Hiking around the Sainte-Victoire
All around Aix-en-Provence you can see the mountain named Sainte-Victoire. It’s top with a huge cross on it, is an icon for every Aixoise or Aixois. I have come to love this spot so much, that it really feels like coming home when I see it. Popular as it is in the Provence, there are many walks possible, from several places to start. If you would like a few hints of kid-friendly hikes around the Sainte-Victoire, feel free to read this post.
It depends on your kids condition (and mood!) how long you’re able to hike. Going to the top is quite a big hike, I consider my kids (6 and 4) too young (ok and a bit too lazy) for it. But there is nothing wrong with a bit of training! Nice places to go to with kid(s) are Barage du Bimont and Parc Departemental Roques-Hautes.
Barage du Bimont
After a beautiful drive out of the city of Aix, you can park your car and immediately be astonished with the beautiful view over mountains. Just outside the parking you see a kiosk with information on routes. At this point you can already take out your camera because the Barage du Bimont is really impressive dam. It was build between 1946 en 1952 to hold the water coming from the Verdon and is massive, 87m high and 180m long. 
We walked an easy route that led us from the Barage to a big plateau, which is a great place for picnic by the way. Except when it is steamy hot, at that point you’d better be the lucky occupant of a picnic table in the shadow. At the plateau (with more stunning views) we made a turn and walked to the Barage again. It was a perfect hike with our little ones. You could even take a sporty stroller along on this route.
Parc Départemental Roques-Hautes
Coming from the Beaureceuil area, you can leave your car at parking l’Aurignon to enter another beautiful kid-friendly hike area around Sainte-Victoire. All of course depending on your kid, you could opt for the blue lined 7km hike (look for the sign). There is about 200m hight difference, but I have to say that I was impressed with my kids walking the whole trail. On the plateau you find some very cute educational kids-checkpoints. We had these supermarket give away Frozen cards, which were perfect to check.
This hike isn’t strollerproof, but my friend walked almost every possible Sainte-Victoire trail with her baby in the carrier.
When you are looking for a good guide for other kid-friendly hikes around Aix-en-Provence, I would recommend you my new (French) hike bible ‘Le P’tit Crapahut, Autour de Aix-en-Provence et Marseille’ (Bellon et al, 2017). The authors describe more then 50 hikes in the surroundings and select them by level of difficulty. Just perfect!
