3. ORGON - Le tour des Alpilles à vélo, jour 3
Lors de cette troisième journée, longez le versant nord des Alpilles, d'Orgon à Saint-Etienne du Grès. Sur votre chemin, rencontrez de nombreux domaines viticoles de renom, tout en admirant la prestance des Calans, falaises calcaires aux formes emblématiques. Profitez également de la tranquillité du village d'Eygalières et du dynamisme de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, où se situe la Maison du Parc naturel régional des Alpilles.
8 points of interest
Patrimony and historyUrgonia museum
Discover the heritage of the territory through the exhibition in geology, palaeontology, archaeology and ornithology presented in the former prison. This historic place still bears graffiti made by the prisoners. It reveals the unique and fascinating history of this land from 130 million years ago. As a highlight, discover the urgonian limestone and its numerous fossils which has been giving this eponymous site an international resonance since the mid 19th century.
- Patrimony and history
Jean Moulin Road, Freedom Road
This road was inaugurated in 1978, nine years after the memorial at Salon-de-Provence which also pays tribute to Jean Moulin. It leaves Saint-Andiol and ends in Salon-de-Provence. Very attached to the Alpilles, where he owned a small country house, Jean Moulin chose this familiar land to be parachuted and to begin his mission of unification of resistance network of the unoccupied France.
- Patrimony and history
Saint Sixtus Chapel
His name refers to Sixtus II, contemporary of St. Lawrence and pope of early Christian times. The chapel is located on an old place of worship: until the nineteenth century, it housed a pagan stele, which was then used as foot of holy water. The latter reflected a cult dedicated to the water. The first reference that is made regarding the chapel date of 1155. Significant changes were made in the sixteenth century. and seventeenth century, because it served as a lazaretto during the plagues of 1629 and 1720.
PanoramaView on the Calans
Here, the relief of the Alpilles is similar to limestone rocks forming a natural barrier. The latter limits access to the heart of the massif to small passages like the Pas du Suisse. On the left is the famous Calan de Rousset, isolated from the rest of the massif and 275 meters high.
- Patrimony and history
Pont dit Romain
The bridge called Pont dit Romain does not date from Antiquity but from the Middle Ages. Its name still remains a mystery today. It was built on the chemin des Poissonniers, which was already used during Antiquity, to replace the crossing point that passes through the gaudre of Romanin (a gaudre is a temporary water body). This ancient route started from the chapel Notre-Dame de Piargues (or Notre-Dame-de-Romanin) and joined Mouriès crossing the Vallongue.
Produits du terroirVineyard of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
The AOC area of Les Baux-de-Provence is one of the hottest AOC areas, watered and early Provence wine. The soils of the AOC appellation of Baux-de-Provence are of stony clay and limestone, sandy gravel, clay and stony type. The grape varieties of AOC Baux de Provence are Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah, and also Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Counoise.
Water and riversNorthern Alpines Canal
From Orgon, the network of the northern Alpines Canal stretches for 119 km and ends in the Roubines of Anguillon and Vigueirat. Begun in 1826, its construction was slowed by conflicts of interest and ended in 1875. At the time, it was intended to complete the Canal des Alpines meridionales finished in 1772, to supply water to 18 towns and 40 additional mills.
- Patrimony and history
Cross of Notre-Dame-du-Château Chapel
This cross announces the path leading to the Romanesque chapel Notre-Dame-du-Château. This is mentioned for the first time in 1180 and was restored around 1419. Erected on the hill Saint-Michel-de-Briançon, it dominates the village of Saint-Etienne du Grès, former parish of the city of Tarascon. It was a priory chapel dependent on the Abbey Saint-Laurent of Avignon. Since 1350 she welcomed the "Belle Briançonne", a statue of the Virgin to the Child very famous from the Tarasconnais people.
Description
Du Musée Urgonia, desendre sur la droite. Emprunter à gauche la montée du Paradis, puis à droite l’avenue Jean Moulin. A l’intersection avec la D24b, tourner à gauche et continuer pendant 7 km jusqu’à Eygalières.
1- Traverser le village et continuer sur la D24b sur 2 km. Tourner à gauche sur la D24, en direction de Mouriès. Au pied des Calans, prendre à droite le chemin balisé GR. Passer le pont dit Romain, à la patte d'oie rester à droite et suivre ce chemin sur 3 km.
2- Continuer tout droit sur la voie Aurelia jusqu’au panneau d’entrée de ville. Continuer jusqu’à l’avenue Van Gogh. La traverser et suivre l’avenue Joseph d’Arbaud. Poursuivre sur le "Chemin Gaulois".
3- Virer à gauche après le canal, puis emprunter à gauche le vieux chemin d'Arles jusqu'à l'intersection avec la D27. La traverser, poursuivre tout droit jusqu’à St-Etienne du Grès et revenir au point de départ.
- Departure : Musée Urgonia, Orgon
- Arrival : Saint-Etienne du Grès
- Towns crossed : Orgon, Eygalières, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Mas-Blanc-des-Alpilles, and Saint-Étienne-du-Grès
Forecast
Altimetric profile
Recommandations
L'itinéraire se faisant en 3 jours, penser à réserver un hébergement en fonction de la distance journalière à parcourir. Contacter les Offices de tourisme de Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, de Maussane-les-Alpilles, Eyguières et Orgon.
Pour votre sécurité, et pour la préservation des massifs forestiers, l'accès aux espaces naturels est règlementé de juin à septembre. Renseignez-vous pendant la période estivale au 08 11 20 13 13 (prix d'un appel local) ou sur www.bouches-du-rhone.pref.gouv.fr Téléchargez gratuitement l'application MYPROVENCE ENVIE DE BALADE (disponible sur Appstore et Android Market).
Information desks
House of the Alpilles Regional Nature Park
2, boulevard Marceau, 13210 Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Located in the heart of the city centre of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the House of the Alpilles Nature Park welcomes you to its completely renovated premises. This new vibrant place is multifunctional: it accommodates the Park's engineering team but also has a public reception space and showrooms. A true resource centre of the Park's heritage, it aims to support and promote locals, visitors and tourists on all 16 municipalities of the Park.
Open Monday to Friday, from 9 am at 12:30 pm and from 1:30 pm to 5 pm.
Free admission.
OTI Alpilles-en-Provence
Place Jean Jaurès, 13210 Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Transport
Access and parking
Parking :
Accessibility
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