Croix des Boutières and knolls

A long hike across the plateaus, south of Les Estables, amongst the knolls and near Mont Gerbier de Jonc.

Details

89391
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Snowshoeing
    Activity: Snowshoeing
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.58 mi
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 7 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,709 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,709 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,161 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4,547 ft

Description of the walk

Park in the Croix des Boutières car park.

(S/E) Take theGR®7/73southwards, climbing up to reach the plateau.

(1) Turn right, heading slightly south-south-west, and continue along the edge of the forest. Reach the edge of the woods.

(2) You’ll reach a large meadow; head down it and pass through the Pas de la Clède. Head towards a large farm, La Clède.

(3) Head due east and, either via theGR® or in a straight line, quickly reach the car park on the edge of the D378.

(4). Cross it and join theGR® opposite. Cross the D378 again. Continue on and, on the plateau, shortly after a spring, reach a fork.

(5) Turn left onto theGR® (shared with theGRP® ) to rejoin the D378.

(6) Leave theGR® andGRP® here and turn right onto the forest path. Pass the Pré de Boutières to reach the edge of the forest at the junction with theGR®7variant.

(7) Take this to the right, re-enter the forest and, after a few hairpin bends, join theGR®3, which is shared with theGRP® of the Tour du Massif Mézenc - Gerbier de Jonc.

(8) Turn left onto this red and white marked path, follow it and then, via a wide circular loop to the right, reach a four-way junction at the foot of the Suc de Montfol.

(9) Continue straight ahead to reach the junction with the road leading to the houses at Pré du Bois.

(10) Turn right onto theGRP® Tour de la Montagne Ardéchoise, marked in yellow and red, to return to the junction where you turned off on the way out.

(5) Follow the route you took on the way there in the opposite direction until you return to the junction at the Clède farm.

(3) Turn right onto theGR®7, then leave it on the right to take a straight path leading to the paragliding launch site at Les Roches des Cuzets. Turn left to return to the initial junction you passed on the way out.

(1) Turn right and follow the outward route in the opposite direction to the Croix des Boutières car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 4,948 ft - Car park at - Col de la Croix de Boutières (1502m)
  2. 1 : mi 0.41 - alt. 5,148 ft - Crossroads: circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 0.99 - alt. 5,000 ft - Edge of the woods
  4. 3 : mi 1.61 - alt. 4,698 ft - La Clède Farm
  5. 4 : mi 1.83 - alt. 4,557 ft - Car park D378
  6. 5 : mi 2.52 - alt. 4,774 ft - Grand Boucle circular crossroads
  7. 6 : mi 2.99 - alt. 4,590 ft - GR trail junction
  8. 7 : mi 3.85 - alt. 4,560 ft - GR
  9. 8 : mi 4.67 - alt. 4,836 ft - GRP
  10. 9 : mi 5.99 - alt. 4,839 ft - At the foot of the - Suc de Montfol (1601m)
  11. 10 : mi 6.7 - alt. 4,721 ft - Pré du Bois
  12. S/E : mi 11.58 - alt. 4,948 ft - Col de la Croix de Boutières. Near the source of the - Saliouse (cours d'eau)

Notes

Take care in foggy conditions
Towards (5) Spring on the plateau
On snowshoes, you can cut across the meadows. On foot, follow the marked paths.

Worth a visit

Views of the Gerbier de Jonc and various knolls.
Beautiful cross-country ski trails in Les Estables and several lodges.

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

4.4 / 5
Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
keri
keri

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely half-day snowshoe outing in -8°C weather with clear skies. I can’t comment on the rest of the route as I didn’t follow it, but stayed in sections 1 to 3. The rocks at Les Cuzets, Fonteysse and Mont Chaulet are definitely worth seeing.

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lucreceneige
lucreceneige

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A great hike

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s010558
s010558

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A route completed on snowshoes on a lovely, windless day with a temperature of -8°C.

I altered this route, not heading north around the Mezenc Gerbier and Croix des Boutieres.
Instead, heading south, I skirted the Knoll de Seponnet – 12 km and 300 m elevation gain
A truly beautiful route with no difficulty

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chloe1289
chloe1289

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A very pleasant walk!
However, there are few views of the wider landscape. The route is mostly through woodland.
Farm ruins dot the route.
Despite the distance and duration, this walk remains accessible.

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