - Apt - SaultView the Vaucluse bus timetable

recommended
parking(s)

Public parking at the Cours de la Liberté, 50 m from the information panel on the Grande Traversée (northeast of the village)

To be noted

Before departure, make sure to consult the Prevention of fire risks in Vaucluse website, to respect the massif closures. (T. +33 (0)4.28.31.77.11)


This itinerary is best suited to autumn and spring

If you notice a problem on one of the Provence cycling routes report it with the Suricate app!: sentinelles.sportsdenature.fr
Access to the massifs
Respect the regulations preserving protected natural areas – find out about restrictions to accessing the massifs during fire risk periods, from 15 June to 15 September.
Before heading out, check the website

In short

  • Rocky and sandy single-track trails in the Ochre massif
  • Rocky path towards Rustrel
  • Crested single track along the Provencal Colorado
  • Calavon river bank, and former railway tunnel before Céreste.