Grimone – Sucettes de Borne – Jiboui circular loop

A superb circular route in the isolated enclave of south-eastern Vercors, on the border between Drôme and Isère. The route combines the geological interest of the Sucettes de Borne, the flowers and wide open spaces of the Jiboui mountain pastures, and a long stretch along grassy ridges with extraordinary panoramic views.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.28 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 8h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,238 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,241 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,915 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,428 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Car park on the D539 in a bend between Grimone and the Col de Grimone.

The route is well signposted, with numerous directional posts and markings.

(S/E) Walk down the road (D539) for 1 km to a hairpin bend.

(1) Leave the road; do not take the wide path on the right but the small track below which, 100 m further on, joins the path coming from Grimone, which you follow to the right.

Yellow-green markings

(2) Cross the track and take the path on the right which runs alongside the trees and joins a track 500 m further on.

(3) Head straight on towards “Sucettes de Borne”, staying on the main path.

(4) At the crossroads, turn left to follow “Sucettes de Borne”. You’ll reach a junction a good kilometre further on.

(5) Do not take the path that descends to the left towards Glandage. Continue right for 200 m along the forest track.

(6) At the junction with the signpost for Piégu, take the path that descends to the left towards "Sucettes de Borne".

(7) When you reach the Gué junction, take the path down to the left towards "Sucettes de Borne". Continue down the path for 400 m past the Sucettes, to the magnificent rocks further down.

(8) Turn back and head up to Le Gué.

(7) Cross over and continue straight ahead. At the crossroads 200 m further up, turn left towards “Col de Jiboui”. Shortly after crossing the stream, at a right-hand bend, the route leaves the track and climbs, cutting across the bends via a shorter path.

(9) When you reach the Refuge et Lodge d’Alpage de la Tour, remember to fill up with water. Head up the path towards “Col de Jiboui”. At the crossroads 500 m further on, leave the paths and take the track opposite, which climbs steeply up the slope and joins a junction at the Col de Jiboui.

(10) Continue to the right towards “Crête de Jiboui”.

Yellow (GTV) + Red-White markings

(11) On the ridges, follow the ridge path to the right towards “Le Jocou”.

(12) Curiously, the path leaves the ridges and takes a new, rather awkward route, on a slope, a few dozen metres upstream from the old one. Why?

(13) At Col de Seysse, turn right and follow the GR® along the hillside to a track.

(14) Follow it to the left, then, at the hairpin bend, continue along the path to the right until you reach a track.

(15) Head down to the right, then take the path on the left and join the road and the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 4,236 ft - Car park 1 km from the - Col de Grimone
  2. 1 : mi 0.82 - alt. 3,957 ft - Hairpin bend on the D539
  3. 2 : mi 1.09 - alt. 4,016 ft - Crossing the path
  4. 3 : mi 1.45 - alt. 4,288 ft - Clastre Ravine (signpost)
  5. 4 : mi 2.39 - alt. 4,311 ft - Signpost
  6. 5 : mi 3.12 - alt. 4,275 ft - Signpost - Col de la Péyère (1293m)
  7. 6 : mi 3.24 - alt. 4,275 ft - Piégu (signpost)
  8. 7 : mi 3.9 - alt. 3,806 ft - Le Gué (signpost)
  9. 8 : mi 4.49 - alt. 3,438 ft - Notable rock formations
  10. 9 : mi 5.8 - alt. 4,370 ft - Gîte d'Alpage de la Tour de Borne (1340m)
  11. 10 : mi 7.44 - alt. 5,669 ft - Jiboui Ridge (signpost to the right)
  12. 11 : mi 8.33 - alt. 5,607 ft - Sign: "Path closed"
  13. 12 : mi 8.81 - alt. 5,722 ft - Signpost - Col de Seysse (1744m)
  14. S/E : mi 12.28 - alt. 4,236 ft - Car park at the start

Notes

- It is possible to complete the circular route over 2 days, spending a night at the Refuge et Lodge d’Alpage de la Tour.

- Water source: on the route: a fountain with a very strong flow (in June 2015) at the Refuge et Lodge d’Alpage de la Tour

- Difficulty: a hike on well-marked trails, without significant technical difficulty, but a long hike involving a considerable elevation gain (hence the ‘Difficult’ rating).

- Best time of year: June is ideal for seeing the Jiboui flowers. The sheep and mountain dogs usually arrive at the summer pastures in mid-June.

- Narrow paths (3) to (6), with some broom and boxwood brushing against your legs and arms.

Worth a visit

- The Sucettes de Borne and the impressive rocks further down.

- Pass, mountain pastures and the Jiboui ridge.

- Mont Barral (1,903 m), an additional 1-hour round trip from the Jiboui ridge (1,731 m).

- From the Jiboui ridge (12) to (19), a succession of magnificent views over the Southern Vercors, the Trièves, the Dévoluy, etc.

