Introduction

There are different ochre deposits in Provence and more precisely in Vaucluse. The best known are those of Rustrel and Roussillon, but they are also victims of their success. To the north-east of Bédoin, therefore at the foot of Mont Ventoux, are the Demoiselles Coiffées hoodoos. They are formed of ochre and are located at the foot of a hill composed entirely of this form of ancient sandstone. In our opinion, the real Provençal Colorado is found here with its hoodoos, its monoliths and its erosion forms which are indeed very reminiscent of the American West.

We are here in the presence of sandstone, therefore marine sandy conglomerates with oxidised irons. The American formations have a higher limestone content and the colors often come from erosion and are therefore often only exterior.

Monday morning you can stock up on provisions at the market in Bédoin.

The facts

2,7 km total distance

1 h walk time

70 m total elevation

orientation not always clear west of the ochre hill

mark 30% of the total distance

50% easy trails

20% dirt roads

20% forest roads

15% cross country

<5% trail through a cave

dangers steep parts are not secured

children yes

useful picnic stuff

required Trekking boots, hiking equipment and water

GPS coordinates (WGS84) of start and end point 44.126549,5.206751

downloads

Public transport

Access by public transport to the starting point of the tour is not easy. There is a train from Avignon to Carpentras about every 30 minutes, look under TER PACA (only french), this is the terminus of the line. Right at the exit of the train station is the bus station, this is where the buses from Trans'Cove (only french) depart from. Line L takes you to Bédoin. Be careful, there are special courses for students from Bédoin to Carpentras, but there is no course from Carpentras to Bédoin around noon, for example. Get off at the Centre station and cross the city centre from south to north, preferably through small alleys.

At the roundabout, continue onto Route de Crillon le Brave (arrow) but take an immediate right onto Rue des Époux Tramier. At the crossing with the large plane tree (Place de la Bourgade), turn left: follow Rue de la Calade, then continue along Rue du Four Neuf to the Église Saint-Pierre. Continue north and go down the Traverse Saint-Pierre. At the bottom turn left (Rue de la Coste Froide) and at the end turn right (Rue du Vieil Hôpital). We come to a roundabout with an olive tree in the middle.

A small lane continues north (a little to the right of the roundabout), we take the Chemin de la Ferraille, which first makes a big curve to the right, then at a right angle to the left and another curve to the right. We arrive on the Chemin de la Montagne. When the arrow to Chambre d'hôtes de Curnier point into a grove, turn right onto the road between the vines. We see the ochre hill on the right. Go straight ahead to the Hameau des Couguious and continue straight on the agricultural track. We are here at the start of section 1. 3 km and 130 vertical meters there and back in addition to the tour.

This access from Bédoin is also included in the GPX-file available on this page. It is shown in red on the map.

Access by car

The tour is located between Carpentras and Mont Ventoux. The D974 road leads from Carpentras to Bédoin, then continue towards Flassan. Continue on the Route de la Montagne at the town exit. You see a parking lot at the right and turn then to the left. Follow this road (signs for the Chambre d'hôtes de Curnier). When the arrow to Chambre d'hôtes de Curnier point into a grove, turn right onto the road between the vines. We see the ochre hill on the right. Go straight ahead to the Hameau des Couguious. Turn left here and then quickly right into the parking lot.

Useful parking spaces

New parking lot, see above under access by car. It may by muddy after rain.

Hints

The ochre hill of Bédoin is divided into various private plots. Access is however free. We only ask that you do not pass through the Hameau des Couguious, for this we suggest an original detour.

There are no markings on site and we ask you to stay on the paths. It's a bit contradictory because only the hoodoos are clearly forbidden to climb. The proposed route, which is also found in the GPX file provided, attempts to preserve the site while making the most of the possibilities on site.

We start with the little-known part, the entire western part of the hill, to end with the Demoiselles Coiffées hoodoos.

The whole region is a zone with a high risk of forest fires. In summer, but also in other seasons when it is very dry or by strong winds, access to the forest areas can be regulated. As a result, the roads may be closed to traffic and/or the trails prohibited to hikers. Current information: Map for access to the forests of the Vaucluse department (only french). The map shows the colours green, yellow, orange and red which correspond to levels of danger.

