Circular route in the Barry Massif starting from Bollène

This circular route takes us on a journey through time, via the Château de Chabrières and the troglodytic hamlet of the same name, of which a few traces remain, the unique Grotte de l'Ermite cave, and the village of Barry, part of which has already been beautifully restored.
This route keeps us sheltered from the Mistral wind most of the time and often takes us through woodland, offering magnificent panoramic views of the Rhône valley, Mont Ventoux, the Dentelles de Montmirail and the Baronnies.
However, be sure to wear sturdy footwear as the terrain is often rocky. There is also a short, somewhat exposed section under the Château de Chabrières.
As the Barry massif is criss-crossed by numerous paths, we recommend using the app's GPS.

Details

39215820
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.66 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 248 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 242 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 272 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 150 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Bollène (84500)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 44.315196° / E 4.759218°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3039ET, 3040OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

From the Saint-Pierre district in Bollène, take the Montée du Barry to the barrier prohibiting vehicle access. Park on either side of the road.

(S/E) Go past the barrier and climb the path on the right marked "vers B4 et B3" (not shown on the IGN map). The path (stairs, ropes) is steep. You will reach a crossroads with a clear view of the village of Barry and its castle.

(1) Continue towards B4 and B3, turning right to take a passage carved into the rock.
Reach marker B4 and turn left onto a path where carts have carved furrows into the rock. Continue to marker B3.

(2) Continue to the right. When you reach a signpost, take the path on the right towards Château de Chabrières direct. Walk through the pine and oak woods. At times, they offer glimpses of beautiful panoramic views. At the next fork, turn right (look for a sign indicating "B3 Village troglodytique" in the opposite direction). At thesecond fork, keep to the right and follow the main path, which passes by a large rock with a pine tree growing across it.

(3) Turn 90° to the left. On the right, next to a large rock, there is a beautiful view of the ruins of Chabrières Castle. Ignore the next three paths on the right and follow thefourth, which is more clearly marked and indicated by a cairn and a green and black mark on a tree trunk.
Continue downhill in the same direction. On the left, the rocks form a viewpoint, then the path curves to the right and quickly leads to the castle. Caution: there is a risk of falling rocks if you descend below the castle.

(4) Walk along the right-hand side and descend until you reach the green Château de Chabrières 226m signpost. Descend towards the Château route, marked in green. You will reach a flat rock offering a vast viewpoint, then descend to the left.
Caution: take care on this exposed section on the rock, which is fairly short but can be daunting.
Enter the undergrowth. On the flat section, turn left and then leave the green markings, continuing straight ahead and ignoring the green cross. Go up to the left at the fork to follow a path that runs along the cliff.
Climb a large step on a rock, then walk below the ruins of the hamlet of Chabrières. You will come to a fork above a house.

(5) Take the main path on the left. A little further on, still on the left, you will find a wooden sign indicating the Grotte de l'Ermite (Hermit's Cave). Go there and back. Return to the main path and go around the hill. Descend to the right at the fork, then left onto a sandy path. You will reach another fork.

(6) Turn left and climb to the right until you reach the plateau on the Rocher des Trois Pigeons, where you will find a well-marked path. Take it to the left. Follow it and begin a steep climb. At the next T-junction, turn left. Continue straight ahead on the rock, then left at the rocks. Then follow the cart tracks carved into the rock. You will reach the crossroads of the path leading to the Enclume climbing site.

(7) Take it to the left to explore the site. Don't hesitate to walk around and admire the enormous rocks that stand there. You can make a U-turn by going to the edge of the cliff (panoramic view) and then returning to the trail. Take the trail again and quickly turn right heading north at the crossroads (turning left will take you back to Chabrières Castle). You will reach marker B12.

(8) Turn left, then right at the next fork onto mountain bike trails 8 and 9. Reach asecond B12 marker and turn right. Reach athird B12 marker and turn left.
At the next marker, keep right and follow mountain bike trails 8 and 9.
At marker 11, continue straight ahead.
At marker 10, turn left then straight ahead towards mountain bike trails 8 and 9.
When you reach a new marker indicating "Return to troglodyte village", turn left. Further on, continue straight ahead, following the signs for mountain bike trails 8 and 9. Return to the crossroads you passed on the way out. Turn right to find marker B3.

(2) At marker B3, continue straight ahead on the rock and then find a path that continues slightly to the right. You will arrive at a crossroads where there are two signs: keep following signs 8 and 9 for mountain bikes or follow the yellow signs. The mountain bike signs 8 and 9 lead to the entrance of a tunnel (actually the entrance to an underground aqueduct). The yellow signs lead above the entrance to this tunnel.

