Ongles: Heritage and Hiking Routes
Accommodation in Ongles
Explore Ongles through its historic sites and trails, each with its own character. Cultural and historical details can be found in Vière and at several buildings; circular walks and the mountain bike route lead through a variety of landscapes. When planning your trip, you can choose between local history, circular walks and a mountain bike trail.
Vière and historic sites
The origins of the Site de Vière in Ongles date back to protohistoric times. Vière d’Ongles was designated a protected area in 2013 under French environmental law. Since 2021, a restored promenade has made the whole village of Vière accessible via its historic streets.
The church of Saint-Marc in Ongles offers a specific architectural detail: the decoration of its heptagonal choir was painted in 1855. Heptagonal describes the shape of the choir, with seven sides; 1855 is the year the decoration was painted. The family-friendly Chemin de Vière leads from the village of Ongles to the ruins of the Romanesque church of Saint-Barthélémy and an abandoned medieval village.
The hamlet of Les Verdets is home to a former castle dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The timeline stretches from the protohistoric origins of the Site de Vière to the castle from the 15th and 16th centuries and the choir decoration of 1855.
The Chemin de MĂ©moires has a different focus: its audio accounts cover local history, geology, life in the past and the people who lived there. Before visiting the promenade or setting out on the Chemin de MĂ©moires, check local conditions.
Hikes and landscapes
The marked Le Rocher d’Ongles circular hike starts at the Rocher d’Ongles car park. It is marked first with yellow PR blazes and then with red-and-yellow GR blazes. The 8 km loop has an elevation gain of 120 m and takes about three hours. It passes through six hamlets around Ongles, as well as fields and small woods.
The Sentier de Seigne is a moderately difficult 12 km circular hike starting in Ongles. It passes through woods, clearings, meadows and hamlets in the rural hinterland of the Luberon Massif around Ongles. Near the route are the Château d’Ongles, with its mascarons—sculpted masks with fantastical designs—and a 17th-century church. If you would also like to take in architecture on your hike, the castle and church add specific cultural and historical details to the landscape.
The two hikes differ in both length and scenery: Le Rocher is 8 km long, has 120 m of elevation gain and takes about three hours; Seigne is longer at 12 km and is rated moderately difficult. Fields and small woods characterize the first trail, while woods, clearings and meadows define the second.
The La balade des Hameaux d’Ongles mountain bike route passes through lavender fields, pastures and typical hamlets. It offers views of the summit of the Lure range almost all the way along. Route conditions can change; check them before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Chabrières, Clamensane, Mallemoisson, Château-Arnoux-Saint-Auban, Saint-Vincent-Les-Forts, Pierrerue, Valbelle, La Motte-Du-Caire.
For the broader travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.
