Col de Menée - Mont Barral

Are you looking for fresh air and wide open spaces with breathtaking views of the Vercors mountain range and the Ecrins massif? This moderately difficult hike will give you the feeling of being high in the mountains.

Details

383201
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.18 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 546 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 552 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,898 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,398 m

Photos

Description of the walk

If arriving from the south (Diois), park at the exit of the Col de Menée tunnel. If arriving from the north (Grenoble), park before the tunnel, of course.

(S/E) Continue for about 100 metres on the D7.

(1) Take the hairpin bend to the left of the road (do not take the road that goes down to the right). You will soon reach the Col de Menée (sign and cross).

(2) Turn left towards the south-east. After a few metres of ridges and slopes, the path enters a mixed forest of beech and conifers. At the end of a hill, turn right and continue to a spring equipped with drinking troughs.

(3) Continue on the path heading due east. Gradually, the slope becomes steeper, winding through mountain pastures dotted with pine and beech trees. Reach a ridge that passes between two rocks and crosses a patch of nettles. Climb the rock with vertical folds and continue along the rocky ridge to the summit.

(4) The summit is marked by a post with a sign (Mont Barral 1903m). To descend, stay close to the rocky ridge. Gradually, the rock disappears and gives way to a path carved into the grass that leads to a fork where several paths descend into the meadow of the valley.

(5) Leave the ridge trail, turn right to stay on the trail that passes highest across the slope and reach the Col de Jiboui.

(6) Descend the path on the right and reach the shepherds' huts.

(7) Continue for about 50 metres, turn left then leave theGR®93trail on your left to continue straight ahead on the forest path. It follows a ledge. 300 metres before the D120, look for a small trail on your right that will take you up to the cross at the Col de la Menée. Take the same trail you took on the way up to return to the car park. (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,406 m - North car park
  2. 1 : km 0.1 - alt. 1,405 m - The trail starts on the left
  3. 2 : km 0.35 - alt. 1,458 m - Col de Menée
  4. 3 : km 1.37 - alt. 1,664 m - Source
  5. 4 : km 2.4 - alt. 1,898 m - Mont Barral
  6. 5 : km 3.07 - alt. 1,726 m - Crête de Jiboui, turn right
  7. 6 : km 3.9 - alt. 1,622 m - Col de Jiboui (1619m)
  8. 7 : km 4.48 - alt. 1,590 m - Shepherd's huts
  9. S/E : km 7.18 - alt. 1,401 m - North car park

Notes

(3) Water source at the spring.
(7) Water source by following the stream upstream to its source (300m).
Outside the summer grazing season, the shepherds' huts are closed.
Wear high hiking boots.

If there are sheep, watch out for the Patou dogs! Keep away from the flocks.

Worth a visit

:5(et)5::: Superb views of the Alps.

 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

4.7 / 5
Based on 21 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
User 24815861
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with few visitors at the beginning of August.
Very diverse in terms of both walking and views.
A short section along the ridge at Mont Barral may be a little scary for those with a fear of heights.
For the rest of the loop, there are almost no signposts, but you can follow the existing tracks.
Be careful after point 7 on the way back to the Col de Menée. There must be two paths... we took the GR, which led us too far down...
We hitchhiked back up to the pass

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User 24660266

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike accessible to children who can walk.
Turn back at the summit of Mount Baral due to a herd of sheep below.

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Jeanloic
Jeanloic

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 beautiful hike in the sunshine. The route is well marked, and although the climb up to Mount Barral is steep in places, it is not difficult. The reward is a magnificent 360-degree panoramic view. The descent is easy across wide meadows.

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marthinoel38
marthinoel38

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 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 with magnificent views from Triéves and Drôme!
We just lost the GRP (yellow/green markings) after the Col de Jiboui, but it was easy to find the GR again after the chalets (which are best avoided when there's a herd around...).
At the end, be careful not to continue on the RF, as the GR branches off to the right and this is not indicated.
So, follow the GPX track, which is reliable.

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Pasrau
Pasrau

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Wow, a 360° view, perfect signage, nothing to complain about, but you need good weather

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yoyocito
yoyocito

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A steep climb from the start to the finish, but a sublime panorama at the top rewards your efforts.

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Aurel0726
Aurel0726

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Superb hike.
We set off in the morning after camping at a picnic area a little further down, which allowed me to see the vultures arriving from the valley and heading for the heights (catching the thermals, as September is still particularly warm!).
The climb is a little steep, but what a reward once you reach the top! After passing through the forest, you discover a magnificent alpine landscape three-quarters of the way up.
The icing on the cake comes at the summit, with a 360° panorama of magnificent peaks, patches of white on a few peaks in the distance, and Mont Jocou within reach, imposing its presence.
The descent is a little steep at first, but quickly becomes pleasant again.
Don't hesitate to take the long route, which avoids the sheepfold. I saw four hikers cutting across the slope and struggling to find their way back. Make sure you take note of specific landmarks, or take a photo from above!
In summary: A magical hike with an atmosphere reminiscent of "The Genius of the Alps". I can't wait to do it again and extend the hike to Jocou.

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Mjv
Mjv

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful panoramic views; at this time of year, the meadows are in bloom
The climb to the top of the mountain is difficult due to a poorly marked trail, as is the descent to complete the loop
Caution: not suitable for those with a fear of heights

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berbard k
berbard k

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike, magnificent view from the summit of Mount Barral. Very average weather, very windy. But despite that, it was great fun!

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autrans
autrans

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful landscapes!

Not too crowded, but watch out for the threatening sheepdogs! Avoid them if possible!

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TitiSteph
TitiSteph

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Without a doubt, this was our favourite hike of our holiday in the Diois region. At the top of Mont Barral, you really feel like you're in the mountains, with typical Provençal landscapes on one side and landscapes reminiscent of those found in Savoie on the other. This hike is easily doable with children (aged 8, 10, 11 and 12). The climb up Mont Barral can be made easier with hiking poles for those who suffer from vertigo, like me, but the view is well worth overcoming your fear of heights

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Yann_Chartreuse
Yann_Chartreuse

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike

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mystrall
mystrall

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

a beautiful hike and a great 360° view. Doing it in reverse, we really want to push on to Jocou

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souchez rando
souchez rando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

hello, great hike for experienced hikers, but be careful if you are not used to the mountains, this hike will be very difficultdid it yesterday with some average hikers and it took us 6 hours. I had to shorten the route because it was very demanding. Also, don't take hikers who are prone to vertigo. So, fellow hikers, think about that when you post a hike on the site. Don't just think about yourselves, because it could harm the site and other people. Otherwise, great views!

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Coccx
Coccx

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great! Magnificent! Easy and majestic...
To be done again and again!
Superb 360!
Worthy of a great chef!

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