The sections

1. First impressions of the Ocres de Bédoin and start of the loop counterclockwise.
2. West of the ochre hill.
3. The east with the Coiffées Demoiselles.

Section 1: Hameau des Couguious

➙ 0,7 km ... 10 min ➚ 12 m ➘ 15 m ↝ average

45% dirt roads, faulty marks

5% cross country, without marks

30% dirt roads, without marks

5% trail through a cave, without marks

5% forest roads, without marks

10% easy trails, without marks

We exit the parking lot by turning left twice to take a farm path. Signs remind you to preserve the site and not to enter the Hameau des Couguious.

We pass a well outside the hamlet and continue this dirt road in a straight line. On the left is a forest, it hides the eastern part of the ochre area. To the right is an oak grove and further on are replanted olive trees.

The track makes a few turns. In a long left bend, we spot a faint agricultural track on the right. We'll need it later.

However, we continue our long left turn and when the track turns right, we continue straight uphill.

We arrive without warning at the top of the erosion and former exploitation zone to the east of the hill. We find the intensive ochre colors. Islets of vegetation maintain themselves as best they can on this slope subject to massive erosion, both natural and human through our passages.

It is technically possible to go down here, but it is dangerous and not conducive to the conservation of the site.

Let's retrace our steps back to the long bend to turn left and head west. This agricultural path is not very marked and it can be covered with tall vegetation in winter. We first follow a sparse oak grove to arrive at a more recent olive grove.

Although it does not seem very logical, we pass into the olive field after the first row of trees. We can see in the distance that another agricultural track traces here towards the north.

After the olive trees follows a forest on the left. It hides the summit of the ochre hill. The foot of this hill is densely forested.

Further ahead, we see old agricultural machinery including a sprayer and a mower from another age. These two devices were clearly used in the vineyards. They can be found everywhere around, but not on the ochre hill anymore these days. Both devices are still in fairly good condition, but of course rusty and oxidised. The sprayer has 2 piston pumps, operated by 2 cams attached to the axle. It appears in a 1953 ministerial review.

The green color of the sprayer comes from the copper oxide that is sprayed on the vines for its fungicidal action. This is still required today, also in organic farming. Unlike active chemicals, copper remains on the surface of the fruit, so it is washed away by rain. The harmful effect is in the earth, earthworms and other fertilizing animals tolerate these oxides very poorly.

The New Ideal Deering Type B agricultural mower with JAZ90 arm is older. It's a 1910s animal-drawn machine built in Chicago.

Behind the mower there is a passage under the branches. Here lies an old trailer, but behind it is the entrance to a cellar with several compartments. It is carved out of ochre and appears to have been whitewashed.

After this excursion into the past century, we continue our walk towards the north. The agricultural road gets lost a little, we turn a little to the right without changing path.

We emerge from the forest in front of a large dip which corresponds to another area of ochre exploitation. We are now directly behind the Hameau des Couguious.

To the left is a slope completely devoid of vegetation. We recognize parallel oblique traces. Some correspond to the digging of the ochre, but most are slightly harder ridges which are more resistant to wind and water erosion.

At the lowest point there is a large artificial cavity. The soil is composed of fine sand which is the end product of ochre erosion. On the wall you can see traces of chiseling to create this opening. They are more irregular and therefore differ from those seen on the surface. In places, the wall seems to be peeling. These are the basis of algae and moss which form in these areas which remain constantly humid. As it dries, this plant cover shrinks and peels.

Section 2: Tour par l'ouest

➙ 1,1 km ... 25 min ➚ 23 m ➘ 30 m ↝ difficult

60% easy trails, without marks

40% forest roads, faulty marks

The rocks are worthy of the great American West. Similar shapes and colors exist at the Grand Canyon.

Turning left, we go around the ochre hill counterclockwise. A path runs along the foot. We are here far from the crowds that can gather in the eastern part.

We gradually turn towards the western part. The cliff becomes less high and then it's just a simple slope with lots of parallel paths.

There are a few cairns, the goal is to always stay at the same height between 365 and 370 meters above sea level.

Little by little we arrive in a more densely wooded area and the trail continues to turn left.

