"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) by following the D907, D14 and D5 which cross the villages of Reillanne and Vachères.

Manosque
• Historic city center
• Saunerie and Soubeyran Gates
• Saint-Sauveur Church
• Private mansions
• La Paraïs, the house and garden of the writer Jean Giono (opening on 23/05 2026)
• Mont d'Or Hill (remains of a 10th-century castle)
• L'Occitane factory, garden and boutique
• Vannades lake
• Olivette Mill
• La Thomassine: orchards and conservatory gardens
• Randoland (fun tour circuit to discover with the family)

Reillane
• Characterful houses with monumental staircases
• 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, dedicated to Saint Christopher (13th century)
• Pierre Martel Museum: paleontology and archaeology.

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.

Revest du Bion
• Chapel of Our Lady of Ortiguière
• Remains of the Church of Saint-Pierre (11th/12th century) 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.

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
• Sisteronnais Country Ecomuseum
• Randoland (fun tour circuit to discover with the family)
• Sisteron-Bourg Citadel (family hike with a circuit suitable for all ages)
• Little Citadel train
• Storytelling Trail and High Word Trail in the Land of Talking Rocks
• Via Ferrata of the Grande Fistoire

Aubignosc
• Saint-Julien Church (17th century)
• Hamlet of Forest: wash house, Renaissance-style house, Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (18th century)

Peyruis
• Saint-Roch Parlatan Fountain and the Portal
• Church of Saint Nicholas (15th century) and Saint Roch (18th century)
• Remains of the feudal castle and keep (12th century)
• 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 main road, the D4096, which leads from Sisteron to Manosque, running alongside the Durance River. Continue along the D4096 towards La Brillanne (13 km). To the right, a glimpse of the village of Lurs, perched on its rocky spur, comes into view. Cross through La Brillanne before returning to Manosque. He escapes from Peyruis and stops at a roadside inn about two kilometers before La Brillanne, roughly below the village of Lurs. From there, he crosses a village marked by an avenue of plane trees; this is La Brillanne. He arrives in Manosque at nightfall; he had left the inferno of Sisteron two days earlier.

Type : Loop

Distance : 145km