Those choosing Ceyreste for a trip combining culture and walks will find several distinct historical landmarks: religious buildings, a spring, the remains of an oppidum, and traces of earlier oil production. The routes described also have different highlights. One hike leads to a viewpoint overlooking the Gulf of La Ciotat; on another, the remains of the oppidum tower above the path. Sainte-Croix Chapel is a destination for a walk in its own right. This lets you balance local history and outdoor activity according to the time available on your trip.

Chapel, spring and archaeological traces

Sainte-Croix Chapel is a short distance from Ceyreste and makes a pleasant destination for a walk. From the forecourt, you can look out over the entire Bay of La Ciotat and the surrounding hills. Before the French Revolution, the chapel belonged to the Brotherhood of the White Penitents, founded in Ceyreste around the middle of the 14th century. The tradition embodied by the oratories is still alive in Ceyreste; the pilgrimage on September 14 stops at two oratories along the Sentier de Sainte-Croix.

A municipal description from June 2016 identified the celebration in honor of Saint Blaise on February 3 as Ceyreste’s major annual event. If you are planning your trip around the festival, check the dates for the year you intend to visit.

The Roman Fountain is one of Ceyreste’s best-known landmarks. The structure above the spring probably dates from the Romanesque period, while the spring itself may have existed since antiquity. Ceyreste’s church is considered one of the oldest in Provence; the base of its bell tower is said to date from the late 11th century.

The Vallon de Gendame oppidum was settled from the 4th century BC by Ligurian or Celto-Ligurian inhabitants. It sits on a limestone promontory about 100 meters long and no more than 50 meters wide. Six fours à cade, small structures dating from the beginning of the century, recall the now-vanished production of cade oil. Ceyreste’s archaeological traces and evidence of earlier oil production therefore sit alongside its religious buildings.

Walks and hikes

A municipal route description in a tourism bulletin from June 2016 estimates that the “Voie Romaine – le Télégraphe – les Yssards” hike takes about one hour. The starting point is at the Caunet crossroads, from where the route heads uphill to the right. From the Télégraphe ruins, there are views over the Gulf of La Ciotat, and the return route follows the Chemin Charré.

A second route description in the same bulletin estimates that the “Vallon de Gendame et des Conquêtes” hike takes about two hours. It starts on the Chemin d’Aubagne; remains of an ancient oppidum tower above the path on the left. The rough time estimates are therefore about one hour for the Voie Romaine and about two hours for the Vallon hike. The starting points and points of interest also differ: one route offers views over the gulf, while the other passes the remains of the oppidum. As the specific route details date from June 2016, check the route before setting out.

Getting there

Ceyreste can be reached via the A50 motorway, taking the La Ciotat exit.

Discover more destinations: Belcodène, Istres, Carry-Le-Rouet, Venelles, Vauvenargues, Aix-En-Provence, Saint-Chamas, La Ciotat

Go to the regional travel overview: Bouches Du Rhone.