Col de Garde walks

A grand finale for this revisited Tour des Baronnies. Along the ridges of Aumage and Eyglière, the peaks of Dévoluy and Écrins have never seemed so close. The Buëch Valley stretches out below us, and the 360° views allow us to retrace the path we have travelled over the last seven days: Serre de la Bouisse, Chamouse, Chabre and other peaks emerge on the horizon, bringing back fond memories.

A short but very pretty stage, especially the second part. The exit from Orpierre, via the heights, is fantastic, thanks to the bird's eye view of the narrow village nestled in the cliffs. After Le Suillet, a beautiful ridge and a memorable passage through the black marl, the GR® passes by the Mont Garde lodge.

Set off in style on this revisited Tour des Baronnies. Throughout the morning, the narrow path winds along the ridges overlooking Serres, winding its way between beautiful rocks and twisted Scots pines. At Serre de la Bouisse, the view of the Baronnies and the Alpine peaks is breathtaking. Then, between the bucolic Col d'Arron and the finish, the path progresses delightfully, like a balcony, under the Montagne de l'Aup. Finally, the Praboyer lodge is located in the heart of nature.

The first stage of the Tour de la Méouge gets off to a beautiful start with a complete crossing of the Gorges de la Méouge. It then passes through Barret-sur-Méouge before reaching the Crête de Chabre for a splendid panorama of the Dévoluy, the Écrins and the Ventoux. Then you arrive at the remote hamlet of Izon-la-Bruisse with its spectacular view. It is possible to split the stage in two (recommended in case of high temperatures or bad weather and depending on the level of the participants) by spending the night at the Ferme de l'Ubac, before Barret-sur-Méouge.

Another beautiful stage to reach the medieval village of Orpierre, surrounded by its famous cliffs. Straddling the Céans and Méouge valleys, this time it is the endless, narrow Chabre ridge that serves as the guiding thread for the hike, culminating in the picturesque Col Saint-Ange and its climbing walls.

This is the third and final stage of a three-day tour of the Méouge and Ouvèze ridges. You first pass through the western face of the Montagne de Chamouse, with its magnificent beech forests, before reaching the remarkable Col de Perty. Then, you'll follow the ridge for several kilometres via the summit of Arsuc and Serre de Charbouisse, enjoying breathtaking views of the Alps and the Ouvèze valley. The last third of the day allows you to explore the hamlets of the valley, in a pretty rural setting.

The third stage of the Tour de la Méouge, passing through the three pretty villages of Eygalayes, Lachau and Éourres. More beautiful panoramic views of the Southern Alps, as well as a charming pastoral and rural atmosphere.

The fourth stage of the Tour de la Méouge, featuring two ridge walks as a bonus to round off this trek in style. From Chanteduc, you can look back and see much of the route you’ve covered since the start, and from Saint-Cyr, you’ll have a commanding view over the Buech and Durance valleys. In between, the forests are magnificent.

Setting off from the village of Le Saix is an alternative to starting from Veynes station. This stage leads to Lake Peyssier and continues the trek. It offers a variety of attractions: a ridge walk, a bird’s-eye view of the Gouravour Gorge, unique views of the Buëch Valley and the Dévoluy massif, a walk through the former hamlet of La Péguière, a visit to the site of Clausonne Abbey and a walk across the Peyssier plateau. An easier alternative route to reach Lake Peyssier is via the forest track from the village of Le Saix, passing through the Gouravour Gorge; it takes 1 hour to climb to Clausonne Abbey.

This stage is different from the previous one, less airy, but the second half has some wonderful surprises in store. From the Col des Pins, the view opens up onto the wide agricultural valley of Rosans, which is magnificent. Above all, the final stretch is particularly fabulous. Directly above Rosans, the trail literally plunges down towards the old village, a marvel of the Baronnies.