(9) Climb above the aqueduct to reach marker B2. Turn left to descend towards the troglodytic village of Barry. Here you have two options:
- after a section of ruined wall, descend to the left through a restored part of the village to reach the car park below, if the restoration work in progress allows it (then turn left when you reach the fountain-wash house and then right onto the tarmac road until you reach the barrier),
- continue downhill to a green post, which is marked on the map, indicating the recently refurbished orientation tables on the right, above a 180° view of the Rhône valley. Then continue following the cart tracks in the rock to go around the troglodyte village on the left before admiring and visiting the restored houses that are open to the public. After the fountain-wash house, join the tarmac road.

Turn right and retrace your steps to return to the car park in front of the barrier (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 181 m - Car park in front of the barrier at the end of Montée de Barry.
  2. 1 : km 0.17 - alt. 210 m - Towards B4 and B3
  3. 2 : km 0.45 - alt. 237 m - Marker B3
  4. 3 : km 1.82 - alt. 254 m - T-junction after a large rock
  5. 4 : km 2.41 - alt. 227 m - Pole - Château de Chabrières
  6. 5 : km 3.16 - alt. 163 m - Towards the Hermit's Cave
  7. 6 : km 3.71 - alt. 169 m - Low stone walls
  8. 7 : km 4.33 - alt. 225 m - Site de l'Enclume
  9. 8 : km 5.03 - alt. 226 m - Marker B12
  10. 9 : km 7.13 - alt. 239 m - Entrance to a tunnel
  11. S/E : km 8.66 - alt. 181 m - Parking in front of the barrier.

Notes

The description of the route may seem long and tedious, but the number of trails that intersect in the area without always being marked on the IGN map requires, in my opinion, all these details. Of course, GPS will provide considerable security.

Worth a visit

Before (5), you may see caves and the remains of troglodyte dwellings, partly hidden by vegetation.
After (5), visit the Grotte de l'Ermite (Hermit's Cave) and take the time to read the information panel.
Between (9) and (S/E) The restoration work underway since December 2021 is particularly remarkable, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.
For more information, visit the website of the association recognised as being of general interest for the preservation of the Barry massif.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
grahawi
grahawi ★

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike. Thank you to the author.
The route itself wasn't very busy, but there were quite a few people around the village.
Without the GPX track, I would have had some orientation problems.
Currently, signs indicate that access to the Barry site is prohibited and the Visorando app announces a seasonal closure, but there are no problems on most of the route. Towards the end, access to the troglodyte village is prohibited, but there is a way to bypass the site and see much of the village from an accessible path. Don't be discouraged!

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pviltard
pviltard

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike but a lack of signage!

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Sherpa64
Sherpa64

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Done in very hot weather but very early in the morning, a little tough because even though there is plenty of shade and cool places to visit, it faces south, so cooler weather is preferable.
Lots of interesting places, worth returning to for a leisurely stroll.
No problems with parking and didn't see many people, but I think it must be busier at other times of year.
Didn't go as far as the hermit's cave, but everything else was very pleasant, especially the accessible and beautifully restored troglodyte village.
Thank you for this wonderful discovery.

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Petitcrunch77
Petitcrunch77

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike. Not recommended in summer.

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Chantal53
Chantal53

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, enjoyable and interesting hike, but what a disappointment on the way back... a ticket from the municipal police on the kerb, even though we were parked before the barrier on the right!
A word of warning to future hikers!

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Lisa26
Lisa26

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike sheltered from the mistral wind, but you need to have the Visiorando app with GPS because there are many trails around this circular route. When you reach Chabrière Castle, the path becomes difficult and poorly marked. We had to go around this section, but with the GPS we were able to do so easily.

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Sandrine.B
Sandrine.B

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent, very easy route with no difficulties and lots to see. We loved the tunnel that comes out just after Barry Castle. We were there during the week and there were people around the village and castle, but we had the rest of the route to ourselves.

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Jo1
Jo1

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike that I would classify as moderately difficult. Magnificent views, varied and lush vegetation at this time of year with wonderful scents! We came across a few mountain bikers. I highly recommend this beautiful walk.

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NOAMCHACHA
NOAMCHACHA

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful and interesting hike for people like us who were unfamiliar with the troglodyte village.
The VISORANDO app was useful for following the hike because, as mentioned in the description, there are many trails.

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