LUBERON WALKS

Les Borrys (Merindol): Rocher des onze heures, Roque des Bancs et les Portalas.

 

From the parking at the top of the village of Les Borrys (147m) you follow the main route going north. You turn left at the 185m point and follow the GR97 up to the nearest citern (234m), where you turn right. After only about 350m you turn left along a track road leading up the Vallon du Pinson (this is the start of the ridge).

 

You walk up and down along this ridge heading north (in practice you need to use the GPX-file for passing safely around Rochers des Onzes Heures). After having passed Tete de la Grande Usclade on your left, you turn left and you then walk over till you meet a larger path coming up from below. At this T-junction you turn right and start the steep climb up to the bottom of the cliffs of Rochers des Onzes Heures.

 

Here you take the path that goes right along the bottom of the cliffs (eastwards), but finally goes up on the ridge at a low point. Now follow the ridge westwards until you see the path is changing directions slightly to the right  and will take you right passed a big cairn on a local peak on your left. You have now walked for about 2.5h and you have some nice places around where you can eat lunch.

 

The path will soon reach the main forest road along Petite Luberon, and you follow the road for about 1,3km, where you take right and follow the GPX-trace closely till you reach the small descent to Roque des Bancs (ca. 35min from lunch). You follow the path along the cliffs here with magnificants views of the Luberon and the Durance Valley. You pass a large Grotte that could be worth exploring.

 

Follow the path right till the end where the path turns right and away from the cliffs. Soon, however, the path turns left and you end up walking in a north easterly direction and you will soon meet the large road again at a Citern about an hour after you left it. Follow the road for only about 600 meters where you see a yellow signpost. Turn right here for les Portalas. Another 15 minutes and you are at another view-point. From here you can follow the top of the cliffs (fairly near the edge) eastwards and join the main path a little further down, just after les Portalas. Follow the main path down to the Citern at the 570 meter point.

 

You have now about 5km left back to the car, but only follow the main path GR97 all the way till it crosses the forest road going north at the 185 meter point. It was here you turned left this morning, so only turn left now and walk down the road the about 900 meters back to the car.

 

 

Basic information:

 

Duration:       7,5h (including 1h for lunch)
Distance:       18 km.
Ascent:          600 m (accumulated)
Difficulty:       Medium +  (a steep climb around Rocher des Onze Heures)
Start/finish:    Les Borrys (Merindol)
Map:               IGN 3142 OT  (Cavaillon)
GPX:              Download from VisoRando link (see below)

 

 

VisoRando Lien/Link to VisoRando.

Pour le fichier GPX, mettre à jour via ce lien VisoRando où vous pourrez également voir l'itinéraire sur une bonne carte:

 https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-/2992459

 

For the GPX-file go to this VisoRando link where you also will see the route on a good map.

 

 

 

 

TET

 

01.01.2021  Bjorn. Lunch after 2,5h on the plateau just after 11 Heures (very stony!), but nice views. A good 35 minutes to the Bergerie at the beginning of Roque des Banc. We were 5 well trained, so we walked fast (9.30 – 17.00) at 3,6 km/h measured by Strava (Didier Sibane). Bruk utrykket “sentier technique” om oppstigningen til Rocher des Onze Heures.