Beaurecueil: Nature, Trails and Heritage
Accommodation in Beaurecueil
Landscape and protected area
Beaurecueil is characterised by red soils, a mosaic of cultivated landscapes and green pine forests, with the Plateau de Cengle in the background. Open cultivated land and woodland combine to create the landscape. The Parc DĂ©partemental de Roques-Hautes covers 800 hectares, of which 400 hectares are in Beaurecueil. This means that half of the park lies within the commune.
Within the Parc DĂ©partemental de Roques-Hautes, west of Montagne Sainte-Victoire, lies the RĂ©serve naturelle de Sainte-Victoire. It covers 140 protected hectares and has been closed to the public since 1994. Dinosaur eggs from the Late Cretaceous period are preserved as fossils in red clay and sandstone in the reserve. The closure is an important consideration when planning a visit; the palaeontological feature is not open to the public.
Activities and trails
The Roques-Hautes VTT 2 mountain biking loop starts in Beaurecueil and goes almost as far as the Bimont dam. It is 7 kilometres long, takes less than an hour, is rated difficult and has 225 metres of elevation gain. To assess the route profile, consider the duration alongside the difficulty rating and elevation gain: the time estimate alone does not indicate how demanding the route is.
Les Écuries du Maistre offers horseback rides in Beaurecueil. Check availability before booking.
Heritage in the commune
Along the Route Cézanne in Beaurecueil are remains of the Roman aqueduct of Saint-Antonin-sur-Bayon, including a channel, bridge piers and masonry. Visible cart tracks in the Bois des Roussettes show the course of the ancient Via Aurelia, also known as the Via Aurélienne. The aqueduct’s structural remains and the traces of an ancient road preserved in the landscape offer different insights into the area’s history.
In the Hameau du Trou, a waymarked public circular walk passes the remains of a rock chapel, two houses and a threshing floor. One of the houses has an outdoor oven. Two other dated landmarks are the oratories: the Oratoire Saint-Mitre dates from 1849, and the Oratoire Saint-Benoît Joseph Labre from 1896. There are 47 years between the two dates.
A building with a place in local history is now a restaurant: La Table de Beaurecueil is housed in a restored 19th-century sheepfold on the former farm of the Château de Beaurecueil.
Transport and finding a hotel
Beaurecueil is served by two routes in the Pays d’Aix Mobilité network: route 110 and school route 1300. As timetables can change, check the latest times before travelling.
Once you have a specific hotel in mind, check whether its location suits your plans.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Cannat, Boulbon, La Fare-Les-Oliviers, Senas, Istres, Fuveau, Velaux, Marseille
Return to the regional travel overview: Bouches Du Rhone.
