"In the footsteps of the Hussar", departing from Manosque

Follow in the footsteps of the Hussar on the roof, from Manosque to Sisteron.
Breathe the air of Provence, take part in the adventure, like the wanderings and rides of a Piedmontese hussar colonel in 1938.

Itinerary:
Angelo begins by asking a peasant woman for the road to Banon, who then shows him the direction to follow. From Manosque, take the road to
Banon (40 km) following the D907, D14 and D5 which cross the villages of Reillanne and Vachères.
Points of interest:
Manosque
• Historic city center
• Saunerie and Soubeyran Gates
• Saint-Sauveur Church
• Private mansions
• Jean Giono Cultural Center
• Mont d'Or Hill (remains of a castle from the
10th century)
• L'Occitane factory, garden and museum
• Vannades lake
• Olivette Mill
• House of Biodiversity - La Thomassine
• Randoland (fun tour circuit to discover
with family)

Reillane
• Character houses with staircases
monumental
• Covered passages, squares, doors, fountains
• Saint-Denis Chapel (18th c.)
• Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (11th century)
• Saint-Pierre Tower (11th century)
• Remains of the ramparts and fortified gates
• Sundial

Cowherds
• The Grand Portal (16th / 18th c.)
• Parish church, under the name of
Saint Christopher (13th century)
• Pierre Martel Museum: paleontology and
archeology.

Continue towards Revest du Bion, via the D950, then turn right onto the D18 and the D546 towards Séderon. Pass the Pas de Redortiers, it is here that the Hussar first encountered cholera.
Points of interest:
Revest du Bion
• Chapel of Our Lady of Ortiguière
• Remains of the Saint-Pierre church (11th / 12th c.)
within the current building

Sederon
• Church (19th c.)
• Gilded copper processional cross
• Chapel of Our Lady of Brune
• Fountain

Take the D542 and D942 to reach Ribiers (57 km). This route, which runs along the Méouge, leads to Sisteron via the D948. After admiring this charming village whose citadel seems to hang on the edge of the cliffs, head towards Aubignosc via the D4085 (21 km). Reach Peyruis (10 km) via the D951 and D801.
Points of interest:
Ribiers
• Communal oven (18th c.)
• Leisure center

Sisteron
• Citadel (13/14th c.)
• Cathedral (12th c.)
• Chapel of Our Lady of Pommiers (13th century)
• Andrones
• Tower of the old ramparts (16th century)
• Archaeological Museum of Old Sisteron
• Sisteronnais Country Ecomuseum
• Scouting Museum
• Randoland (fun tour circuit to discover in
family)
• Sisteron-Bourg Citadel (family hike)
with circuit suitable for all ages)
• Little Citadel train
• Tales Trail and High Words Trail
in the Land of Talking Rocks
• Via Ferrata of the Grande Fistoire

Aubignosc
• Saint-Julien Church (17th century)
• Hameau du Forest: washhouse, traditional house
Renaissance, Church of the Nativity of the
Virgin (18th c.)

Peyruis
• Fountain of the Parlatan of Saint-Roch and the
Portal
• Church of Saint-Nicolas (15th century) and Saint-Roch
(18th c.)
• Remains of the feudal castle and the keep
(12th c.)
• House (17th c.)

In Aubignosc, the Hussar learns that the entrance to Château-Arnoux is blocked. He then avoids the Grand'Route until Peyruis where he is quarantined. He advances towards a large fire where a man is watching the burning of the cholera victims of Sisteron. This man shows him the direction of Marseille, to which Angelo had his back turned, and points out to him north of Sisteron "a pale town and a citadel pressed against a rock")
Like Angelo, emerge onto the Grand'Route, the D4096 which leads from Sisteron to Manosque, along the Durance. Continue along the D4096 towards La Brillanne (13 km). On the right, a glimpse of the village of Lurs, perched on its rocky spur, is offered to you. Cross La Brillanne before returning to Manosque. He escapes from Peyruis and stops at a roadside inn some two kilometers before La Brillanne, roughly below the village of Lurs. From there, he crosses a village announced by an avenue of plane trees; this is La Brillanne. He arrives in Manosque at nightfall; he had left the Sisteron fire two days earlier.

Type : Loop

Distance : 145km