A trip to La Fare-Les-Oliviers can focus on a range of interests: a hiking section of the GR2013, orienteering and a botanical trail, as well as archaeological and cultural themes. These activities offer different ways to get to know the town and its landscape. When planning, consider whether you would prefer to follow a route, focus on fixed checkpoints, or turn your attention to plants and history.
Hiking trails with distinct focuses
Section A16 of the GR2013 is 9.8 km long and runs from La Fare-Les-Oliviers to Velaux. It begins between vineyards and olive groves, then follows the Canal de la Gorde. This makes it possible to plan a specific stage with a clearly described sequence of landscape features. The distance gives the length of the section; when planning your time, you should also take your own pace and current trail conditions into account, as these may change.
The orienteering area on the colline farenque offers a different way to find your bearings. There are about 100 fixed checkpoints there; check their condition on site. The Sentier botanique has a different thematic focus: it follows the blue route and uses information boards to share knowledge about Mediterranean vegetation. The three activities therefore differ considerably: the GR2013 is a stage between two places, orienteering centers on the checkpoints, and the botanical trail draws attention to plants.
Archaeological discoveries and Moulin Roustan
In 2010, the remains of a large Gallo-Roman villa and remarkably well-preserved mosaics were discovered at the La Garanne site. This discovery offers a historical perspective on the site and complements the nature and hiking themes with an archaeological dimension. Moulin Roustan offers a different focus: it was restored between 2008 and 2017 and has an exhibition room and an information point. An educational film about olive oil is aimed at schoolchildren and visitors. Those interested in local history will therefore find both an archaeological connection and a restored building with exhibitions and information.
A broader landscape setting
The Collines de Barjaquets are also part of the area's landscape. They are part of the Massif de l’Arbois, which forms an extensive plateau of more than 15,000 ha. This scale describes a broader, regional landscape context and should be distinguished from individual trail sections. Together with the specific references to vineyards, olive groves and the Canal de la Gorde, it helps you consider local routes and the wider landscape as different levels of planning.
Plan your journey and accommodation
Section A16 of the GR2013 starts at the Eglise bus stop. There is a connection from Aix-en-Provence on Cartreize line 16. If you plan to use this connection for your journey, check the latest public transport information in advance. This lets you include the journey in your plans without relying on a fixed departure time.
When choosing a hotel, you can consider which of the experiences described matters most for your trip: the hiking stage, the orienteering checkpoints, Mediterranean vegetation or cultural themes. This way, your accommodation choice can be guided by the activities you actually want to focus on.
Discover more destinations: Cadolive, Lambesc, Entressen, Mimet, La Bouilladisse, Lançon-de-Provence, Pont De Crau Arles, Cabriès
For the broader travel overview: Bouches Du Rhone.
