Vaucluse and Haute Provence From the powerful spring at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse to the spectacular limestone gorges of Toulourenc and the mountain torrents of the Barles valley, sun-baked Provence may be popular but it also has its secret places 61104 Gorges Vauclusede la Méouge and Haute Provence 105 NyonsNyons b 60 ba 60 a 59 20km59 north20km north 61 b 61 b d-1075 d-1075 20km north20km north a-51 a-51 d-546 d-546 a a a-7 a-7 d-94 d-94 d-900a d-900a 62 62 d-942 d-942 b b Vaison-la-RomaineVaison-la-Romaine a 61 a 61 SéderonSéderon SisteronSisteron d-40 d-40 58 58 d-359 d-359 d-900 d-900 EntrechauxEntrechauxb 57 b a 57 a 63 63 d-946 d-946 Montburn-les-BainsMontburn-les-Bains d-22 d-22Draix Draix d-977 d-977 d-942 d-942 20km 20km 65 65 Digne-les-BainsDigne-les-Bains d-938 d-938 65 65 c c Sault Sault a a ORANGEORANGE n-85 n-85 d-942 d-942 n-85 n-85 MormoironMormoiron a-9 a-9 CARPENTRASCARPENTRAS a-51 a-51 d-942 d-942 ForcalquierForcalquier d-31 d-31 d-30 d-30 l’Isle-sur-la-Sourgel’Isle-sur-la-Sourge AVIGNONAVIGNON 64 a 64 a Vaucluse and Haute Provence d-900 d-900 d-900 d-900 Apt Apt 57 lower toulourenc 62 clues de barles A beautiful little river with intermittent pools running Riez In Riezthis lively mountain stream there are natural jacuzzi a-7 a-7CavaillonCavaillon through a wild gorge, perfect for aqua randonnée and pools and rapids, with larger waterfalls upstream. b 65 b 65 children. Several ‘dinosaur’ discoveries were made here. 58 upper toulourenc 63 bouinenc and vabre CadenetCadenet d-973 d-973 d-956 d-956 An unexpected and amazing blue pool beneath a dried- An intriguing double-pool with a waterfall and strange Pertuis Pertuis up waterfall, in an otherwise arid stream bed. striated rock formations in the pools below. 61 gorges de la méouge d-556 d-556 This waterfall and river pools by a Roman bridge in 66 60km66 west60km west Salon-de-ProvenceSalon-de-Provence d-7 d-7 Haute Provence are wonderful but popular. Head upstream for many more pools, mainly shallow. a-54 a-54 50km 50km south south 66 66 AIX-EN-PROVENCEAIX-EN-PROVENCE 58 Upper Toulourenc above waterfall 58 Haut Vaucluse 57 lower toulourenc 58 upper toulourenc 60 gorges d’ubrieux lat long: 44.2150, 5.2140 lat long: 44.2172, 5.4249 lat long: 44.2931, 5.2803 walk in: 20 mins, moderate walk in: 3 mins, moderate walk in: 2 mins, easy Below the north slopes of Mont Ventoux A deep plunge pool below a dried-up Roadside pools and picnic tables the Toulourenc stream runs through waterfall in an otherwise parched beneath white cliffs with climbers narrow white gorges with caves, pools landscape. scaling dizzy heights. From Aulan (upper and gravel beds. Toulourenc) turn L (D546) and continue , Continue 15km E and turn L from 20km following the river Ouvèze to find , Turn off the D5 onto the D40 just D72/D542 at Montbrun-les-Bains. 1km This historic heartland – an area of fortified villages and before Mollans-sur-Ouvèze. After 1km before Aulan, and 200m before the road several pools near bridge 1km before fruit orchards irrigated by the Rhône and Durance rivers – is turn R on D40A (dir Veaux) and park at bridge, find steps and large pool below. Buis-les-Baronnies. also an arid region. Many of the smaller rivers and gorges bridge (3km). There are pools beneath Scramble down dry waterfall ledge to a Col de l’Homme Mort is 2.6km back but carry on walking/wading upstream reach it. upstream at the road tunnel (D546, have dried up by summer, but there are many lakes, rivers to explore gorges and pools for up to 44.2985, 5.3081). Giant boulders poke and pools for refreshing dips off the beaten track. 6km. out of the river bed and down below, a Pont Romain is about 6km E / 59 cornillon-sur-l’oule the shallow blue river meanders away One of the few rivers to keep a constant flow in the region upstream (10km via D40), signed on R, lat long: 44.4647, 5.3687 from the road for a while. ! Le Canard is the Toulourenc, east of Vaison-la-Romaine, which has with a pool beneath (44.2131, 5.2557). Or walk in: 1 min, easy offers simple pitches by the river, 2km upstream. carved wonderful, white sinuous channels through the lower reach it by hiking from Veaux. Two managed lakes overlooked by the b Pont St-Michel is a popular swimming 57 Below the bridge limestone slopes of Mont Ventoux 57. From Pont Vieux 57b b Pont Vieux is downstream, off the ruins of the château with views of the D5 just W of the D40 turning (44.2217, mountains and the pretty artisan village location 12 km downstream (44.2288, there is a particularly wild and beautiful river walk, perfect for 5.1740). Head upstream 500m and the of La Motte-Chalancon nearby. 