Route: Luberon Traverse (France)

Submitted by math67b on Mon, 11/02/2020 - 08:28am
Location
France
Distance
88 km
Vertical Gain
3,400 m
Description

This route covers the entire Luberon mountain range in Provence. It starts from Villeuneuve (east) and ends at Taillades (west).

The Luberon is a massif in central Provence in Southern France. It has a maximum elevation of 1,256 metres (4,121 ft) and an area of about 600 square kilometres (230 sq mi). It is composed of three mountain ranges (from west to east): the Lesser Luberon (Petit Luberon), the Greater Luberon (Grand Luberon) and the Eastern Luberon (Luberon oriental). The valleys north and south of them contain a number of towns and villages as well as agricultural land; the northern part is marked by the Calavon, while the southern part is characterised by the Durance. The route of this FKT start in front of the town hall of Villeuneve, the most eastern village, and finished in front of the Taillades town hall, the most western village. This trail goes through the most central and wildest parts of this chain. Also passing through the highest point (Mourre-Nègre).

The start is in front of the town hall of the village of Villeneuve. It first climbs on "chemin du trécol", crosses the small hill above Villeneuve to join "Chemin de Fontolive". Pass in front of the "Mas de Fontolive". He then takes the path behind "Ecomusée l'olivier", by the path "ravin des plantiers". It then crosses the D5 road at the "Col de la Mort d'Imbert". It then rejoins the D907 road with a few passages on asphalt and passes through the "Col de Montfuron" at an altitude of 649m. It then rejoins the D956 road with a little more racing on asphalt. The path then passes at the foot of the "Piégros" and then crosses the D31 road. The trail then passes over the “coteau de la combre" which rises to 1038m. Then the "Mourre Nègre", the highest point in the Luberon, culminating at 1125m. The path then descends towards the D943 road, which it crosses, and then goes up again, starting the last section: the "Petit Luberon". The path passes above "L'Arche des Portalas" before joining the "Forêt des Cèdres". It takes the asphalt road at the top of the Petit Luberon, before descending to Les Taillades via the "Gorges de Badarel". The end is in front of the town hall of the village of Taillades.