- Le Jocou (2,051 m), the icing on the cake.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
Denis26
Denis26 ★

Given the ban on access to the summit of Jocou, I have just amended the route accordingly.

French Hiking Federation, Drôme
(GR93 Jocou sector, Jiboui pasture, Col de Seysse)
Permanently closed since autumn 2021.
The former variant of the GR®93, which passed via the summit of Jocou from the Col de Seysse or, conversely, from the Grimone road, has been removed. The ascent from the Col de Seysse to the Jocou is prohibited. Too many issues compromising the safety of walkers have arisen (bites from guard dogs, unauthorised diversions of the GR® route via rocky outcrops, etc.). No solution could be found after more than two years of consultation to adapt the route leading up to the Jocou. This section is on private land

The GR93® route from the Col de Seysse, which joins the Col de Grimone road, remains in place.

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hbhaubert
hbhaubert

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A magnificent hike that can only be done when the herds are not in the mountain pastures. Several variations are possible on the ridges for the more adventurous, but be sure to save some energy for the challenging climb up Jocou.

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Jopo
Jopo

Thank you, Bruno, for this very useful information.
I haven't deleted this hike, but I've added your information at the very beginning of the description.
Best regards

Jopo

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bruno.peyrichou@freesbee.fr
bruno.peyrichou@freesbee.fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note: this hike is no longer possible: the trail has been removed between the Seysse Pass and the Crête de Lachat (passage prohibited without detour) between points 13 and 15. Outside of the season, you can brave the ban and walk this unmarked section, but from 15 June to 15 October, there is a closed sheep park and you risk becoming a meal for the Patoux.
So from point 13, return directly to the start without going via the Jocou.
The Joucou is only possible as a round trip or return via the Crêtes des Glaisettes.

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greggy26
greggy26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Quite a challenging hike, but with sublime landscapes and panoramic views
I varied the route at the Col de Jiboui to climb Mont Barral (3 km round trip) Difficult section after the Jiboui ridges
Beautiful view of Glandasse, Grand Veymont and Le Dévoluy

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Magali N
Magali N

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

15 9 19 / Please note that the summit of Jiboui is not accessible, contrary to the indications on site regarding the GR detour (GR which passes through the enclosure) for herds: on this detour, there are two herds with only one fence separating them and no possibility for hikers to pass through. We were forced to descend into the valley at an altitude of 1711 metres along the stream to rejoin the GR due to four ill-behaved sheepdogs.
Other information: the fountain at the Tour refuge is dripping at the end of this very dry summer. The association that manages the refuge is very friendly. I recommend stopping at the refuge on this beautiful circular to enjoy the day and finish the next day at noon.

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Thy07
Thy07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable

Thank you, Jopo, for your kind message.

In fact, I shortened the route you suggested because the weather forecast was poor for the afternoon, and I didn't escape a heavy downpour around 3 p.m.
So I went "directly" up the GR93 from La Pouyat towards the Col de Seysse. That's where I met the welcoming committee, while the herd was below near the Cabane des Pâtres. From the pass, I planned to reach Jocou via the GR93 variant, then the Pigeon and Vente-Cul passes, but I had no choice: I had to return via the same path I had taken on the way up.
I plan to enjoy this circular as proposed next spring, in May, before the herds return to the mountain pastures.

Happy hiking!

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Jopo
Jopo

Hello,

I'm glad it wasn't serious, but this kind of incident is upsetting and very unpleasant.

The Tour de Borne mountain lodge (10) is a place where sheep are kept and probably serves as accommodation for the shepherd(s). Was the herd in question based there? The upper part of the hike, from Jiboui (11) to the Col de Vente-Cul (18), consists of beautiful mountain pastures. It is possible to encounter a herd there. It is not normal to be attacked there.

You did the right thing in notifying the mayor and the police.

Good luck

Jopo

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Thy07
Thy07

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable

PLEASE NOTE
Hike completed on Sunday, 30/09/2018. When you arrive at the Seysse Pass, you must go through a gate at the signposts to take the path that climbs up to Joucou (point 14 in the description).
There, I was literally attacked by three sheepdogs even though the trail was taking me away from the flock. A very aggressive white dog bit me three times (hip, elbow, buttock), fortunately without serious injury. But I was forced to turn back and descend via the GR93.
So be careful.
The incident was reported to the police and the Mayor of Glandage.

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gerard mounier
gerard mounier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful parish-specific to Brittany hike, perfect weather

Thank you

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christianplanchon@yahoo.fr
christianplanchon@yahoo.fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I was able to complete the entire tour for the first time. It is truly magnificent and there were no issues with the route. Thank you.

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christianplanchon@yahoo.fr
christianplanchon@yahoo.fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello
I only did part of the hike, namely: Grimone - Col de Lachau - Sucettes de Borne - Piegu - Grimone.
Everything was perfect.
However, I saw on another map that you could take a shortcut on the descent from the Lachau Pass to reach Le Gué. I don't know if this is true.
Many thanks
Kind regards
Christian Planchon

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