Self-Guided Provence Inn-to-Inn

• This itinerary represents one of many possibilities. There are many variations, depending on your timeframe and level of hiking ability. Please contact us if you would like a more detailed itinerary, including elevation gain, loss, distance, and additional information.

Day 1: Independent transfer from Nice by train to the small, picturesque village of Annot. This scenic train trip takes about 2 hours. Annot is a charming, well-preserved, and unpretentious village. There is a small town square and tree-lined main street with little shops. Narrow walkways wind their way past 14th-century medieval houses and under arched passages. If you arrive early in the afternoon, there is a stunning hike called the Chambre du Roi. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 2: From Annot you will travel by van (included in the cost of the trip) to St. Andre les Alpes, from where you will begin your hike to Castellane. This isolated trail follows the ridge high above the western side of the Lac de Castillon. Part of this hike will be on jeep roads, through forests, old farmsteads and on high overlooks. This is a varied day of hiking. You will meet your van at the small hamlet of La Baume at about 3:00 in the afternoon. Transfer to Castellane.

Set alongside at the northern end of the Verdon River, the village of Castellane is known as the gateway to the Verdon Gorge region. This picturesque village is strikingly nestled beneath a high rock promontory crowned by the chapel Notre Dame du Roc, Our Lady of the Rock. The leafy town square, where locals gather to play boules, is bordered by appealing shops, hotels and cafes. Narrow lanes wind through the cozy village interior leading to fountains, tiny shops, boulangeries, and boucheries. Castellane has been inhabited since before Roman times and evidence of these early settlers is still visible. Breakfast included. Dinner on your own.

Day 3: Departing Castellane, you hike through what some guide books refer to as “the most dramatic and natural scenery in all of France.” The scenery is certainly impressive. The limestone and rock outcroppings rise up to canyonesque pinnacles as your route traverses high above the Verdon River. This is a rocky, arid landscape scented with broom, rosemary, and hints of lavender.

The trail takes you through the tiny artisan’s hamlet of Chasteuil, over a high plateau, and down to the little hamlet of Rougon, perched at the entrance to the Gorge du Verdon. Here will have your first real glimpse into the gorge. From Rougon, you continue down through a thin stand of oak to your auberge in Point Sublime. Bustling with visitors to the Gorge during the day, Point Sublime takes on an air of restful tranquility as evening approaches. This is a spot for lingering. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 4: Today’s hike leads through the Gorge du Verdon. Known also as the Grand Canyon of Verdon, at over 15 miles long and 2,300 feet deep in places, it is stunning.

From Point Sublime, you descend under dramatic red and yellow striped limestone cliffs to the riverbed. Following the river, a newly-constructed set of cement stairs leads you to a set of tunnels originally constructed before WWII. Once through the tunnels, the route undulates pleasantly as it follows the river. You pass in and out of thin stands of forest oak with ever-changing views of the river and canyon walls. Several hours into the hike, the trail takes on a stiff climb as you approach a long set of stair-like ladders with handrails and 240 steps. Descending again from the ladders, you can stop for a riverside picnic and a chance to cool your feet before the final climb out of the gorge.

Ending your hike at La Maline, you will then have a short transfer to your hotel in La Palud. This is a strenuous hike with varied terrain. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 5: The hike from La Palud to Moustiers St. Marie takes you through the Forest of Gorges du Verdon and the Forest of Montdenier. Climbing up out of La Palud, you will have the opportunity to look back over the terrain you have covered in the last couple of days and to see the snaking rims of the canyon.

For the first part of the day, your route winds its way through the forested Plaine de Barbin. Leaving the forest, the trail traverses along open hillsides with expansive views of the huge dammed lake of Lac de Sainte Croix and the plains of Valensole beyond. To the northeast are views of the Crete du Montdenir and beyond to the peaks of Le Chain, the Grand Mourre, and the Mourre de Chamier. The GR 4 then climbs up to the Col de l’Anes (donkey pass) and to the high point of the day Signal de l’Ourbes. The final descent (steep and rocky) leads off this high plateau to the village of Moustiers St. Marie. Breakfast only. Dinner is on your own. There are several restaurants in the village.

Known as the village of “Faience” (pottery), Moustiers was an important center of pottery during the 17th and 18th centuries until the demand for English china and porcelain increased so much that in France the “pottery fires eventually died out.” Thanks to the influence of Marcel Provence in the late 1900s, the fires have been rekindled, and today there are numerous pottery workshops in Moustiers.

Day 6: Free Day in Moustiers. This is an attractive village wedged dramatically in the cleft of a small ravine. High above the village, spanning the ravine is a chain, and dangling from it is a star. The romantic symbol of Moustiers, legend has it that during the Crusades a knight hung the star here in gratitude after his release from prison. There is time to wander through Moustiers’ narrow streets, visit shops, stop for lunch at a café, and walk up to the high chapel of Notre Dame de Beauvoir.

Day 7: A shorter hiking day will take you from Moustiers to Riez and you'll then transfer to Saignon. This will allow time for browsing around both these interesting villages. On today’s hike the landscape changes dramatically as you descend from the mountains and begin to hike across open plains. With the mountains serving as a backdrop, the trail leads past oak forests (where farmers encourage the growth of truffles) and through lavender and poppy fields.

The Roman village of Riez is said to be the oldest town in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and is somewhat bypassed by tourism. You will rendezvous with your taxi in the middle of the afternoon and transfer to the quiet village perché of Saignon and your small hotel. Once a fortified village, Saignon sits on the west face of the Luberon Mountain at an elevation of 1,560′. Saignon is a wonderful village in which to browse, relax, and enjoy the view. Travel time is about 1 ½ – 2 hours. The transfer is included in the cost of the trip. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 8: From Saignon you will first transfer to the trailhead (about 30 minutes) and then hike into the heart of the Luberon. Though not a high Alp, the hiking is rewarding and a bit demanding as you gain steady elevation from Cereste, cross the Grand Luberon ridgeline, and finally reach the top of Mourre Negre at 3,712′. All along the ridgeline there are wide, open, 360-degree views. Descend to Saignon. Breakfast and dinner included.

Day 9: After breakfast there is a short transfer to Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt. This quiet and unassuming village is filled with history that dates to Roman times. Its old church and fortress and quaint narrow streets are an enjoyable place to stroll. Time, and crowds, have left this town relatively untouched.

Today’s walk to Roussillon leads through vineyards, olive groves, almond trees, forests, across open fields and down grassy lanes. The view, across the Luberon valley and all the way to rounded humps of the Grand Luberon, is lovely. The spectacular ochre cliffs greet you as you near Roussillon. It is a stunning hike.

Roussillon is a perfectly picturesque village, with buildings and houses painted in nearly all the different hues of the ochre that was once mined in the area; pale yellows, oranges to deep reds and everything in between. The inhabitants of the area began mining ochre in prehistoric times and, by the 19th century, export of ochre dust was considerable. The invention of synthetic dyes put the ochre mines out of business. The effects of mining have made for some very interesting rock formations. You will have time to explore this very quaint and picturesque village. Overnight in Roussillon.

Day 10: Private taxi transfer to Marseille Airport. If you plan to travel to other destinations in France, there are shuttles from the airport to the TGV Rail Station, from where you can travel to Paris.