Walking in Provence - West

Book excerpt: Guidebook to a range of 30 varied, graded day walks in the sunny south-east of France in the Drôme Provençale, the Vaucluse and the Var regions of Provence. Provence's lower western regions offer wonderful walking - the vineyards, lavender fields and rolling hills of the Drôme Provençale, the historic old towns and castles set in the river valleys and gorges of Vaucluse and low sheltered valleys and craggy ridges on the Sainte-Baume massif in the Var. There are charming bases from which to explore the regions, including Nyons, Apt and Aix-en-Provence. None of the routes require special equipment although some may be a little exposed. All should be suitable for walkers of average fitness. Routes are described step by step, with clear maps and profiles to help you assess them, along with the standard route summary table at the back of the guide.