Vauvenargues Sports & Outdoors Tips by skydivefred

The only path in the summer

As I warned in my tips, the whole area is locked up in the summer because of potential, dangerous, forest fires. The police, and fire fighters are present and you can get a fine if you are found strolling there in the summer.
Nevertheless, tourists are allowed to walk to the top of montagne ste Victoire by only one path: Le chemin des Venturiers.

Directions: Drive about 8 km from Aix to Vauvenargues until you see the sign on this photo and another sign: "Le prieuré" indicating the chapelle that is built at the mountain top.

Theme: Hiking

Hiking the whole crest (long but not hard)

This walk follows the GR9 path and allows to walk the whole length of the mountain.
4 hour walk up to Puyloubier

Address: Barrage de Bimont

Theme: Hiking

All the way to the top (medium/easy)

Another hike that can be done from the "Bimont" dam is the one that goes to the top of the Ste Victoire mountain ( about 1000 m high ). It will take you about 1hour and 15 minutes to get to the top and enjoy a view that goes all the way to the mediterranean sea. To walk back will take you about 45 minutes.

Address: From "le barrage de Bimont"

Directions: Walk across the dam first and just after the concrete wall turn left and follow the blue paint trace all the way (The path is called: Chemin Imoucha)

Theme: Hiking

Hiking among the pinetrees (easy)

From the Bimont dam, on the road to Vauvenargues, you can start hiking alongside the Ste Victoire Mountain but also reach an older Dam, called the "Zola dam", after the name of the French writer's father who was the engineer who invented that semi circular dam shape. The walk is easy and charming. And , which is more, the hike is a loop (about 15 km) going from one dam to the other.
For those who enjoy Mountain biking, the same loop can be done, with some quite tricky technical spots and real nice fast, rocky downhill tracks.

Theme: Hiking