Le Beaucet: Château, hiking trails and local produce
Accommodation in Le Beaucet
Le Beaucet offers several specific points of interest to help you plan your trip: the Château, a range of hiking options and local produce. When planning your stay, you can organize your days around spending time on the esplanade, going for a hike or learning more about local agriculture. These highlights can also provide a useful starting point when looking for a hotel in Le Beaucet.
Landscape and nature
Le Beaucet lies on the southern edge of the Monts de Vaucluse and on the edge of the Luberon Regional Natural Park. A specific botanical feature can be found around the Barbarenque washhouse: there, Epipactis parviflora forms a pink carpet of flowers. Broad landscape features and a clearly identified plant to look out for can thus be found side by side.
The Château du Beaucet
The Château du Beaucet was already in existence in 1160 under the name “castrum de Balcio”. The Château esplanade is open daily: from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in winter and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in summer. Admission is free. As opening hours are important when planning a visit, it is advisable to check the latest information before travelling.
You can reach the Château on foot from the Jean Robert car park. Alternatively, the Chemin de l’Alouette leads there from the upper village. The two route descriptions offer different starting points for planning. This information concerns access to the Château; the opening hours above apply to the esplanade.
Distinguishing between hikes and destinations
The GR de pays-Tour des Monts de Vaucluse long-distance trail passes through Le Beaucet, giving you the chance to discover the village. The GR 91 provides access to Saint Gens. Another option is the “Circuit pédestre - Pierre sèche et source miraculeuse” circular walk: it takes three hours, follows level terrain and passes through a landscape of greenery and dry-stone walls.
When choosing a route, you can compare the destinations and time information given: the GR de pays-Tour passes through the village, the GR 91 provides access to Saint Gens, and you can allow three hours for the circular walk. Check local trail conditions before setting off. This keeps your time planning tied to the stated duration of the circular walk, rather than applying it to the other trails.
Cherry season and truffles
Cherries are Le Beaucet’s main agricultural product. The various varieties include Burlat, Summit, Van and Belge; they ripen from mid-May to mid-July. The quality of the cherries is recognized under the designation “Cerise des Monts de Venasque”. If your trip falls within this period, you can plan around the cherry season as a seasonal feature of your stay.
In addition, the climate and calcareous soils favor the presence of Tuber melanosporum, which can still be found growing wild at the foot of oak trees. Cherries and truffles represent two different local specialties: the named cherry varieties and their ripening period, and the truffles found beneath oak trees. Both add an agricultural and natural perspective on Le Beaucet to its history and hiking trails.
Discover more destinations: Jonquières, Valreas, Gignac, Joucas, Monteux, Puget, Faucon, Le Pontet.
For the regional travel overview: Vaucluse.
