Maubec – Luberon – Robion – Maubec
A short but very rewarding hike that takes you across the north-western foothills of the Little Luberon. What makes it special is the breathtaking panoramic view that awaits you at the top. You can easily do this hike if you only have a morning or afternoon to spare.
Walking time: 2.5 hours
Elevation gain: 365 m
Distance: 7 km
Requirements: Medium fitness and sure-footedness, good footwear required, walking poles are helpful.
Starting point: Camping Les Royères du Prieuré, 52 Chemin de la Combe Saint-Pierre, 84660 Maubec
Route description
To get to the hiking trail, you have to walk right through the campsite. At the back fence there is a passage to a path and a crossroads. Turn right and the steep ascent over the Draille de Maubec begins immediately. After about 30 minutes of climbing, you will reach an almost flat section. Here you can pause and enjoy the sweeping view of Maubec and the Provençal landscape all the way to Mont Ventoux.
On a clear day, you can see as far as the Alps on the horizon. You continue uphill through a dense forest of boxwood, holm oaks and rock pears. After about 20 minutes, you reach the ridge of the Luberon, 365 metres in altitude behind you. Unfortunately, you cannot see the valley from here, so it is a good idea to continue straight away. Because your efforts will be rewarded!
Take one of the paths to the right, heading north-west. It doesn’t matter which path you take, they always come together again. Now comes the most beautiful and cosy part of the hike. You walk along the ridgeway to the front tip of the small Luberon. The vastness of the landscape opens up to your right and left. It is almost a 360° panoramic view. To the left, towards the south-west, Les Alpilles frame the landscape, with Cavaillon in front of you, whose Colline St.-Jacques seems to lie like a loaf of bread in the otherwise flat landscape.
Below, to the north, the view lingers on Robion, a winding, original village from the Middle Ages. If you lift your gaze, it inevitably lingers on the brightly lit Maubec quarry, where a concrete factory extracts sand. Further to the right are Maubec, Coustellet, Gordes and Mont Ventoux again in the distance.
A little below, you will pass a summit cross. From here, the path disappears again between trees and bushes. On hot days, it’s a blessing to get out of the sun again. Now it becomes difficult, as the path is filled with gravel on which it is easy to slip. The thin tree trunks on the right and left provide support if necessary. It’s best if you have hiking poles with you. When you reach the bottom, you will be standing right in front of the Robion open-air theatre, where a festival of Mediterranean music, song and dance takes place every July.
You walk past a barrier and a few steps further on you take a footpath on the right, the Chemin de la Coudouyère. Passing the back of residential buildings, you come to a newly laid out garden. Leave this on your right and continue down the tarmac road until you reach a toilet block, where you turn right into Chemin de Maubec, which will take you back to the campsite.