5.1363). It is shallow in late summer so a light aqua randonnée spent wading in the stream, walking gorges begin beyond the Chapelle des bathers build dams and create pools. , 30km N of the Toulourenc. 7km N of Anges. 4km upstream from Vaison-la-Romaine along the bank and swimming through the deep sections the river Eygues on D61, via Rémuzat. 2€ on D205 going E, 1km from Entrechaux. where they occur. Many families bring their children to the entrance and music festival on the first Upstream ! Les Trois Rivières has good Wednesday in August. pools here and the stream is so popular with bathers that you riverside placements (E 04 90 46 01 72). will find hundreds of small stone dams across it by the end 108 Vaucluse and Haute Provence 109 60 gorges d’umbrieux 63 vabre double pool 57 lower toulourenc 123 name of place Picture caption caption here here 62a clue de verdaches 110 Vaucluse and Haute Provence 62 Pool on the Barles 62b Pool on the Bès 63 Upper Bouinenc of the summer. Some will also have been dismantled by those Haute Provence & Digne who care about the river’s fish population: if the water slows it 61 gorges de la méouge 62 clues de barles 63 bouinenc and vabre also heats up, which reduces oxygen and kills fish. lat long: 44.2775, 5.7930 lat long: 44.2136, 6.2754 lat long: 44.2136, 6.2754 walk in: 5 mins, easy walk in: 3 mins, moderate walk in: 3 mins, moderate Just to the north, Pont St-Michel on the Ouvèze 60b offers Very popular waterfall and pool for River pools amongst wild mountain The grey stratifications of the Bouinenc an aquatic refuge to the overheated swimmer and the upper jumping by Roman bridge. Set in scenery with ammonites and gorge offer dramatic scenery in a Toulourenc yields an unexpectedly huge pool under a dried-up spectacular limestone gorges. ichthyosaur imprints. remote setting. There are small pools and falls and the nimble can climb to a waterfall 58. There is also good swimming along the dramatic , 15km N from Sisteron (D948) turn L , 15km from Digne-les-Bains on D900A. beautiful pool up in the Vabre ravine. Gorges de la Meouge, which is 30 kilometres to the east and on D42 dir Séderon. After 1.5km a track 600m before the first road tunnels take leads down to the bridge. The waterfall path down to the river, near sign boards , 10km NE of Digne-les-Bains at a short drive north of the historic town of Sisteron. One of is above. The brave can jump from the where a small bridge crosses a tributary. Marcoux (D900) turn R onto D22 dir the gorge’s most popular spots 61 has a waterfall and an old top into a deep section in the middle, Draix. After 4km at the first hairpin bend 62b On the edge of the Bès a Clue de Verdaches is a further 7km, Roman bridge, with high jumps and large stretches of river to but take care. There are more pools beyond Barles and 200m before the to R, park and find path to the L down upstream with parking spaces and paths through woods to the river bed. 100m explore upstream. junction to Auzet (D7). Descend to a leading down. large waterfall beneath the road bridge upstream the Vabre ravine joins from the R. Scale the ledge to the R to find a In the Haut Provence region to the east, visit the Clues des a Rocher Coupé is 3km further with pools below (44.2715, 6.2998). Turn upstream, where the road cuts through L at the junction towards Auzet and find small double pool below a fall (44.1362, Barles 62 and discover a paradise of wild-water jacuzzi pools the rock. Climb down a very steep path even larger Saut de la Pie after 200m 6.3286). Alternatively continue up the and waterfalls, or make for Bouinenc 63 near Draix, a remote (on the upstream side of the Méouge) to (44.2733, 6.3003). ! Le Pont du Martinet river bed another 400m to explore small pools and, eventually, a waterfall with ravine with layered strata of flat rocks that contain the remains the shallow pools (44.2701, 5.7749).