How To Hike Mont Sainte Victoire From Aix en Provence

Mont Sainte Victoire is in the South of France just outside the city of Aix-en-Provence. If you’re planning a trip to Aix, you have to include a hike around Mont Sainte Victoire. Sainte Victoire is a popular spot from Aix en Provence because it’s such an easy escape to nature and was inspiration for many paintings by Paul Cézanne.

The mountain range has trails suited for hikers of all levels. If you’re up for it, you can hike all the way to the peak, if not, there are so many easier trails in the surrounding area. 

Wherever you end up, just make sure to pack everything you need for the perfect French picnic lunch (and by that, I mean don’t forget the wine!). 

So, let’s dive in!

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Why Is Mont Sainte Victoire Important?

Montagne Sainte Victoire in France is important for two reasons. For one, it has several sites of religious heritage around the mountain. But, more importantly, it was the inspiration for many paintings by famous impressionist painter Paul Cézanne.

The Cézanne Mont Sainte Victoire Connection

This beautiful landscape isn’t merely known for being an escape from the city. It was the love interest of 19th-century impressionist painter, Paul Cézanne.  (Don’t know who Paul Cézanne is? Read about him and Aix here.)

To keep it short, he loved painting the mountain, and spent most of his life painting it and the surrounding countryside. 

Religious Sites At Mont Sainte Victoire

There are three religious points of interest on your hike up Mont Sainte Victoire. The first stop will be at the Sainte-Victoire Priory from the 17th Century. Next, you’ll reach the Saint-Ser Hermitage. This is a small chapel built into a cave to remember a 5th century hermit who saught refuge here.

And finally, once you reach the western tip, there’s the Cross of Provence.

What To See Around Mont Sainte Victoire

The mountain range of Sainte-Victoire is huge, and the peak reaches an altitude of 1011 m. But there are a few points of interest that you can check out, and not all are at the peak. 

On the north side of the mountain you’ll want to stop and see the two dams: Barrage de Bimont and Barrage de Zola (Barrage means dam in French). It’s a very simple hike to get there, since they’re at the base of the mountain.

On the south side, the notable point of interest is the Bibemus Quarry. You can tour it with a guided tour. Further along the mountain range, there’s also a winery you can visit, Vigneron Sainte-Victoire.

Hike In Aix en Provence – Mont Sainte Victoire

We enjoyed the surroundings of Mont Sainte Victoire from Aix en Provence as we weren’t big hikers when we visited. But you can also hike to the peak of Mont Sainte Victoire for spectacular views of Provence!

From the highest point, Pic des Mouches, if it’s a clear day you can see the sea, Mont Ventoux, and the Alps!

If you’re interested in hiking to the peak of Mont Sainte Victoire, read this guide from No Man Before. They followed the blue trail, which should take about 2-hours each way.

My Mont Sainte Victoire Hiking Essentials

Enjoy A French Picnic Lunch At Mont Sainte Victoire!

This is hands down the best thing to do at Mont Sainte Victoire (it was for us anyway!). There are many picnic tables around the area to enjoy a nice picnic lunch with a view once you get there.

I imagine they might be full in high season, so to avoid spending too much time looking for a free one or sitting on the ground, bring a picnic blanket. Also, it’s way more romantic finding your own secluded area! A towel works too if you don’t have a picnic blanket on hand.

To make it the perfect French picnic though, you’ll of course need to pick up a fresh baguette in the morning. Bring some cheese (we bought pre-cubed so we didn’t have to deal with cutting it up) and grapes. But, most importantly, don’t forget your favourite bottle of rosé wine! 

Also, make sure to bring your wine opener and some glasses, we aren’t savages here… are we?

My Essentials For The Perfect Picnic In France

How To Get To Sainte Victoire?

The easiest way to get to Mont Sainte-Victoire is by car. There are parking lots around the mountain close to all the major sites. For example, I know there’s one near the Barrage de Bimont, and next to the Bibemus Quarry.

If you don’t have access to a car, you can also take the city bus. Depending on whether you want to go to the North or the Southside, you can either take the L140 or L110, respectively.

