Montsérieux Ridge from Venterol via the Col du Buissonnet

From Tallard, follow the D46, then the D346 and finally the D854 to the village of Venterol. Continue to the car park at the cross-country ski centre (south-east of the village).

(S/E) Return to the village via the Chemin du Pied du Bois, then the Rue de l’Apiculteur (heading north, north-west) and arrive at the junction at No. 92.

(1) Turn left (Chemin du Clos de l’Eau) and follow the^GR®653D, heading south-west (the Way of St James) to a clearing at Le Grand Fau.

(2) Leave the path and the tracks branching off to the left, and continue straight on, slightly uphill. Pass close to the Fontaine des Prêtres and continue towards the Col des Marmets.

(3) Cross the Col des Marmets (elevation 1204, TV relay station) and head straight down towards the hamlet.

(4) Cross the hamlet of Les Marmets and follow the small Route du Quinson for 1.2 km towards Urtis. Pass the Ravin de la Combe and then the Ravin de Saint-Maime, ignoring the paths to the left and right, and arrive at the hamlet of Les Garcins.

(5) Continue left for about a hundred metres along a wide track until you reach a fork.

(6) Take the track on the left,^{the GR®653D}, for 300 m (heading east).

(7) A few metres before a left-hand bend, leave the track and take a path on the right which climbs through the forest heading south. After a 200-metre climb, you’ll come to a track; cross it and head for the Col du Buissonnet.

(8) At the pass, leave the^GR® and take the long ridge path on the left, which includes a few steep sections. Pass the summit of Serre Brouchon (1,477 m) and then Saint-Sagier (1,482 m) to reach the summit of Les Pluis or Tête Seillon (1,493 m). Continue along the ridge until you reach a track.

(9) Carry on straight ahead along the Crête de Montsérieux path until you reach a hairpin bend on a new track (elevation 1,493 m). Follow this for a short while, then continue along the path that runs along the ridge until you rejoin a forest track.

(10) Head straight on towards the summit of Montsérieux (south).

(11) At the summit, turn back.

(10) Descend to the right onto the forest track, taking five hairpin bends below the ridge, then reach a fork on the ridge (elevation 1,440).

(12) Continue to the right until you reach the next junction of tracks. Then turn left to return to the ridge one last time.

(13) Leave the track and take the PR® path (yellow markings) which branches off to the left (towards Les Faysses – Piégut), passing through a denser forest. Cross the Ruisseau du Grand Vallon and then the Ravin de Piégugier. Take care in winter, as there may be ice and crossing a small frozen waterfall can be dangerous. Reach a turning area and continue for a few metres along the track until you find the start of a path on the left just after the right-hand bend.

(14) Leave the track and take the path branching off to the left, continuing along the PR® route.

(15) Cross a forest track and continue along the path opposite to reach Les Faysses.

(16) At the junction, carry on straight ahead, ignoring the paths branching off to the left and right, and head for the Ravin des Faysses (elevation 1096).

(17) Leave the track on your right and carry on straight ahead (westwards) until you reach the Chemin du Pied du Bois. Carry on straight ahead towards the village of Venterol and the cross-country skiing centre (S/E).

The best views are on the eastern slope of Montsérieux (the summit is a wooded plateau), so it is best to follow the route in the direction described to descend the slope along a wide, panoramic track.

There are a few challenging sections on the Crête de Monsérieux.

Picnic table in the village of Venterol.