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Le Mourre Nègre, Luberon, Provence, FranceLe Mourre Nègre, Luberon, Provence, France

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fritz
24675 pts.
  • Off the path Explo
    54 %
    Off the path Explo rate
    Score
    2.7 / 5
    Comments
    Le Mourre Nègre summit is quite famous in the region. But very off the path Explo!
  • Article Quality
    80 %
    Article Quality rate
    • Score
      5 / 5
      Comments
      Nice description and tips Fritz.
    • Score
      5 / 5
      Comments
      Yes. And you added a google map plan!
    • Score
      5 / 5
      Comments
      Yes, many!
    • Score
      5 / 5
      Comments
      Yes!
    • Score
      0 / 5
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      No!!! 1 spot = 1 article!!
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Le Mourre Nègre is the culminating point of the Grand Luberon (1125m). It is a pleasant hiking goal.

My experience, Explo description: 

The Luberon is a mountain lying on 80 km from Cavaillon (West) to Manosque (East). It is separated in 2 parts by the deep Combe de Lourmarin valley.

The Western part, called "Little Luberon" culminates at 700m with a beautiful forest of Cedars. More significant, the Eastern part (or Grand Luberon), reaches 1125m with Le Mourre Négre summit.

There is a strong skewness between Southern slopes, hot and dry, with Mediterranean vegetation Green Oaks and Aleppo pines) and the Northern slopes, cool and wet, with a more rich and varied vegetation.

Auribeau (600 m).

This is the starting point (village on the Northern flank of the Luberon). It has the dual advantage of lower slopes rise (550 m in total), and on the other hand you can enjoy the fresh atmosphere of Northern slopes (shaded, wooded slopes). In addition, is a very beautiful village where you can stroll around when you return from the summit. Cross the village in front of the church and the cemetery. Continue to the South and after 300 meters, leave the car on a small car park (Mark 1).

Take the right path (South-West) tagged yellow, which rises enough roughly. It runs along the ruins of a Romanic chapel ( photo 2).

Chapel St. Pierre (720 m)
After 1/2 hour, you reach a wide track (mark 2). Take right (nord-east) on 300m up to a crossroads. Take on the right which rises gently in a wood. Despite the barriers and placard, you can penetrate: it is a municipal property.

Note immediately right a magnificent "borie" dry stone house, covered with foam.

After 200m we reach a small summit with a Romanic chapel and a former medieval tower, the municipality and the APARE (association of volunteers) undertook to restore them.

Mourre Nègre (1125m)

Return to the mark 2. Resume rise southward, either by trail tagged yellow (steep), or by track, more comfortable but a little longer. Once you have reached the ridge, go direct by the track to Mourre Nègre summit, whose antennas can be seen to the East. The track leads to a small pass, 30 meters below the summit. It is occupied by awful telecommunications installations. I therefore advise continuing the track eastward 200m more, and to reach the next little summit (1097m), perfectly wild, where you can have a circular panorama to the Mediterranean sea, the étang de Berre (southwest), to the Alps and the Sainte-Victoire, the Sainte-Beaume, the Ventoux and the Lure mountains...

The descent:

You can descend through the same path, but it is more interesting to borrow the following route:

from the summit (1097m), descend eastward to a pass (1027m) where you will find the track. Here, take a left (North) good trail tagged yellow (direction Le Castellet). It crosses a small pass (854m), and the trail becomes much steeper for down in the valley of the 3 Eves (Combe des 3 Eves).

At a height of 718m (indicator 3), take left westward tagged blue trail rising slightly up to 750m and go along the flank of the mountain to reach the valley of "Font Jean de Martin" (686 m). Go down on the right to the car park.

My personal recommendations: 

To prepare for the special atmosphere of the Luberon, read "the Théotime Mas" of Henri Bosco.

From April to June, at the top of the Luberon, the ground is covered with flowers. Fall is also very pleasant: it is less hot, but the days are shorter. October is particularly pleasant due to color of leaves of trees.

How getting there: 

Join Auribeau using the D48 road through the very beautiful village of Saignon.
Afficher mourre nègre sur une carte plus grande

Useful information: 
Visit duration: 

Slopes: 550 metres of ascent
Rise time: 2 hours ; counting over 20 minutes to visit the chapel of St. Pierre.
Descent: 1.5h.
Total: 4 hours.

Access security: 

From July 1 to September 15, access to the forests is regulated. In normal conditions, access is free. In the event of severe risk (drought and/or wind), access is allowed only from 5 a.m. to noon. For more security, consult before leaving this telephone number: +33 4 88 17 80 00.

Bring at least one litre of water per person. There is no water point en route.