The best hiking route on Mont Sainte-Victoire

• The route we are about to present to you is a loop of around 12 kilometres that can be completed in 5 to 7 hours, depending on your pace.
• There is a difference in altitude of around 800 metres.
• The route does not present any major difficulties, but you will need to be at least reasonably fit.
• You can skip the whole route and return to the Cézanne refuge or the Croix de Provence for a shorter hike.
• There aredozens of paths criss-crossing Mont Sainte-Victoire, but you can of course opt for a different route!
• Bring good walking shoes, sunglasses, sun cream, a hat and, above all, plenty of water!
• Please respect the mountain's flora and fauna, and don't smoke, light fires or leave rubbish around.

Our route begins at the Bouquet car park, around twenty minutes' drive fromAix-en-Provence city centre, or accessible by public transport with bus route 110 to theLe Bouquet stop. From here, you can follow the red signposted path for a short stroll of less thana kilometre through the pine trees, lulled by the song of the cicadas.

We cross a young oak forest and pass a few olive groves before finally catching sight of the Cézanne refuge. It was built in 1954 as a tribute to the painter Paul Cézanne, who regarded Mont Sainte-Victoire as his muse and painted almost 80 pictures of it. Take a moment to rest on the picnic tables and drink a little water before starting your ascent of the mountain.

After this short break, we continue to follow the red route via the Pas du Berger. Although not very complicated, the path is a little steep and you need to be careful where you step as the ground can be slippery. The less athletic among you can take the simpler Pas de l'Escalette, which we prefer to take on the way back.

We scramble a little before reaching the Pas du Moine and then, a few minutes later, the Prieuré Sainte-Victoire. Built in the 12th century, it is now an unguarded refuge for 14 people. Even though we weren't planning to sleep there, we visited the chapel and cloister (open on Thursdays and Sundays) and made our way into the Brèche des Moines to enjoy the panoramic view of Provence at our feet. When we look up, we see the Croix de Provence, our next stop, and we think the view must be even more breathtaking.

It takes no more than ten minutes to reach the Croix de Provence from the Prieuré Sainte-Victoire. Imposing at 18 metres high, it was already visible from the foot of the mountain. From here, at an altitude of over 1,000 metres, the view over the Rhône valley is simply breathtaking. Mont Ventoux is clearly visible and, on the horizon, you can make out the crests of the Ecrins massif. The Pic des Mouches - the highest point of Mont Sainte-Victoire - seems very close from here, but we prefer to save the climb for another time.

Many hikers choose to stop at the Croix de Provence for a picnic, and we decided to do the same. However, it can get quite crowded, especially at weekends, so don't hesitate to move away if you want to eat in peace or out of the wind, as the Mistral often blows hard here.

As planned, we descend the Sainte-Victoire via the Pas de l'Escalette, but instead of returning to the Cézanne refuge and car park, we now follow the blue markers to the Costes Chaudes. This ridge path will take us straight to Lac de Bimont, which can already be seen from the path, which becomes increasingly wooded as we descend.

The kilometres flew by and we arrived at the Lac de Bimont dam, which offers a magnificent panorama of the Sainte-Victoire mountain range. This artificial lake comes from the Infernet and Verdon rivers and is used to supply water to the urban and industrial centres of the Arc valley and [Marseille]. It's now just a two-hour walk to the car park at Le Bouquet, our starting point. We return to our hotel in Aix-en-Provence with our minds filled with beautiful memories and magnificent scenery.