Both buses will bring you to a trail that leads to the top. According to the tourist centre, the route from the L110 is more difficult, although I haven’t hiked either of them. The L110 goes along the D17 highway, so you can most likely get to the Bibemus Quarry from here as well.

Taking the L140 To Sainte Victoire

The L140 takes you along the D10 highway. You would take this bus to get to the Barrage de Bimont. From this stop, you can also get to Lake Zola (and Zola’s Dam) and hike to the top.

If you take the L140, you’ll want to get off at the J04 bus stop, Barrage de Bimont. Before getting on the bus, I always asked the bus driver if it stops there. That way, I know I’m getting on the right bus, and the driver knows that I want to get off at J04 (the stops aren’t always easy to follow).

Once you get off the bus, you’ll have about a 10 minute walk uphill to the dam. There’s a trail in the forest you can follow, but we stayed on the road to make sure we didn’t get lost.

When you make it to the enormous dam, this is the Barrage de Bimont. Walk across the dam to admire the stunning views on either side. You have the teal lake with Mont Sainte-Victoire on one side, and a giant gorge on the other.

After walking across the dam, this is where you’ll have several trail options. We decided to continue on an easy hike down to the second dam, the Barrage de Zola, it’s about a 45 minute walk there. 

You can also choose to hike to the top from here. Read this guide if you’re interested in getting to the top from here. They followed the blue trail, which should take about 2-hours each way.

Watch Out When Taking The Bus To Montagne Sainte Victoire!

The route and stops are not that well defined, and Google Maps won’t have the schedule. You can get a better idea of the schedule from this site, but I would confirm the proper route and schedule from the tourist office before heading out.

The L140 only comes once an hour… so you don’t want to miss it. Get to your stop with more than enough time to spare, the bus does come early! We made it to the stop right on time, but we found out that the bus had come two minutes ahead of schedule…

I’d recommend getting there at least 10 minutes beforehand. Trust me, waiting for 10 minutes is a lot better than waiting 60!

You’ll also want to buy your ticket in advance. You can buy it either at the tourist office or the automatic boxes in Place de la Rotonde. Otherwise, you’ll need exact change to buy it on the bus.

Remember, buy for both ways!

Pro Tip: Download Google Maps Offline Before Going

So Google Maps won’t be much help to find your way by bus to the mountain, but it does have all the hiking trails mapped out. This was a lifesaver for us! We were really bad at following the signs. 

But your connection won’t be too strong in the mountains so you’ll want to make sure to download the map offline before you go!

Need A Place To Stay In Aix En Provence?

Aix en Provence is a very small city in the South of France so there’s no bad location to stay during your visit. We stayed at an Airbnb in Aix because we were visiting for a month. Here are some hotel suggestions I found to stay at while in Aix en Provence.

I would recommend staying in an apartment get a more local taste of this small South of France town and a balcony is a must-have! I love Loft “Le Petit Séquoia for both of those features. You can sleep 5 people in this apartment on the edge of town and it has an unbeatable balcony for everyone to enjoy. See room rates and availability.

For a truly luxury getaway with a pool and spa to relax in the South of France, book a room at the Les Lodges Sainte-Victoire Hotel & Spa. Although it is further outside the city centre, they offer a truly relaxing South of France getaway. I mean, they have not one, not two, but THREE swimming pools! See room rates and availability.

If you want a luxury stay in the city, book Luxury Design Hotel Particulier le 28 where every room is different! They also have an indoor pool and give you one of a kind stay in Aix en Provence. See room rates and availability.

For a budget-friendly option in the city centre (on Cours Mirabeau) stay at Séjours & Affaires Aix-en-Provence Mirabeau. They offer a full kitchen and apartment amenities to live like a local in Aix! See room rates and availability.

For more hotel accommodations in Aix en Provence, Click here.

More Guides To Aix-en-Provence

• Souvenirs To Bring Back From Provence
• 27 Day Trips From Aix-en-Provence
• Discover Aix-en-Provence: The South of France Hidden Gem
• Guide To Cafés in Aix
• Discover Paul Cézannes in Aix-en-Provence
• What To Do In Aix-en-Provence On Sunday

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Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API