Your email will not be communicated to any third party or company outside France Bike Trips / Velorizons. You may receive occasional emails from France Bike Trips, with the possibility to unsubscribe at any time. CNIL (French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties)
Please type in your search terms.
You can prefix chosen words with the '+' sign to make them mandatory, or with the '-' sign to avoid results containing this word from appearing, e.g. west +nepal -canada
A dedicated team of travel specialists is available to offer you expert advice Monday to Friday from 9 to 12:30 AM and 13:30 to 6 PM (French time) on the phone, or by email.
All the atmosphere of Provence, with its garrigue, vineyards and orchards, its dry stone walls and lavender fields... A veritable poem, punctuated by a providential valley of ochre sand with the evocative nickname of the 'Provençal Colorado'. With its jagged rocks and fairy chimneys in the style of Bryce Canyon, and red ochre quarries worthy of Canyonlands, it's almost like being there! From the top of the Mourre Nègre ridge, the panoramic view of the mountains of Provence, with the Ventoux in the background, completes this sublime picture. As we return to our starting point (Cavaillon), we also get to ride through the Monts du Vaucluse.
Itinerary start: Rendezvous with the organisation team is on day 1 at 11.30am at La Durance camping in Cavaillon.
Departure by mountain bike from the pretty little town of Cavaillon. Head for the mountain ridge of the "Petit Luberon". We discover it via the west combe. A gentle warm-up on narrow, single-track trails. Scents and views of the Alpilles, the Dentelles de Montmirail and the Ventoux. You'll pass through the small village of Oppède le Vieux. Night in a hotel.
Distance covered: approx. 25 km / 300 m.
We follow the northern flank of the Petit Luberon, alternating between small, little-travelled tarmac roads and wide tracks. We'll pass through picturesque villages set in rocky valleys. Maubec, Ménerbes, Lacoste... Arrive at the superb hillside village of Bonnieux. Discover the hundred-year-old cedar trees of Bonnieux, the steep little streets...
Distance covered: approx. 40 km. / 1100 m
Through forests of holm oak, we discover the typical single tracks of the Luberon. Having reached the plateau, we make our way to the impressive cliffs of Buoux. A few stops allow us to observe a few climbers in full swing. We then join the steep valley of Buoux to find ourselves at the foot of this sculpted and colourful cliff. We climb up to the small stone village of Sivergues, passing typical houses built against the rock. Alternating between small, little-travelled roads and wide tracks, we follow the Mourre Nègre, the highest peak in the Luberon (1125 m), all the way to Céreste.
Distance covered: approx. 45 km. / 1550 m
We pass over a pretty Roman bridge before reaching the 14th-century Prieuré de Carluc. We set off on another short climb up a Provençal hill to reach Sainte Croix à Lauze. We then drive to the foot of the hilltop village of Viens. Through forests, vineyards and lavender fields, we set off again towards one of the highlights of our tour: the Colorado Provençal. One of the most beautiful days of our week, with its succession of canyons and sparkling ochre trails. Pure pleasure!
Distance covered: approx. 35 km. / 1000 m
We leave Rustrel and head for more secret ochre. A short walk through a small, deep ochre valley, then a path through evergreen oaks to Saint Saturnin d'Apt, a hilltop Provencal village with its typical square: fountain, plane trees, bar terrace...
We then enter the Monts du Vaucluse. Cedars and oaks guide us to the little village of Murs, where time seems to have stood still...
Distance covered: approx. 35 km. / 850 m
In the heart of the Monts du Vaucluse... We pass through Gordes, one of the most typical villages in France, with its calades, its castle and its stonework. Bories, ancient roads where carts have left their mark for eternity, lead us back to modern society and the town of Cavaillon. We leave each other, the song of the cicadas still echoing in our heads...
Distance covered: approx. 30 km. / 300 m
Distances and altitude gain are an indication only and may vary.
Itinerary end: Separation is at La Durance camping in Cavaillon aroud 4pm.
This tour has not yet received any reviews.
