Saou Forest via the Pas de la Motte, the Quatrième Bec and the Pomerolle

Date of your route : Apr 06, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Finding your way between points 9 and 10 is actually quite straightforward; in the second section, you need to head down a large, steep slope towards a forest track that’s clearly visible from above. Between 10 and 11, instead of following the trail, continue along the path to the left about a third of the way through this section to avoid climbing straight up the slippery slope. Finally, between points 11 and 12, right at the start, you can take the small path that avoids a long, unnecessary circular route (not necessarily easy to find).
Set off at 7am, glorious weather, with a detour to do the 3 Becs. A great opportunity to see lots of chamois between 4 and 5 and 9 and 11. Spectacular
Thanks for the route!

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Date of your route : Oct 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I’m leaving a comment, which I don’t usually do, but I’ve just done this route today – or rather, I’ve just tried to do it. The start up to point 8 is perfect. It’s a steep climb and a long route, but I enjoyed it because there are several options to shorten it depending on how you’re feeling on the day. Magnificent views, a superb setting in this autumnal weather and lovely weather – everything was perfect. However, from Pas de Siara to point 11, it was very tricky, even downright dangerous at two points. From point 8 to point 9, OK, it’s uphill; there are no markings but you manage. But after point 9, the path gradually fades away. I tried to follow the GPS track, thinking I’d find a trail again, but nothing. We walk through the woods, then I cross a meadow diagonally to reach point 10 and see a sign prohibiting walking off the paths to preserve the peace of the herds. But I think to myself, ‘Right, that’s fine, let’s carry on; there’s a path now.’ And a few hundred metres further on, I’m still following the route, just to stay as close as possible to any potential path. And I find myself near a huge uprooted tree, its roots exposed—a magnificent sight, by the way—and a rocky outcrop just behind it. And the route tells me I have to climb up to a path higher up. But the climb is downright dangerous; if I face the slope, a metre away from me is at my height... I’m used to hiking and am in good physical shape, but if the tree roots and the trees hadn’t allowed me to climb up by clinging to them, I’d still be there, unless I’d taken a mad detour. After managing to reach this ‘path’—which quickly turned out not to be much of a path at all—I find myself back in the woods with no track or signposts. I follow the GPS track again and, a little further on, find myself facing clouds rolling in towards me, with the cliff just a few metres away... I turn off, of course, but it’s not easy, and over such a short distance it’s exhausting to find myself lost twice in quick succession.
I’ve done routes classified as “very difficult” on Visorando before, but there were paths, tracks or at least signposts, and this one is downright dangerous. Just imagine if people with a bit less experience were to venture out here…
After that, I gave up on continuing this route. I joined the first path I came across after following the watercourse that runs when it rains, which was very steep. But I was really annoyed by this route description, which isn’t really a description at all between points 8 and 11. A word of advice: if you’re following this route, head back to the junction before the climb up to the Pas de Siara and rejoin the route a little further on, skipping the panoramic view from Bec n°4, or just do a round trip.
This isn’t a site for pros or extreme trail runners. More and more hikers are using it. We need to think of them, even though there’s a warning when you click on this hike and it does indeed cover 26km with 1,700m of elevation gain – it mentions the significant elevation gain and distance requiring excellent physical fitness, but not that you might get lost, and at your own risk...
I myself have been a Visorando user for quite some time and I regret that there are so few hikes over 20km, but I use the IGN maps that Visorando provides to plan my own routes. But in this case, I thought, OK, there’s a hike and I trust this site—I have so far—so I’ll follow it. But it really would have been better if I’d mapped out my own route... Hence my frustration with this route!
So it’s important to review this section.

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

Hike completed on 5 August in average weather conditions, notably with a strong mistral, cool temperatures and very cloudy skies during the first part of the hike.
Whilst the dreadful weather meant there were no interesting views of the Drôme valley from the ridge, once the sun returned and we were sheltered from the mistral, it was magnificent from the 4th peak onwards as we climbed the two Pomerolles.
After the 4th peak, the path is nevertheless clearly marked; simply follow it, keeping the nearby ridge line to your left, to reach a large steep slope above the ‘Pas de Floreal’ sign, which you can make out below. From there, it’s a 500m walk to the Bois Vert sheepfold, then on towards ‘Porte de Barry’.
The descent between the Grand and Petit Pomerol is a bit “steep” and I can see why it isn’t recommended in wet weather.
The route took about 7½ hours, including a snack break at the Abri des Princes.

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Date of your route : Jun 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The large valley in the Saoû forest is well worth a visit. There’s hardly anyone there in mid-June.
In pictures: https://youtu.be/-1YioN3SH7g
If you climb up to the 3 Becs, you’ll find the crowds who’ve arrived from the other side

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Date of your route : Mar 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb walk; the route description is clear. We only had one problem at the fourth hilltop, in the forest: as the author mentioned, there was no path, and it was difficult to find the sign for Porte de Barry! I think it’s better to follow the second option and head straight to the Bergerie du Bois Vert to reach Porte de Barry. Thank you for the route.

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