Saint Jean-de-Sault

Towns and Villages - by Provence Beyond

Villages > Saint Jean-de-Sault      

Nearby:  | Aurel 12 km | Banon 35 km | Carpentras 40 km | Forcalquier 60 km | Gordes 30 km | Javon Chateau 8 km | Lioux 17 km | Nesque Gorges 6 km | Saint Christol 18 km | Sault 7 km | Ventoux Mountain 33 km | Villes-sur-Auzon 30 km |

Below: | Hiking | Lodging Hotels |

The main reason for visiting Saint Jean-de-Sault is probably for the hiking in the surrounding hills, which is why we were here. Once here, a walk around the village discovers some interesting street names and place name. We liked the Rue de la Petanque, and Le Mazet des Chatons included appropriate drawings of cats.

The hamlet is on the D943 road south from Sault to Saint Saturnin-les-Apt and to Apt, traversing beautiful countryside. A bit to the north is a lookout point with a lovely view of the Mont Ventoux, farms and lavender fields. A bit to the south, the road passes the picturesque Javon Chateau.

A short walk west of the hamlet, the ruins of a stone windmill stands on a low hillside, without its blades.

A 5-minute walk south takes you to the mini-hamlet of Le Clos des Courtois, that includes a chapel and a lavois. The lavois and fountain, facing across the road from the chapel are, unfortunately, decorated by the local trash bins.

Hiking

Maps:

IGN (1/25,000) #3240 OT "Bannon, Sault"

IGN (1/25,000) #3140 ET "Mont Ventoux"

Didier Richard (1/50,000) #27 "Ventoux"

There are a lot of PR (Petite Randonée) hiking trails around Saint Jean-de-Sault, and loop hikes of various lengths are possible. The forested area to the west, including the hike to Monieux, is through scrub oak only 4 or 5 metres high. With nice wide trails, it's not always shady on sunny summer days.

The GR 9 (Grande Randonnée) trail passes through Saint Jean-de-Sault. We really liked these old GR trail signs, from a bygone era, showing what the hiker could expect to find in the next towns along the trail.

To the west, the GR9 makes a big loop before going northeast through the Nesque Gorges and north past Monieux.

Eastward from the hamlet, the GR9 crosses the hills to the next valley before heading south. In June 2009 the GR markings were very faded, so a map is necessary.

Water. The small fountain in the center of the hamlet has no faucet control, and was dry in mid June (2009). Five minutes to the south, there's a fountain at the mini-hamlet of Le Clos des Courtois. The small stone fountain across the road from the chapel is marked non-potable; beside that, on the stone wall of the lavoir is a fountain marked 'good for drinking', much to the pleasure of the cyclists stopping by while we were there.

Lodging - Hotels