Crêtes de Baumes via Les Étroits

Park in one of the many car parks at the Joue du Loup ski resort. The walk starts at the entrance to the resort, near the Le Grand Serre housing estate.

(S/E) Start of^{the GR®} 94: walk up a short stretch of tarmac road, then a short section of track.

(1) At the first junction, turn left onto the^GR® 94. Follow this track for just over 1 km; it then turns into a tarmac road, which you follow for 50 metres.

(2) At the next junction, turn right onto a lovely path for about 500m, until you reach a junction at an altitude of 1380 on the map.

(3) You’ll come to the tarmac road again opposite, then follow the D17 for about 500 metres until you reach a junction where the road meets a track.

(4) At a place called l’Auche, leave the D17 and take a track to the right, then left towards Les Étroits.

(5) Turn right onto a lovely path that climbs through the forest, then widens to become a lovely grassy track at the place known as Bois de Boucherac, at around 1502m. Opposite us lies the Plateau de Bure.
Continue along this track to a picnic area at the 1544m mark on the map.

(6) Turn right onto the stony track which leads, 1.2 km further on, to the start of the Crêtes des Baumes. There’s an exceptional view of the Gicon opposite and the Dévoluy range to your left.

(7) Head left to follow the ridges and reach the highest point of the walk, where a pylon stands. (It isn’t the most attractive sight, but it’s very useful for the Super Dévoluy and La Joue du Loup ski resorts. As for the ski-lift poles, they are a necessary evil for the locals’ way of life).

(8) The descent follows the left-hand side, along a path that requires a bit of care.

(9) Turn right and, after the bend, take the^GRP® trail on the left, marked in yellow and red. Make your way through the forest and pastures to the car park at the Joue du Loup ski resort (S/E).