Orgon combines museum exhibits on geology, palaeontology, archaeology and ornithology with hiking trails that reveal its natural and architectural heritage. For planning, it helps to distinguish between the themed Sentier de la Pierre on the one hand and a circular walking route with climbs and stairs on the other.
Museum and Natural Heritage
The Musée Urgonia presents Orgon’s geological, palaeontological, archaeological and ornithological heritage. Its themes include thirteen protected bird species that can be observed in the Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles. In this way, the museum links the regional park’s birdlife with geological and archaeological topics.
Traces of Local History
In the 12th century, the Château du Duc de Guise was a well-known military fortress tasked with monitoring the Durance Valley. The Porte de l’Hortet is Orgon’s oldest town gate and dates from the 13th century. The two structures offer different historical points of reference: military surveillance of the valley and the town gate.
The chapels also have their own distinctive character. The 15th-century Chapelle Saint-Gervais is close to a hiking trail through a pine landscape near Orgon. The Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Beauregard is a very ancient place of worship dedicated to Mary. As a pilgrimage site, it was visited occasionally by travellers passing through and regularly by Orgon residents.
Two Hiking Trails, Different Focuses
The developed and marked Sentier de la Pierre complements a visit to the Musée Urgonia. It showcases Orgon’s geological heritage and leads to various geosites in their natural surroundings, as well as to architectural heritage. The diversity of flora and fauna in different natural habitats is another highlight. This trail therefore brings geology, nature and architectural history together.
“Des Calvaires et des Oratoires” is a circular walking route with climbs and stairs. It follows paths, often with scenic views, along the eastern edge of the Alpilles. Unlike the Sentier de la Pierre, the focus here is on the circular route, its changes in elevation and the views along the way.
If you mainly want to explore geological sites and their natural surroundings, the Sentier de la Pierre offers a suitable thematic focus. By contrast, “Des Calvaires et des Oratoires” offers a different kind of hike, with climbs, stairs and sections that often have scenic views. These features can help you choose a route based on what you want to see, without treating the two trails as the same.
Plan a Group Tour
Commented tours of the Musée Urgonia and the Sentier de la Pierre are available by reservation for groups of four or more. If you are planning a tour, remember to make a reservation as part of your preparations. The two destinations offer different points of interest for a guided visit: the museum’s broad range of heritage and the geosites, habitats and architecture along the Sentier de la Pierre.
Discover more destinations: Rognes, La Penne-Sur-Huveaune, Boulbon, Ventabren, La Destrousse, Mouriès, Plan-D'orgon, Paluds De Noves.
For the wider travel overview: Bouches Du Rhone.
