Saint-Martin-les-Eaux: Hiking and Thermal History

Saint-Martin-les-Eaux offers two distinct perspectives to consider when planning a trip: getting active on the trails of the Luberon and exploring local history around a sulfurous spring and the Church of Saint-Martin. There is also a natural history highlight from the dry grasslands. If you are looking for a hotel in Saint-Martin-les-Eaux, you can start by organizing these themes around the focus of your stay: a specific tour, a wider range of activities, or historical and cultural context.

Hiking and cycling to suit your schedule

The 2023 Luberon geotourism map recommends the “Petit tour de Saint-Martin-les-Eaux,” a walk lasting 1.5 hours. This gives you a specific time frame if you include this named tour in your plans. Visitors to Saint-Martin-les-Eaux can also hike the trails of the Luberon, or explore them by mountain bike or bicycle.

These offer different ways to spend active days: a specifically named circuit with a stated duration, and a broader choice between hiking and cycling on the trails of the Luberon. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether a tour with a defined duration or a choice of how to get around is more important to you. This lets you tailor your activity plans to your interests without treating the different options as equivalent.

The spring and thermal history

From 1893 to 1939, the sulfurous spring at Saint-Martin-les-Eaux had a sufficient flow to support commercial use and the establishment of thermal baths. This places the history of the baths firmly in the past. The Huguette spring lies below the D505, south of Saint-Martin-les-Eaux, connecting the historical subject to a specific location.

In 2016, d’Huguette was developed as a place of information and remembrance about the distinctive properties of the water and the thermal and bathing history of Saint-Martin-les-Eaux. This brings two different periods into focus: the spring’s earlier commercial use and the later interpretation of its water properties and history. Alongside the activities on the trails, the thermal history offers a distinct cultural focus for planning your trip.

Church and sculptures

The Church of Saint-Martin in Saint-Martin-les-Eaux is listed as a 12th-century attraction. Three sculptures are also recorded in the church. The church’s date and its connection to art add further cultural themes to the history of the thermal baths. This means you can explore Saint-Martin-les-Eaux not only through outdoor activities but also through its local history.

Nature watching in the dry grasslands

Botanical surveys recorded the Magicienne dentelée in the dry grasslands of Saint-Martin-les-Eaux for the first time in 2024. This highlight links a specific year to a particular landscape type. As a natural history feature, it adds a distinct perspective on the area around the village to the broader range of activities on the trails of the Luberon.

Getting there and planning

The Luberon Est route follows the D105 and D505 toward Saint-Martin-les-Eaux. This provides general guidance on the roads; check road conditions separately before setting off.

Discover more destinations: Clamensane, Revest-des-Brousses, Saint-Jean, Curel, Saint-Étienne-Les-Orgues, Revest-Saint-Martin, Esparron-De-Verdon, Castellane.

For the broader travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.