Between Cavaillon and Manosque, the Luberon range runs west to east across two départements, Vaucluse and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, in Provence. Petit Luberon, Grand Luberon, the eastern Luberon and the ochre country around Roussillon and Rustrel: you can ride around the whole massif by mountain bike over several days, on dry and often stony tracks. There is no longer a single waymarked route called the "Tour du Luberon", but the official routes of the Luberon Regional Nature Park (Parc naturel régional du Luberon) let you put the loop together yourself.

The terrain

The range tops out at the Mourre Nègre (1,125 m), but most routes stay between 200 and 900 m. You ride technical singletrack, forest fire-access tracks (known as DFCI tracks), farm tracks and quiet lanes. Climbs come thick and fast, the ground is rocky and the relief often broken, so even at low altitude the height gain adds up quickly.

Multi-day routes

  • The Grande Traversée de Vaucluse (GTV), a long-distance route approved by the French Cycling Federation (FFC) and waymarked in red, devotes several stages to the Luberon. From Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, one stage heads to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, then on to Mérindol. Another branch, further east, crosses the ochre country and skirts the Colorado provençal towards Rustrel and Viens, climbs around the Mourre Nègre, drops down the Aiguebrun valley to Buoux and Bonnieux, then crosses the Petit Luberon through its cedar forest and Oppède-le-Vieux to Mérindol. These stages are 46 to 55 km long.
  • The GPX "Grands Tours": they are not waymarked on the ground, so you follow the GPS track. The Grand Tour du Pays d'Apt (93 km, best split over two days) links the ochres, the lavender fields and the summit of the Mourre Nègre. The Grand Tour du Petit Luberon (72 km, starting from Maubec) runs along the ridges, cliffs and cedar forest, with views over the Durance valley and the Alpilles. On the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence side, the Grand Tour des Collines de Manosque (about 54 km) explores the eastern Luberon.
  • Towards Manosque, the Grande Traversée VTT L'Alpes-Provence ends with a section that comes down from Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire.

For day rides, the Espace VTT-FFC Provence Luberon Lure offers some sixty waymarked loops for all levels.

Who is it for?

  • Fit mountain bikers: the GTV stages and the Grands Tours, which are long and demanding, with technical descents.
  • E-MTB riders: the GPX tracks of the Grands Tours are offered for both mountain bikes and e-MTBs.
  • Beginners and families: the short waymarked loops of the Espace VTT-FFC rather than the multi-day routes.

Practical information

  • Season: spring and autumn are the best times. Winter is often rideable too. In July and August the heat is intense: ride early in the morning.
  • Summer access to the hills: from 15 June to 15 September, access to the forested massifs of Vaucluse is regulated according to the fire risk, which is reassessed every day. Check the fire-risk map the evening before you set off.
  • Water: the hills are very dry. Carry at least 1 to 2 litres, depending on the length of the ride and the heat.
  • Livestock: in spring, guard dogs protect flocks on the ridges and plateaus, so stay alert when you approach them.
  • Getting there: by car, the A7 motorway. By train, services from Avignon (TGV and Centre stations) and Marseille Saint-Charles run to Cavaillon or Pertuis, close to the Luberon. From Marseille Provence Airport, the nearby Vitrolles-Aéroport station connects to Marseille and Avignon. Bikes can travel on some regional trains and coaches: check the conditions before you go.

For other rides and events, see the mountain biking in Vaucluse and mountain biking in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence pages.

Useful links