Cross of Saint-Vincent-la-Commanderie

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It's not great to do almost half the hike on a road. The end of the walk is shaded and more interesting, but I'm not sure it will remain one of my favourites. There are much better things to do in the area. And the descent is hard on the knees.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike, excellent views despite the gloomy weather. In case of rain, do it in reverse as the last part is very steep.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : May 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

There were people there, but not many, because it had rained heavily the day before. We couldn't cross the ford because there was too much water. An easy route, even with children.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Feb 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike with a very pretty viewpoint upon reaching the cross.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Dec 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

At the end of the journey, Noel's route through the woods and the village is unexpected and magical!

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

GPS guidance, no problem. Roads/paths and trails at 50/50, but very little traffic and the initial section in the gorge is pleasant. Fairly shaded throughout, access to the cross is not that complicated and, above all, there is a superb 360° view from its level. Return via the Bois des Masks, apparently private property allowing passage with original decorations made from recycled materials: fun! When walking the circular in the opposite direction, it's steeper on the way up, but perhaps less slippery, especially if it has rained in the previous days: so it's a matter of preference.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk with a superb view when you reach the crossroads.
The initial section through the gorges is lovely.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I confirm that it is best to do it in reverse, to avoid the somewhat steep descent at the end; you climb 160 m over 1 km, then there is another easier climb after the cross. It is impossible to get lost. From the school car park, climb up to the church, take the road between the church and the fountain and continue along this road (ignore Rue de la Source and Impasse du Rucher on the left). The road becomes a path. When you reach the tree sculptures, take the well-marked path on the left, which also has sculptures, and continue along this well-marked path. To get back to the cross, take a well-marked path with a yellow cross on the ground. Then, stay on the right path and turn left at every crossroads. No dogs seen.
Superb hike.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We set off with two copies of the map and descriptions. We don't have internet on our phones. The information was useless. We turned back and enjoyed the good weather.

Machine-translated

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

We followed the route in reverse because we planned to only do the most interesting part (the cross) and then turn back. In the end, we did the whole circular.
A very pleasant walk.
The only downside was crossing a private area with the owner's dogs, which, although not attack dogs, are a source of stress for someone who is afraid of dogs.
The icing on the cake was seeing a chamois 50-100 metres away as we passed through the gorge before returning to the village.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : Mar 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A few comments on the description:
Firstly, on the road to the gorges, the places called "Grisous" and "Girouillet" are not marked on the road, so they are useless.
However, "the hairpin bend at the sign" (2) does have a name, which is indicated: "Le forage, altitude 528 m". Moreover, at the start of the hike next to the sign marking the end of the built-up area of St-Vincent la Commanderie, the hiking sign clearly indicates "Parking du forage 2.3 km". You can park a few cars there. This is where you leave the tarmac road.
Then, you must "keep to the right" and ignore the crosses painted at the intersections of the paths and trails, which are only there to guide mountain bikes. For example, the intersection on the right that leads up to the cross is marked with a yellow cross painted on a rock: ignore it.
When descending from the cross, there is no need to retrace your steps to the intersection as indicated. A well-marked shortcut allows you to find the way back down to the meadow (4).
The arrival is via a developed trail called the "Jean Bertrand trail" and the "bois des Masks" (Masks Wood), which is surprisingly pleasant and worth seeing.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : May 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We couldn't reach this cross. I think the path must have been closed by farmers or someone else.

Machine-translated

Date of your route : May 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The hike starts on a paved road, fortunately alongside a stream, but then there is a risk of taking the wrong path, especially as some of them are blocked off for livestock. It is possible to pass through, but you must make sure you close the gates behind you. We did get lost, but as there are many paths, it's not too much of a problem. The landscapes are not very open as the hike takes place in the undergrowth. There are one or two beautiful viewpoints.

Machine-translated