Top 10 walks not to be missed during a stay at l'Oréliane

Stroll through our pretty hilltop village of Chateauneuf-de-Gadagne

In Gadagne (yes, yes: “Châteauneuf de Gadagne" for those who know it well), starting from our Guest house, you can discover the village's heritage by strolling along its pretty, cobbled streets: You'll discover that our pretty little perched village has little to envy the better-known, listed villages in the area (did you know that to be listed, a village has to apply for it? Well, Gadagne never did... quite simply).

“Fly” to the heights of Gadagne for superb panoramas

• From the heights of the village, you can admire the superb panoramas offered by the Campbeau plateau as you stroll along: breathtaking views over the Sorgues plain, Mont Ventoux, the Luberon and even the Alpilles. From our Maison d'Hôtes, it's a short 3-kilometer climb to the plateau at the top of a rolling pebble hill, covered with the vineyards of the AOC Côtes du Rhône village Gadagne... It's the perfect way to combine comfort and effort, with a visit to one of the appellation's estates and, if you feel like it, a tasting session. Afterwards, take a break in the Parc de l'Arbousière, most of its 4 hectares of listed protected woodland.
  
  
  

Explore the protected fauna and flora zone of the Thouzon hill in Le Thor

• We start from the village of Le Thor, where we can admire the church of Notre Dame du Lac - listed as a Monument Historique and open every morning - the belfry and its campanile. We follow part of the magnificent banks of the Sorgue in this commune (which, like L'Isle sur Sorgue, is encircled by the river), then head for the hill of Thouzon. Covered by numerous hiking trails, this hill, typical of Mediterranean vegetation, is a pleasant and easy place to stroll. At the summit, which rises to 110m, you'll find the medieval priory of Thouzon (wrongly called the Château de Thouzon). From the heights of this site - also listed as a Monument Historique - there is a superb 360° view over the Alpilles, the Luberon, the Comtat plain and Mont Ventoux.
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Strolling along the water: the wheels of L'Isle sur la Sorgue

It's an unmissable stroll that we sometimes redo in its entirety or in bits and pieces when we come to L'isle for the market, shopping or a restaurant. We love the famous "rue des roues", officially named rue Théophile Jean (but if you're asking for directions, prefer the term “rue des roues" - it's almost certain that not all Islois know its real name). Surrounded by the Sorgue River, this small village-like town with its narrow, well-stocked streets offers a lovely stroll along the river and its wheels.

The tourist office has a map showing the route of this charming 2 km walk. And if you feel like it, come and see the last of the Isle wheels at the Partage des eaux. An interpretive trail leads you in 20 minutes to this first division of the Sorgue. And yes, first, because the Sorgue keeps dividing again and again: it's a reverse river. The tributaries don't flow into it, it divides itself. Hence "Les" Sorgues... Which are in fact one and the same river.

Explore the area around Europe's first spring at Fontaine de Vaucluse: the “chemin des beaumes rouges".

At the foot of an imposing cliff, flows our emerald river, La Sorgue. All around the village of Fontaine de Vaucluse, where it rises from the depths (it's actually an exurgence, rather than a "spring"), the Mediterranean vegetation remains wild. The scents of thyme and rosemary accompany the Beaumes rouges walk, a looped route overlooking the village that gave its name to our department (Vaucluse = valis clausa, the enclosed valley).
Along the way, as the sun begins to set, you can see the rocks carved out by erosion take on reddish-orange hues. This is what gives Beaumes its "red" name. At the end of the walk, on the way back down to the village, there are several cafés where you can take a break, cool off or warm up with a seasonal drink. Personally, we like Pointe Noire's selection of beers or its homemade hot chocolate.
Detailed itineraries for these first five walks are available from the local tourist offices (L'Isle sur la Sorgue, Le Thor and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse), whose websites are already available: www.oti-delasorgue.fr.

Now we're moving away "un chouïa" (a bit, as we say here)... But we're staying in the Vaucluse, not far from our Guest house, with 5 of our favorite walks, in the heart of remarkable natural areas that can't be ignored!

Escape to the heart of flamboyant landscapes: the Vaucluse ochres, atypical and truly stunning!

In the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon to discover the ochres of Roussillon at Rustrel

Discover the ochre of Mormoiron in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional du Ventoux

• Mont Ventoux, nicknamed the Giant of Provence, is the most recent of our region's PNRs, a Biosphere Reserve and several Natura 2000 sites.
  - The Sentier de la Forêt des Sablons, a lesser-known Ocre site that we believe offers two great advantages: a more intimate discovery, in the shade of the pines, and the possibility of a swim, as it starts from the Salettes lake.
  - The Ventoux can be explored on a wide range of trails, some of which are long-distance footpaths that follow the ancient drailles laid out by shepherds for the passage of their flocks. You'll find many more trails right here: https://www.ventouxprovence.fr/activites-ventoux/rando.
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“Kill two birds with one stone" at Cabrières d'Avignon, between ancient cedars and dry stone, in the heart of the Monts de Vaucluse.

• This charming little hilltop village (next to the listed village of Gordes) offers two very pleasant areas for nature walks:
  
  

Walk in the shade of the beautiful Cabrières Cedar forest.

• With more than five hectares and several signposted trails, we appreciate this forest for its intimate atmosphere and low visitor numbers... Compared with the cedar forest of Bonnieux, in the Luberon, also magnificent, but better known... Perhaps too well known!
  
  

A walk through the garrigue of Provence, on the heights of Cabrières d'Avignon, to discover dry stone.

• A typical Provencal landscape, the guarrigue surrounds Cabrières d'Avignon, a name that comes from the Provençal "Cabri" meaning "goat".
  The "Pays des Chèvres" walk offers an opportunity to discover dry-stone techniques and the remains of the Mur de la Peste. Built in 1720, this wall was intended to protect the Comtat Venaissin from the plague raging in Marseille. From the top, there's a magnificent view of the Luberon.we love walks that combine the pleasure of being in the middle of nature and discovering local heritage.all details for this lovely walk right here: https://luberon.fr/tourisme/balades/randonnees/annu+balade-du-mur-de-la-peste+1688.html
  
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Discover an exceptional geological area: the rocky barrier of the Dentelles de Montmirail.

• Didn't know it yet? L'Oréliane's Maître de Maison, Dominique, was a winemaker. To pay tribute to this lover of nature and wine, we've decided to take a walk through the vineyards, starting in Gigondas. This pretty hilltop village has the luxury of having the Dentelles de Montmirail as its playground.
• The aim of the walk: the Tour Sarrasine and its extraordinary panoramic view as a reward. Then, before returning to L'oréliane, a visit to the Gigondas cooperative cellar is a must! The reputation of this appellation is well established! A wine route and many other hiking trails criss-cross the massif. For more information, visit the Terra Rando website: https://terrarando.com/les-randonnees-du-vaucluse/randonnees-pedestres-dentelles-de-montmirail
  
  
  
• Our little department of the Vaucluse is so rich that we could easily recommend many other equally fantastic walks!
  If you're interested, we'll be sure to tell you about them when you stay with us at L'Oréliane.
  
  
• Christine and Dominique