Around the Haute Gillarde springs

A pleasant walk, accessible to all, where you can take your children along, under supervision of course.
The trickier sections are protected. Take your time.
Enjoy the view of the crushing foothills of Dévoluy and discover an unusual phenomenon: the resurgent source of Haute Gillarde and its confluence with La Souloise.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.07 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 312 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 306 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 963 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 793 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The car park at the entrance to the hamlet of La Posterle was chosen because of its location, which, unlike the main car park at Les Sources, does not attract many tourists.

(S/E) Take the road north-west, past the chapel. At the fountain, turn left onto the path. Cross the Posterle stream and continue along the track opposite.

(1) Junction. Continue on the main track opposite. Ignore the path on your left (yellow markings). Arrive at a crossroads (mark 812m) track, paths, continue on the track.

(2) (Mark 907m). Leave the track and turn left onto the downhill path (yellow markings).
Follow the signs for "Les Gillardes" and then "Les Gillardes variante", which will take you to the river.
At the Sources site, take time to visit it all: the resurgence, the confluence and the surrounding undergrowth.

(3) Retrace your steps a few metres. Follow the signs for "Pellafol La Posterle" or "Monestier d'Ambert" on the left bank of the river. Cross the river at the first footbridge, continue along the right bank, the track following the D217 road for a few metres until you reach a new, more marked track.

(4) Take the uphill track and follow it for a few hundred metres before leaving it for the path on the left. You'll come to the Infernet site (approach with caution), a gorge which you can cross via the footbridge to rejoin the left bank. Continue up to the top of the "diversion" and descend to the level of the river.

(5) Head south-east on the Sentier de découverte, towards Le Grand Cros (ignore the left-hand path and the footbridge on your right). The path runs along the left bank.
From Le Cros du Moulin, the trail will take you a little over 1.5km to a fork in the paths.

(6) Take care! Take the path uphill on your left. Leave the direction of Grand Cros by taking the path uphill on your left to complete your ascent. At the top, you come to a large agricultural field, follow it along the edge, past an antenna and a cross to the D537 road, which leads to the hamlet of La Posterle, the parking area for the start.(S/E

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 957 m - Easy parking with no particular constraints
  2. 1 : km 0.89 - alt. 839 m - 1st intersection
  3. 2 : km 2.35 - alt. 906 m - Leaving the track...
  4. 3 : km 3.33 - alt. 876 m - We start the return journey...
  5. 4 : km 4.17 - alt. 858 m - Exit the main track to the left
  6. 5 : km 5.64 - alt. 809 m - Le QuicetPrendre Le grand Cros - Souloise (rivière)
  7. 6 : km 7.07 - alt. 879 m - An intersection not to be missed...
  8. S/E : km 8.07 - alt. 961 m - Easy parking with no particular constraints

Practical information

Low mountain boots with good soles, water, map, gps, description, just in case.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 25 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
farfadet42
farfadet42

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : May 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very good idea to do the circuit in this direction (and not to start from the springs): the discoveries are more and more beautiful and interesting as the walk goes on.

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Degiusti
Degiusti
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Very shady route with refreshing sections. A great walk.

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Manu R
Manu R

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : May 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

An easy hike, very pleasant in hot weather because it's in the forest.
The end is a bit uphill but overall it's fairly straightforward.
Please note that a stage described (1) on visio rando mentions a fork with yellow markings. Don't pay any attention to the colour of the markings, which at the moment tend to be blue! The IGN map isn't fine enough to show exactly where the fork is.
Thanks in any case to Visorando

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Juliette_22
Juliette_22

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Apr 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A superb hike I did in April, starting from the Sources car park (not very busy at that time of year). As a beginner who took several breaks, it took me 4.5 hours to complete the loop. The waterfalls and stream are magnificent. However, beware of the forestry work that sometimes takes place.

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Jon et Michelle
Jon et Michelle

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

We had a wonderful time.....This is a magnificent site! The walk is easy!
We took a wrong turn at one of the junctions.....

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Guy M.
Guy M.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

magnificent

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Guy M.
Guy M.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

I loved this walk with my 6 year old daughter, the springs are magnificent, the route very well signposted, really worth doing.

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medaral
medaral

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A great trail with beautiful views of the river and the resurgences. A must!

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Vincentdesgms
Vincentdesgms

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb hike in glorious weather. The spring and some parts of the river are spectacular.
A steep descent at the start and a very long ascent at the end. Some sections are a bit strenuous, but the path is well laid out, well maintained and safe. Be sure to follow the route, as some of the junctions are not so easy. The best way to do this is with the GPS track.

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apherve
apherve
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Very nice walk, made in mid-June 2023, after the rains, the spring had a magnificent flow, amazing blue water, superb rocks, no difficulties, easy route.
Thank you for a great time.

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louve.ttt
louve.ttt

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

We did this walk today in wet weather, as a break between two more complicated hikes.
The scenery was really superb, and apart from the last little climb at the end, which was a little steep, there were no particular difficulties to report.
The tricky sections are well supervised, so there's nothing to worry about.
Just be careful at the "les gillardes" junction, where you have to take the path on the far left that leads downhill. The position of the signs is confusing!

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Tramp
Tramp

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Nice signposted walk, sometimes a bit confused and faulty
It goes downhill quickly at the start, so it's a bit hard uphill on the way back.
In short, we're a bit tired on the way back, but that's the price of hiking.

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Lyric83
Lyric83

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 05, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

It's the perfect way to take in the surrounding high peaks.
Refreshing with magnificent scenery
Thank you

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luslac
luslac

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : May 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Big loop on 22 May after the rains. The springs had a large flow and it was exceptionally beautiful.
We set off from the springs car park, which wasn't very busy because the weather was grey. The signposting was perfect. We liked the information panels on the fauna, flora and history all along the route, which are very legible and self-explanatory.

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Missbibi
Missbibi

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Description not always clear, we didn't get to the springs. Otherwise a pleasant walk.
The return long climb to specify that you must take the climb barred to reach the field. Otherwise not easy.
I'd still do it again ....:

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