Walks and hikes in the Luberon

The easiest walk is into Bonnieux itself, seven minutes from the villa. Keep climbing through the lanes and up the steps to the 12th-century upper church, where the terrace looks out over the whole valley to Mont Ventoux. It is at its best early in the morning or just before sunset.

For a proper half day, a circular walk links Bonnieux with Lacoste across the valley: about 10 km with some 350 m of climbing, roughly three hours, with the château ruins at Lacoste as the turning point. Take a map or download a GPS track before you set off.

Guests often ask about walking to the Pont Julien, the Roman bridge in the valley below. It can be done, but the climb back up to Bonnieux is long and hot, so we suggest cycling it on the Véloroute du Calavon instead. If you want to walk there, the waymarked Bosque to Pont Julien loop from Apt (11 km, about three hours, almost flat) follows vineyards, orchards and the old railway line to the bridge.

On the ridge above Bonnieux, at around 700 m, the cedar forest planted in 1861 is the walk we come back to most. It stays shaded and noticeably cooler than the valley, even in July. The car park is about 8 km from the village up the D36.

The botanical trail takes 30 to 90 minutes and suits all ages. For something longer, the waymarked Portalas loop (6.4 km, about two hours, easy) adds the Pré du Bois Roustan meadow and the rocky Portalas viewpoint and its wide views. Watch for roe deer and birds of prey, and for flocks of sheep with their guard dogs in early summer: give them a wide berth and don’t approach the dogs.

One more reason to love it: in summer the cedar forest is one of the few places the prefecture keeps open all day unless the fire risk is at its highest level.

The Sentier des Ocres at Roussillon is a short walk, 30 to 60 minutes, through old ochre quarries in reds, oranges and yellows. There is a small entry fee, it is open from the February holidays to the end of December, and dogs are welcome. After the first viewpoint there are about 350 steps, so it is not suitable for pushchairs. Go early or late in the day for softer light and fewer people, and don’t wear white: the ochre dust gets everywhere.

The Colorado Provençal at Rustrel is wilder and bigger, with two waymarked trails through the former quarries. Parking is paid, and from May to August morning visits must be booked in advance. It closes for maintenance from mid-November to early February. Wear proper walking shoes and take water. Both sites usually stay open in summer unless the fire risk is extreme.

A quarter of an hour from the villa, the Fort de Buoux is the ruin of a fortress on a long rocky spur, reached by a 10-minute walk from the car park. The visit takes about an hour, with a secret staircase cut into the rock, old grain silos and huge views. It is open all year, but closes in rain, strong wind and on high fire-risk days, especially from mid-June to mid-September, so check before you set off. There is an entry fee and children under ten go free. Wear shoes with a good grip.

Walkers can go further on the Vallon de l’Aiguebrun loop, 11.4 km with 377 m of climbing, about three and a half hours, taking in the fort, the tiny village of Sivergues and the green gorge below the climbing cliffs. There is a stream to ford and some cliff-edge sections, so it is best for older children and steady walkers.

At 1,125 m, the Mourre Nègre is the highest point of the Luberon, marked by a telecoms mast. On a clear day you can see Mont Ventoux, the Alps and even the Mediterranean. The shortest way up starts at Auribeau on the north side: about 9 km there and back, 600 m of climbing and around two and a half hours, through woods and open ridge-top meadows.

From Cabrières-d’Aigues on the south side, the loop via the GR92 is a proper day: about 16 km, 850 m of climbing and six hours on rocky ground. Both routes cross the Grand Luberon massif, which has its own entry on the summer fire map.

From 1 June to 30 September, access to the forests and hills of the Vaucluse is controlled every day because of the fire risk. The Préfecture de Vaucluse publishes a daily map at around 6pm for the following day, with a level for each massif, including the Petit Luberon and the Grand Luberon.

Green means access is allowed. Yellow means access is allowed but mornings are recommended. Red means no access all day, and extreme red means no access at all. A few sites, including the Forêt des Cèdres, the Colorado Provençal and the Sentier des Ocres, stay open all day except on extreme red days. Check the map the evening before, and plan hot-weather walks for the early morning.