The Grand Tour of the Luberon

CAVAILLON

Arrival in Cavaillon on your own. If you arrive early, take the opportunity to explore the historic center of the city. Known to be the melon capital, Cavaillon also has a well preserved rich heritage with its Roman arch, its synagogue or its cathedral.

From CAVAILLON to CUCURON 50km 701m

From Cavaillon, you go east. This stage allows you to ride in the Durance valley with a view to the southern slope of the Luberon mountains. Here, nature is bountiful. Admire the cedars, pines and olive trees that line the road.
Along the way, you cross, among others, the localities of Mérindol and Puget. The arrival on Lourmarin is more demanding with a small hill to reach the village. Ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, Lourmarin deserves a stopover. Finally, via a small road through the vineyards and the garrigue, you reach the village of Cucuron where you spend the night.

From CUCURON to GRAMBOIS 22km 207m

Head east through the southern part of the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon.
Early in the day, you pass through Ansouis, a hilltop village classified as one of France’s most beautiful villages. With its medieval castle, it overlooks the surrounding vineyards. Before reaching Grambois, take a refreshing break at the Etang de la Bonde.
Finally, you reach Grambois. Clinging to a steep hillside, the village overlooks the Èze valley.

From GRAMBOIS to MANOSQUE 28km 453m

This hilly stage between Grambois and Manosque takes you from Vaucluse to the Alpes de Haute Provence. Over the kilometers, the Luberon continues to reveal its secrets. Halfway through, stroll through the maze of alleys of Beaumont le Pertuis. The houses nestle against each other, in a tangle of roofs.

• For a few more km 47km 710m

  Make the most of your day’s fitness by heading to the hilltop village of Vitroles en Luberon, nestling between the Luberon mountains and the Aigues valley.

From MANOSQUE to SAINT-MICHEL L’OBSERVATOIRE 47km 727m

Leaving Manosque, you ride along the Durance on a flat course, ideal for warming up. You reach Volx, where the old stone quarry houses an eco-museum dedicated to the olive tree. After Villeneuve, you leave the valley and tackle a steeper section in the direction of Forcalquier. The challenging climb is rewarded by superb views of the Luberon and the 1,826-metre-high Montagne de Lure. Forcalquier, an ancient county town, reveals its lively streets, panoramic citadel and Notre-Dame-du-Bourguet cathedral. You continue through rolling countryside to Dauphin, a perched village of Roman origin classified as a Petite Cité de Caractère, where ramparts and vaulted passageways still stand. The final climb to Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire takes you to the heart of one of Europe’s purest skies, ideal for stargazing and enjoying the unspoilt natural surroundings.

From SAINT-MICHEL L’OBSERVATOIRE to APT 45km 462m

From Saint-Michel-l’Observatoire, you drive along small, undulating roads towards Lincel, a typically Provençal hamlet surrounded by fields of lavender and truffle oaks. The descent to the Valvissorgues ravine offers a wild, steep passage before climbing back up to Reillane, a hilltop village with cobbled streets and colourful houses. Leaving Reillane, the landscape alternates between scrubland and olive groves as far as Céreste, a former stopover on the Via Domitia, where medieval remains can still be seen. You then join the Calavon greenway, a former railway line converted into a cycle path that winds gently through the Luberon. Along the way, there are panoramic views of the ochre cliffs and surrounding orchards. The route takes you as far as Apt, the capital of candied fruit, whose lively centre reveals narrow streets, shady squares and historic remains at the foot of the Vaucluse mountains.

• For a few more km 58km 808m

  Before reaching Apt, you’ll head to Rustrel to discover the Colorado of Provence. With its fairy chimneys, canyons and twenty or so shades of ochre, it’s the most spectacular ochre site in the region. One of our favourites!

From APT to CAVAILLON 45km 682m

Leaving Apt, you head for Bonnieux, a hilltop village in the Luberon dominated by its lofty church, from where the view stretches all the way to Mont Ventoux. A beautiful descent then takes you to Lacoste, where the cobbled streets wind around the château of the Marquis de Sade. Continuing on to Ménerbes, you pass through vineyards and orchards before reaching this listed village, with its elegant facades and peaceful streets. The route continues on to Oppède-le-Vieux, a partly abandoned medieval village perched on a rocky outcrop and surrounded by garrigue. After a winding descent, you reach Robion, on the edge of the Luberon massif, before following a more rolling section to Cavaillon. This Provençal town, famous for its melons, reveals its heritage, with a Romanesque cathedral, narrow shopping streets and Saint-Jacques hill offering a final panorama of the countryside you’ve travelled through.

• For a few more km 55km 720m

  Before reaching the villages of the Luberon, make a detour to the sublime village of Roussillon. It’s a climb but your efforts are rewarded by the beauty of the village and the view on the plateau.

CAVAILLON

End of your stay in the Luberon after breakfast. If you did not have the opportunity to do so on the first day, save some time to stroll around Cavaillon and learn more about its rich history.
Have a safe journey home!