LES BEAUMETTES - La Virginière Trail along the Calavon

Easy walk to the Chemin de la Virginière

Overview of the hike

From the Beaumettes town hall square, the route passes through the underpass beneath the D900 and joins the road to Ménerbes. Very soon, you cross the bridge over the Calavon-Coulon before turning onto quieter paths. The trail gradually moves away from traffic to reach more rural and wooded tracks.

In this landscape alternating between meadows and riverside woodland, the trail follows the meanders of the river, where the shade of the undergrowth provides welcome freshness. Dirt paths lead into the Sensitive Natural Area of la Virginière, a habitat rich in flora and fauna where silence is essential to avoid disturbing birds and insects. Along the way, you’ll discover discreet heritage, from dry-stone enclosures and agricultural terraces to Mediterranean vegetation mixed with wetland species.

After passing a reconstructed Neolithic dolmen, a vestige of ancient human presence, the route joins the Calavon cycle route (EV8). This final section offers a pleasant and safe walk, with beautiful views of the valley, before crossing the bridge again and reaching the former Goult-Lumières train station. The loop closes by calmly returning to the village through the underpass.

This easy 6.5 km hike is a varied immersion in built heritage, river landscapes, and natural discoveries. It charms visitors with its diversity of settings and gentle pace, making it ideal for a family outing along the water.

But what is a Sensitive Natural Area?

Sensitive Natural Areas (SNA) are sites recognized for the quality of their landscapes and the richness of their biodiversity. Protected and enhanced, they aim to combine the preservation of natural habitats with welcoming the public.

Designated in 2023, the SNA of la Virginière, located along the Calavon-Coulon, is home to a wide variety of fauna and flora: riverside woodland, birds, aquatic species… It is also an environmental education site, where Goult schoolchildren have been carrying out awareness-raising projects since 2011. Today, the site can be explored along marked trails, with respect for this fragile natural heritage.

Points of Interest and Itinerary

Access and Parking

• By car: 15 km east of Cavaillon via the D15 and D900.
• Parking: Recommended parking on the Town Hall square. Option to start from the small parking lot on the other side of the D900 (near the cycle route).
  
  

Practical Information

• Start / Finish: Town Hall square, Les Beaumettes
• Elevation gain: +59 m
• Duration: 2h
• Level: Very easy
  
  

Sights along the way

• Troglodyte dwellings of Les Beaumettes (sheltered houses, Sainte-Foy Chapel)
• Calavon-Coulon River: revival of a river and its living riverside woodland
• A rare Neolithic dolmen, carefully moved and reconstructed to protect it from floods
• Lumières train station (former Cavaillon–Volx line)
• Possible bird sightings (European bee-eater, kingfisher, grey heron) depending on the season
  
  

Discover the full itinerary

Prepare your hike