Long traverse Jura · Alps · Mediterranean and Provence
GR9GR9 From the Jura to the Mediterranean
From Saint-Amour to Port-Grimaud, the GR9 crosses the Jura, the Pre-Alps and Provence to finish on the shores of the Mediterranean, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
976 km 606.5 mi53 stages34,450 m 113,025 ft ascentHigh point 1,883 m 6,178 ftSaint-Amour → Port-Grimaud
0 m500 m1,000 m1,500 m2,000 m0 km200 km400 km600 km800 km11020304050High point 1,883 m
Elevation profile: from 2 m to 1,856 m over 976.4 km.
The GR9 at a glance
The GR9 links Saint-Amour, a small town in the southern Jura, to Port-Grimaud, on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. The FFRandonnée calls it “from the Jura to the Var” and describes it as a gentle descent towards the Mediterranean: the Jura mountains, the Pre-Alps, the Drôme Provençale and then the great limestone massifs of Provence follow one another over weeks of walking.
In the Jura, the trail starts from the plain and the Sud Revermont, crosses the Petite Montagne and the Pays des Lacs, passes close to the Lac de Vouglans and through Moirans-en-Montagne, follows the Bienne valley and then reaches the viewpoints of the Haut-Jura as far as Mijoux. It then crosses the Rhône at Culoz, tackles the Chartreuse and the Hauts de Chartreuse nature reserve, then the Vercors and the Diois.
Further south, it enters Provence via the Drôme Provençale and the Baronnies, passes Mont Ventoux, the Pays de Sault and the Luberon, then the Sainte-Victoire so dear to Cézanne. In the Var, it climbs the Huveaune valley from Saint-Zacharie, crosses the Sainte-Baume and its white cliffs, then the Maures massif and its cork oaks before reaching the sea again.
Very long, the GR9 is usually walked in large sections. It is for self-sufficient hikers, ready to take on one mid-mountain range after another and, in Provence, to cope with the heat, the scarcity of water and the summer rules on access to the forested hills.
Highlights
A complete crossing, from the Jura mountains to the shores of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
The lakes and viewpoints of the Jura, from the Lac de Vouglans to the ridges of the Haut-Jura.
The great Pre-Alpine massifs of the Chartreuse and the Vercors.
Mont Ventoux and the Luberon, at the gateway to Provence.
The Sainte-Victoire and the Sainte-Baume, two iconic mountains of Provence.
The cork oak forests of the Maures, the last massif before the sea.
Practical information
Start
Saint-Amour
Saint-Amour has an SNCF station on the TER line between Bourg-en-Bresse and Lons-le-Saunier. The Jura department’s route guide advises parking at the station, a convenient starting point for the trail.
Finish
Port-Grimaud
Port-Grimaud, at the head of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, has no railway station. Regional coaches link the gulf to the stations on the Var coast, from where you can rejoin the TER and TGV network.
When to go
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The Jura, the Chartreuse and the Vercors can be walked from late spring to fall, outside the snow season. The Provençal section is best enjoyed in spring and fall: in summer, the heat and the closure of the hills because of fire risk make it difficult.
Difficulty
Challenging
No high mountains, but a very long succession of mid-mountain massifs with marked climbs, especially in the Chartreuse, the Vercors and on the Ventoux. In Provence, the heat and the lack of water add to the effort.
According to the FFRandonnée, accommodation is mainly in refuges and gîtes; hotels, B&Bs and campgrounds complete the choice, especially in the Jura. Some mountain establishments close out of season: check opening times and book ahead.
Rules to know
In Provence, from June to September, access to the forested hills is regulated by prefectoral order according to the fire risk; in the Bouches-du-Rhône and the Var, from June 1 to September 30, with maps available from the evening before. In the Sainte-Baume, fires and stoves are forbidden all year round in the forest and up to 200 meters from it, and bivouacking requires the landowner’s consent. In the Jura, biotope protection orders cover certain cliffs, and the Hauts de Chartreuse nature reserve has its own regulations.
Water and supplies
In the Jura and the Pre-Alps, villages and gîtes let you stock up regularly. In Provence, carry large reserves of water, especially in fine weather. In fall 2026, the GR9 is diverted in the Jura to bypass a rockfall near the Lac d’Antre: see the diversion map published by Jura Tourisme.
The GR9 on the map
The 53 stages
TrekGR stage plan: each stage ends where you can sleep. Actual walking time excluding breaks (DIN 33466 standard).
Split the GR9 into large sections and choose the season according to the region: mountains in summer, Provence in spring or fall.
Between June and September, check the prefecture’s access map for the hills every evening before the Provençal stages.
Take mid-mountain gear for the Jura, the Chartreuse and the Vercors, where the weather can change quickly.
In pastures, keep your dog on a leash, stay away from the herds and close the gates.
Book gîtes and refuges in advance, as they are sometimes far apart.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the GR9 start and finish?
It starts in Saint-Amour, in the Jura, and ends in Port-Grimaud, in the Var, on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez (FFRandonnée).
Which regions does the GR9 cross?
The Jura up to the Haut-Jura, the Rhône valley at Culoz, the Chartreuse, the Vercors, the Diois, the Drôme Provençale and the Baronnies, the Ventoux, the Luberon, the Sainte-Victoire, the Sainte-Baume and finally the Maures.
Does the GR9 have variants?
Yes. The FFRandonnée mentions in particular the GR91, from Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte to Brantes, and the GR93, from Peyrus to Lus-la-Croix-Haute.
Can you walk the GR9 in summer?
The Jura and Pre-Alps sections are well suited to it. In Provence, however, the heat, the lack of water and the closure of the hills because of fire risk, from June to September, make summer unfavorable.
Is bivouacking allowed on the GR9?
There is no single rule. In the Sainte-Baume, you need the landowner’s consent, and bivouacking is forbidden at red risk level as well as in certain protected sites (Sainte-Baume Regional Nature Park). Elsewhere, check with the municipalities and nature reserves along the way.
Where can you find the GR9 route?
The FFRandonnée refers to MonGR for the route. Several FFRandonnée topoguides cover its northern sections, from the Jura to the Vercors, the Diois and the Baronnies.
Route: OpenStreetMap contributors. Elevation: IGN’s RGE ALTI®, one point every 50 m. Text checked on November 10, 2026.
