Cuges-Les-Pins – Poljé, Hiking Trails and Festivals

Cuges-Les-Pins lies in the Sainte-Baume Regional Natural Park. The features that can shape a stay include the vast poljé, hiking trails, traces of early settlement and festivals rooted in Provençal traditions. If you are looking for a hotel, these different highlights offer practical starting points for planning your trip: Would you like to explore the landscape and history, go hiking, or plan your stay around a festival date? The places and activities below show how these options differ.

Landscape and early settlement

In Cuges-Les-Pins, the poljé is a vast, flat-bottomed depression. It is considered one of the largest poljés in France or Europe. The open, level landscape is also linked to traces of early settlement: prehistoric settlements have been discovered in the poljé. These include remains of a pile-dwelling settlement at the site of a large lake that has since dried up. The depression and the archaeological sites thus tell different sides of the area's history—from its distinctive landform to its early human use.

Hiking across the hills

The circular “Le patrimoine rural” hike starts in Cuges-Les-Pins, is 15 kilometres long and has 667 metres of ascent. It crosses the hills and reveals traces of the region's past. The distance and ascent give you practical information for planning this hike; its focus is also on rural heritage.

The GR de Pays “Montagne Sainte-Baume” offers a different perspective. On a hike on 12 May 2024, it crossed the hills of Cuges-Les-Pins and offered views of the poljé, the surrounding terrain and the sea. The scenery is the main focus here, whereas “Le patrimoine rural” explicitly highlights traces of the region's past. If you plan to hike the GR de Pays, check current trail conditions before setting out.

Cuges Randos Loisirs offers guided hikes and Nordic walking with trained instructors. Check the current programme before your visit. Jas de Frédéric has been renovated as a shelter along the GR 98.

Farm visits and activities

Asinerie du poljé offers donkey rides and educational farm visits in Cuges-Les-Pins. This gives you two different ways to experience the farm: an educational visit or a donkey ride. If you include both in your trip plans, you can consider them as separate activities rather than a single offering.

Annual festivals on the calendar

For a culturally focused stay, the recurring festival dates offer a specific time to plan around. The annual pilgrimage to Saint-Antoine de Padoue takes place on 13 June and the following Sunday. The annual Saint-Eloi festival falls on the first Sunday in August. It features decorated horses and couples in Provençal dress. The two traditions therefore differ both in their dates and in the elements described: horses and couples in traditional dress are central to the Saint-Eloi festival, while the pilgrimage takes place on two set days in June. If you would like to tie your trip to one of these dates, plan accordingly.

Discover more destinations: La Barben, Pont De Crau Arles, Les Baux-De-Provence, Paradou, Plan-D'orgon, Port-Saint-Louis-Du-Rhône, Carro, Gémenos

Return to the regional travel overview: Bouches Du Rhone.