Balcon de Sainte-Colombe via the Col de Saint-Ange

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The first part of this hike (up to Beynaves) is not particularly interesting but is pleasant up to Le Chiquet. After that, the climb is very steep and the path disappears into the vegetation on the way to the viewpoint. The descent starts well but ends without a trail, so you have to find your way along the track that leads to the botanical trail. The rest of the route is well marked and the ridges are very beautiful, even if at the beginning it is quite steep with a bit of gas and a place where you have to use your hands. The descent to Sainte Colombe in the forest is magnificent.

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Date of your route : Apr 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike where the most interesting part starts from Beynaves (6), the climb to Col St Ange (7), the crossing on the ridge and the descent to Ste Colombe.
However, the first part up to Les Chiquets (2) is fine as you follow a balcony trail. But then you climb up a forest track that is uninteresting and cluttered to reach Terac (3) thanks to the geolocation of the Visorando app, and you descend a path that is not too badly marked at the beginning but ends up being rough.
After doing this hike, reading the reviews and considering the difficulties encountered, I recommend not going via Les Chiquets. Instead, do as Bernardino suggests (see reviews): from the Ste Colombe car park, walk along the track to Beynaves and then continue the hike.

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Date of your route : Mar 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

difficult between points 3 and 5
no longer a path to reach the first ridge due to logging
once you reach this ridge, follow it (slightly downhill) to reach a pass
From the pass, find a vague trail and descend it to the marked path (this path is no longer marked at all towards the bottom)
After that, it's all good, and the ridge after the Col de l'Ange is magnificent
with a hiking app, you'll be fine
Without it, it's more difficult

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Richermi05

Could you add a small warning to your description and, if possible, ask future hikers to provide as much information as possible in the comments?
Thank you.

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I am the author of this hike as well as others. As previously stated, conditions on the ground change over time. I am no longer able to update this hike, but it would be good if the most recent participants could share their tracks to update it. This route is quite popular and deserves to exist.

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Richermi05

Only the author of the hike can update it... Would you like us to unpublish it?

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This trail is now five years old, so it is quite possible that the route has changed. It is becoming increasingly difficult to stray from marked trails. I map routes based on IGN map data before reconnaissance. These random trails are now often overgrown or closed by landowners. Please make the necessary changes to correct this hike, in the hope that it remains feasible.

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Date of your route : Sep 13, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note

above the wood chips (point 2), the path is closed off by a fence and then, up to point 3, there is an ascent through woodcutting debris; there is no longer a path. Similarly, in places on the descent between points 4 and 5, there are no markings. I do not know if this part of the route is still authorised.

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Date of your route : Aug 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Be careful at the top, at levels 3 and 4 on the route. Intensive logging in the forest has somewhat obscured the path... go straight up to the ridge, then head left to find the downhill trail.
Otherwise, it's very beautiful.

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Date of your route : Jun 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

An excellent route, which we shortened by taking the Beynaves forest road from Sainte Colombe to reach the Beynaves car park and then Col Saint Ange.
When crossing the ridge, you obviously need to pay attention to a few very short rocky sections, but there is no real danger. There are no significant drops and the path is excellent throughout, although in wet weather the rocky sections should be tackled with caution.
Thyme lovers can stock up on this herb for delicious winter herbal teas.

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Date of your route : Jun 04, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A fabulous ridge. We did the route backwards on the advice of a resident of Ste Colombe, getting quite lost (the path between the forest house and Les Chiquets has disappeared) and ending up in Orpierre (coming back down via the GR). Sometimes it's good to get lost, there's an excellent terrace there!

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See my previous reply. Sorry, I'm a fan of unmarked trails, but it's true that because they are rarely used, the vegetation is increasingly taking over.

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Date of your route : Jun 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Poorly marked direction, no fork between points 2 and 3, forest cut down and trail non-existent, impossible to find without GPS. However, after point 5, the markings are correct and the end of the hike is beautiful.

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I know that, and that's what makes your hikes so interesting. I've also climbed La Platte, which is also really interesting away from the overcrowded paths.

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This trail and description date back to November 2016. Unfortunately, outside of the classic marked trails, on many unofficial, less-travelled routes (which is the purpose of my itineraries), there are often no markers and vegetation is increasingly taking over. Before setting off, it is a good idea to check reviews that take into account changes in the terrain.

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