Loop from Bec de l'Orient starting from Montaud

From the village of Montaud, and more precisely from the hamlet of Le Coing, there is an interesting loop via the Fessole farm followed by a path along the edge of the Vercors cliffs.

Details

n°3130849

Creation:
07 Apr 2020

Last update:
14 Nov 2024

Last review:
28 Jul 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 12.74 km
Average duration: 6h 15
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 906 m
Descent: - 906 m
Highest point: 1,607 m
Lowest point: 908 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Vercors, Dauphiné
District: Montaud (Isère) (38210)
Start/End: N 45.248314° / E 5.55199°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3235OT
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Description of the walk

Park in the hamlet of Coing shortly after passing through the village of Montaud.

(S/E) Take the Route du Tunnel de Montaud, then turn right onto the path in the woods. Further on, cut across the tunnel road in a bend and continue straight ahead to reach the Col de Montaud.

(1) Take the right-hand path opposite. At the crossroads in a hairpin bend, continue straight ahead, following a cliff to reach the edge of the woods further on.

(2) Continue through the mountain pasture to quickly reach the Ferme de Fessole.

(3) Turn left onto the ascending path to reach the Pas de Pierre Taillée.

(4) Turn left and start a rollercoaster route with short descents and ascents. Reach the^GR®9crossroads, which is called Sentier de Pierre Taillée here.

(5) Turn left and follow the red and white markings. Keep away from the cliff to reach the Signal de Nave.

(6) Continue almost due north to reach the Bec de l'Orient.

(7) Change direction completely and head east at a 90° angle. Follow the Rochers de la Clé from Pas Brochier to Pas de la Clé.

(8) Leave the^GR® here and begin the descent by taking the path on the left, which may be daunting for those who are afraid of heights. Pass close to the Source de la Clé. Return to the road leading to the tunnel and take it to the left for a few hundred metres. At the first bend, you will come to a crossroads.

(9) Take it on the right, descend into the woods to return to the car park in the hamlet of Coing (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 908 m - Car park in the hamlet of Coing
1 : km 1.56 - alt. 1,067 m - Col de Montaud (1090m)
2 : km 3.77 - alt. 1,355 m - Woodland edge
3 : km 4.62 - alt. 1,425 m - Fessole farm
4 : km 5.27 - alt. 1,585 m - No carved stones
5 : km 5.96 - alt. 1,529 m - GR9 crossroads
6 : km 6.9 - alt. 1,594 m - Signal de Nave
7 : km 8.53 - alt. 1,534 m - Bec de l'Orient - Stèle de l'avion
8 : km 10.29 - alt. 1,511 m - Pas de la Clé
9 : km 11.8 - alt. 1,149 m - Trail junction
S/E : km 12.74 - alt. 908 m - Car park in the hamlet of Coing

Notes

Water sources at the Fessole farm and at the Source de la Clé on the way back.

Worth a visit

Between (6) and (8), there is a pleasant ridge walk in this part of the Vercors offering superb views of the bend in the Isère.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 21 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5

Route interest
4.6 / 5

Cristian

28 Jul 2025 at 08:23 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike recommended during hot weather, the Pré de la Fessolle is very beautiful, the Pas de la Pierre Taillée is easy to navigate, and the return via the Pas de la Clé is just as magnificent.

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nysou

14 Jul 2025 at 10:28 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

just a quick note: the GPX route doesn't follow the path very closely, but as it's well marked, it's not a problem at all.
most of the route is shaded.

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dvivier

02 Jun 2025 at 08:47 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a very beautiful hike with magnificent views of the Alps and the Isère Valley to the west. Much of the route is through woodland, so it can be done in hot weather without suffering from the heat. The "technical" sections at Pas de la Clé are not difficult, but this hike should not be attempted in wet weather as the rock can be slippery in the chimney, which would make it dangerous.
the GPS track is very reliable and there are no navigation issues: we followed it in the direction indicated in the description.
however, the mileage indicated is incorrect because we were (without deviating from the route) a little less than 15 km.

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Anibac

04 May 2025 at 12:51 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike has the advantage of being at a low altitude, close to Grenoble, and offering some of the features of higher altitude hikes (elevation gain, viewpoints, rocks, chimneys, etc.). In my opinion, the Pas de la Clé was much less difficult than the Grand Som or the Pas de la Bergère to climb up to the Moucherotte, but everyone has their own opinion and sensitivity to vertigo. I had to turn back at point 5 because, going in the opposite direction, you mustn't miss the fork in the path. Fortunately, the app's sound alert warned me because I tend to get lost in my thoughts when I'm walking alone! I did it in dry weather, so there were no difficulties. I chose to do it in the opposite direction given the comments about the Pass de la Clé. I think I made the right choice because the climb seemed harder but shorter. I didn't make the 700-metre detour to see the plane because I wanted to make sure I had enough time for the long walk back. I met some fellow walkers at the viewpoints at the key passage, the eastern peak and the ship's signal. Otherwise, there was no one else on the paths.
Thanks for the hike.

