The Claparèdes plateau
Buoux

The Claparèdes plateau

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Colorful treasure in bloom and bead stripped out of season
"This short combination of paths between fields of lavandins, oak woods, dry lawns and juniper heaths, offers a beautiful multicoloured overview of the plateau Claparèdes. In the purple of early summer, the tones of autumn burn ... It is also an opportunity to appreciate the use of fieldstone for millennia and the construction of a large number of dry stone walls and bories. "Sophie Bourlon, responsible of studies Natura 2000 to the Luberon RNP.

4 points of interest

  • Entrée de Buoux
    Entrée de Buoux - ©Eric Garnier - PNR Luberon
    Patrimony and history

    The charm of Buoux

    It was in the 17th century that the old village, the small Provençal church and surrounding country houses were built. The small church has a Provençal tabular altar dating back to the pre-Roman era, the present building was probably built after 1704 in the place of a small chapel. In the town hall, an oven dating from the establishment of the village can be seen, it is often repaired and maintained by the commune.

  • Pic épeiche
    Pic épeiche - ©Laurent Michel - PNR Luberon
    Fauna

    Tree sheds

    With their straight bills, woodpeckers drill through tree barks for nesting purposes or for extracting wood-eating insects (woodborers). In the Luberon, the Great Spotted Woodpecker (black, white with red dots) mixes with the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (smaller with less red), the European green woodpecker and the Black Woodpecker (rarer, resembles a crow with a red cap). True social housings for insects and bats, these older trees host a multitude of inhabitants in woodpecker holes, the cracks of branches, under the ivy...

  • Fort de Buoux
    Fort de Buoux - ©Stéphane Legal - PNR Luberon
    Patrimony and history

    The fort of Buoux

    Across, on its rocky spur, the Fort of Buoux has been, for a very long time, the cornerstone of the defence system of all communication through the Luberon. Occupied since prehistoric times, it was fortified in the Middle Ages. Never stormed, it sheltered a garrison and civilians until it was dismantled on order of Louis XIV in 1660, to prevent it from falling completely into the hands of Protestants during the religious wars.

  • Le fameux "diamant noir"
    Le fameux "diamant noir" - ©PNR Luberon
    Produits du terroir

    Truffle in the Luberon

    Truffle, "Rabasso" in Provençal, is a fungus that lives on the roots of holm oaks, white oaks but also Aleppo pines... It was a farmer from Saint Saturnin-les-Apt, not far from there, who started the cultivation of truffles by transplanting oak trees known to host truffles in their root system. In winter, truffle hunters and their dog go out in search of the famous "black diamond".». The Vaucluse department is all the same the first French producer and Provence produces more than three-quarters of the national production.

Description

Exit the car park to the east and take the Marrenon covered road to the south.

80 m further ('' Barbe Blanche '' post), turn left onto the undergrowth path (follow the GRP® markings towards '' Sivergues ''). After a stony area, you get to an intersection.

1- Leave the GRP® down in front and turn twice to the left. Follow a dirt road to the north-east (not marked). Pass a bend and, at the first crossroads, turn left onto a path along the fields. A little further, continue to the right. You arrive on a track and take it to the left. Go 45 m further on the D232 and join the stop just to the right.

2- Leave on the path in the undergrowth to the right of the stop. Proceed to a crossroads and continue on the left. Walk along the lavender field and rush a few meters into the undergrowth Go left then continue right to reach the D114 Follow it for 350 m, then turn left on the Sivergues path (sign). Take this dirt road until you cross a road. Turn right and take this little road.

3- At the first crossing, turn right (GRP®) then 350 m further, in a bend (garbage container), continue in front on a dirt road and reach a crossroads of trails (post '' Le Colombier '', cross iron ).

4- Follow the path straight ahead (PR), pass between two fields of lavender and continue straight ahead. You arrived on a small parking ("Les Fondons” post). Go left, take the D48 for 30 m and continue on the dirt road opposite (not marked). At the first crossroads, go down opposite and come back on the D48. Take it straight ahead for 500 m.

5- At the end of the straight line, turn on the left road and 120 m further, turn right on a path undergrowth (GR® and GRP®). Follow this path to torment, pass a very stony section and come back on the road. Take it 20m to the right and sneak onto the path on the left Go under the hedge of trees and brambles, to return to point 4 (post "Le Colombier", iron cross).

4- Turn right and follow the path to go one way (GRP®), then follow the road also to the first point 3 (road crossing).

3- turn right and advance another 100 m. Turn left and follow the dirt road (GRP®). Pass along a field of lavender and continue straight into the undergrowth. Drive on the D232, cross it (caution!) And continue the path opposite. Always go straight, pass near a big borie and reach the D114 (GRP®).

6- At the "Vouliou" pole, turn right and take the D114 for 300 m (GRP®). At the "Plaine Lambertes" post, turn left and rush on the narrow and stony path undergrowth (GRP®). Reach a track and turn left to return to the starting car park.

  • Departure : Barbe Blanche car park, Buoux
  • Arrival : Buoux
  • Towns crossed : Buoux

Forecast

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Be careful of hives and herd dogs that may be encountered on the way; make a detour, perhaps a U-turn if necessary.
Caution when crossing roads.

Access and parking

7 km south of Apt by the D113 and D232.

Parking :

Parking de l'Aire de Barbe Blanche, en bord de D232 entre Buoux et Saignon.

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