Sports & Nature

In Rians

Walking, running, hiking and cycling

We have lots of suggestions for all of the above, in and near Rians. There is a lot of beautiful tracks and paths which you can easily reach directly from the house. It´s possible to rent bicycles in Rians.

Tennis, petanque (boule), gym

There are two tennis courts in Rians, we have a key for those and you can pay directly by putting 10€ (per hour) in the Tennis Club´s mailbox right next to the courts. If you don´t bring your own equipment, we have two rackets and tennis balls which you can use.

Of course there´s a so called Boulodrome in Rians, like in almost every village. The game is actually called Petanque and it´s definitely the national sport of Provence. The boulodrome is not confined, you can play whenever you want and we have the equipment necessary for you.

In Rians there´s also a small but well equipped gym. If you want to, it´s possible to get a week pass (single day pass is not possible) where you pay directly to the club. It´s very important to bring a medical certificate, you´re not allowed to work out in the gym without that. For more information regarding the gym, contact us.

Other things in the surrounding area

Canoeing/pedalboat in Lac du Ste Croix & Gorges du Verdon

Coming from Moustiers St Marie you drive south towards the lake Lac du Ste Croix and after the bridge you take a right to the big parking lot. Right next to the parking you will find several rental sites where you can rent pedalboats and canoes. Rent a boat for two or three hours and enter the beautiful and breathtaking Gorges du Verdon with its turquoise water. This is one thing we highly recommend – it´s just fantastic!

Walking, running, hiking and cycling

Apart from Rians there are lots of beautiful places where you really can experience the outdoors in the best possible way.

The mountain Saint-Victoire is situated almost around the corner from Rians. You could say this is one of the symbols of Provence, the major landmark of the Aix-en-Provence region and made famous by the painter Cezanne who lived all his adult life on the mountainside. Another of the landmarks, Sainte Baume, we´ve already described under section Art & Culture. Down by the Mediterranean Sea you´ll find the famous Calanques, which are a series of rocky cliffs and bays between the city of Marseille and the town of Cassis. They’re essentially inlets that have been formed in the limestone cliffs, leaving behind a series of beautiful little bays. In summertime you can´t park close to the Calanques and the hiking is quite hard – but well worth it!

Golf

There is a large selection of attractive golf courses in the area. The nearest course is about 30 minutes from Rians and is called Golf de la Sainte Baume, of course at the foot of the famous mountain.

Lavender in Valensole

The Lavender Fields at Valensole are the largest and most well-known fields in the world. The lavender flowers bloom from late June to mid-August, with July being the best time to visit. To see miles and miles of almost endless purple fields is truly a breathtaking experience. At all of the farms you can buy oils, soaps, perfumes – well almost everything with the scent of lavender you can imagine.

Camargue

Camargue is an area between the city of Arles and the town of St Marie de la Mer. In this landscape of ponds and lagoons, horses and bulls roam freely amongst the pink flamingos and hundreds of other animal and bird species. Discover it on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle. Camargue is classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.