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Jeanloic

13 Nov 2024 at 22:39 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A physically demanding route, but without any technical difficulties. The GPS track is very good. The climb is the least interesting part of the route until you reach the Fessole plateau. I was familiar with this plateau from when I set off from Pont Chabert. It's interesting to discover it from the north side. When we arrived at the ridges, the path was blocked due to forestry work. I continued along the path, which was very muddy and uneven, but after 500 metres, I found the path again. And what a reward! The ridge path is magnificent, with impressive cliffs that are all so different. I didn't meet anyone else on the way. Thank you for this beautiful hike

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JYNI

15 Jul 2024 at 15:52 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very interesting route because it is challenging, varied, often shaded, not too busy compared to the classic routes, and easy to access by road. We did it in the opposite direction in 5 hours, including breaks. Beautiful views, magnificent Fessole mountain pasture. Tough climb to the Pas de la Clé, terrain still muddy in the forest 48 hours after the storms. We cut across the chimney, which was easy in this direction. The route was easy to follow, provided you paid attention to the signposts. Read them carefully on both sides, as we almost missed the fork for the Pas de la Pierre Taillée. Not too many people for a Sunday in July. Thank you to the author.

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cricri58

17 Jun 2024 at 14:33 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The trail starts at a sharp bend in the forest road after the village of Les Coings (there is no parking in the village and there were only two cars). We did the hike during the week, so there were few people around. Beautiful views. The trail downhill was a bit muddy after the previous day's rain but it was a very nice route. We saw flowers and snails...

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Domins

04 Sep 2023 at 21:01 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route offering magnificent views of the Isère valley. Some sections are quite vertiginous. The ridge is fairly busy, but the rest of the route is quite isolated.

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JAYAC 38

04 Sep 2023 at 12:54 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with our two dogs on leashes because there are cows in the area. Magnificent view of the entire Isère valley

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Sissi

27 Mar 2023 at 11:24 7200 • Edited: 27 Mar 2023 at 18:24 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did it in reverse, following the advice of those who did it downhill for the Pas de la Clé. Going uphill at that point can also be a little daunting.
The hike was beautiful, both for the views and the diversity of the landscape (forest, sharp limestone pavement, alpine pastures) and the vegetation that was coming back to life.
For me, it was 15.5 km with 900 m of elevation gain, 4.5 hours of walking without breaks.
A really great hike.
You'll meet more people between Pas de la Clé and Bec de l'Orient as there are departures from Autrans.

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Thierryb26

12 Nov 2022 at 11:20 3600 • Edited: 12 Nov 2022 at 11:21 3600

For those who are afraid of impressive descents, it is indeed better to do the circuit in the opposite direction and thus approach the key passage uphill. The final part of the climb can even be bypassed by an easy chimney carved into the rock, which adds a little fun.

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MC5638

11 Nov 2022 at 20:13 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is important to emphasise how vertiginous the descent from the Pas de la Clé is.
We passed through 48 hours after a day of heavy rain and were not too bothered by the mud.
Don't hesitate to stop at every spot that offers a view. Mont Blanc and Meije are visible in places.

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Supermum

29 May 2022 at 21:21 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, varied route with stunning views opening up as you climb. Start from the car park at the Col de Montaud at point 1 and return via the road at point 9. Allow 5 hours for this route, including a break for lunch. The Pas de Pierre Taillée is well maintained, while the Pas de la Clé seemed more impressive than dangerous to us. Nevertheless, be careful of stones that could roll under your feet. The option to return via the landslide on the Route du Mortier added an extra hour to our hike. Thank you for the route and description.

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Charlie 38

09 May 2022 at 07:12 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike.

Be careful at the start, it gets steep quickly. Make sure you warm up properly and set off early.

The key step is worth mentioning. It's really beautiful.

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Tommy

15 Nov 2021 at 13:06 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with lovely views of the Chartreuse mountains, northern Isère and the Rhône valley.
The initial climb may be a little steep for occasional walkers, but once you reach the mountain pastures of the Fessole farm, the scenery makes you forget all your efforts.

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