We see bare ochre slopes again on the left and we follow the path at their foot. Here we enter a side valley from which we will have to exit later. The forms of erosion are also very interesting here. We are usually alone here.

We try to stay in the lowest part of the valley. When it starts to rise, we turn around. All the passages towards the east here are very bushy and do not lead south of the hill.

Coming out towards the west of the valley, we keep to the left. We arrive at a slightly more open place. Further to the left a forest track begins.

We go down in a straight line towards another forest track. We take a left here to continue around the hill.

This track transforms at times into a real desert trail, the sand is soft and deep when the vegetation does not fix it.

We turn left at the large triangular intersection.

Going up, you now have the choice of walking in the shade in the sand or in the sun on a more stony parallel track. The two come together more in the form of a large crossing with a wooden post.

We take a right here and without going up.

Section 3: Demoiselles Coiffées

➙ 0,8 km ... 25 min ➚ 35 m ➘ 15 m ↝ average

55% easy trails, without marks

35% cross country, without marks

10% easy trails, without marks

We walk again accompanied by a rocky ochre embankment on the left.

Behind a tree is a small artificial opening. We wonder what one was looking for here. Perhaps it was a prospecting gallery to find purer or more colorful ochre.

In any case, the ground remains covered with sand. It's like a beach without water.

Turning a little further to the left, you can see straight towards the large group of hoodoos. There is another one on the right.

They all have a covering of harder rock and it is the very definition of a hoodoo. You therefore need a material that is soft and easily eroded and occasionally covered with hard rocks preventing erosion below.

These columns initially formed a large geological layer at least as high as the remaining hoodoos. It is only the chance of the remaining hat that creates the column. When the cap slips or erodes, the column below is also very quickly reduced to the level on which we walk. So it's an ongoing process. There were undoubtedly other hoodoos before and others may perhaps reappear at the edge of the hill on the more vertical slopes.

Here, it is a covering which must have originally been continuos layer because we can recognize traces of breakage on the hats of the hoodoos. It is undoubtedly also a recomposed sandstone rock like the ochre below.

In the Alps, hoodoos are also known in the loose material of glacial moraines when a single rock protects the erosion below. Directly on the ice of glaciers a similar effect occurs when a large stone on the surface protects the ice below from melting. The stone then seems to have been lifted from the ice in the shape of a table.

The large group of hoodoos is covered by tall pine trees. This perhaps slows down their erosion a little. In any case, we can see Mont Ventoux through the trunks of the trees.

To the left of the hoodoos is the eastern slope of the ochre hill. It glows best before noon. Having started the tour in the morning, we will be here at the right time.

You can climb this slope while looking for your way. We then see above the trees on the southern slopes of Mont-Ventoux. The summit is all white and to the right. In April 2024, when we were there, the white of the summit was snow. But the white also remains in summer because the white limestone glows the same.

For the rest of the tour, we leave this ochre cirque surrounding the Demoiselles Coiffées towards the north. This area has no real path. There is bare ochre between wooded areas.

Keeping to the right, you arrive at this monolith worthy of those in Australia. However, its length does not exceed ten metres.

Going back to the left, specifically towards the northwest, we find a path which goes up towards the car park and therefore to the starting point.

Sources and additional information

It is better to use a good topographical hiking map: this tour is on the IGN "Mont Ventoux" map, scale 1:25000, 3140ET.

If you don't want to bother with a paper map, you can also use mapping apps on your cell phone. On the one hand, it is the Géoportail app from the official map service IGN. However, it requires access to the data network and this is sometimes difficult in canyons or remote locations.

Alternatively, you can use apps that store data directly on the device. They're generally not free, but they don't cost much. We mainly use OSMAnd, here it is possible to add contour lines, relief shading, markings and others. To store this data on your phone you need a lot of space.

Of course, one needs access to satellites for the GPS signal with any app. In some canyons this is not the case. Therefore, do not rely on the position shown, but read the map on your phone as you would read it on paper. Most apps are available for Android and iPhone. The applications usually allow us to record the route travelled and also view the GPS files offered for each of our hikes.

This page has been seen 346 times since 20 March 2024.