Gresse en Vercors - Pas des hollowed-out tree trunks serving as drinking troughs

The first stage starts at Champ de l'Herse and goes to Pas des Bachassons. It passes by the Brisou ridge, offering a first panoramic view. There is a climb of over 1,000 metres, but you will be rewarded by the beauty of Pas des Bachassons.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Around the Grand Veymont

Details

340391
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,300 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 622 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,925 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,247 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Starting point: Park in the car park at the Gresse en Vercors ski lifts.

Markings: Yellow-Green

(S) From the car park, take the path that passes under the Blayet ski lift. When you reach the first crossroads, turn right until you reach the top of the Blayet lift with its hut.

(1) From there, take the small path opposite that climbs into the woods. This is the first difficult part of the day, but the advantage is that you are in the shade for most of the climb. The last part is exposed to the sun and ends at the top of the Brisou ridge (beautiful view).

(2) From this point, descend towards the Col de l'Allimas and Serre Girardet until you reach the latter, which is indicated by a sign (crossroads).

(3) From there, do not follow the direction of Col de l'Allimas, but take the path on the right towards Tiolache and continue to this point (marked by a sign). This section runs through the woods without any difficulty.

(4) Head towards the Veymont hut. After 5 minutes, you will reach a crossroads with a path on the left marked with a yellow-green cross.

(5) Leave the yellow-green markings and take the path on the left. Cross the Barri and Chalanches ravines in succession. Follow the yellow markings to find the right path through the ravines. You will then reach the Ravin des Chauvines.

(6) Here you will find the path leading to Pas des Bachassons and Fontaine des Bachassons. Turn right. The slope is as steep as the first big hill of the day (Crête du Brisou) but longer. Be careful of sun exposure.

(7) Look for a place to camp (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 1,247 m - Departure near the - Source du Champ de l'Herse
  2. 1 : km 0.21 - alt. 1,255 m - Path leading up to the woods - Gresse (rivière) - Affluent du Drac
  3. 2 : km 2.34 - alt. 1,674 m - Crête du Brisou
  4. 3 : km 3.97 - alt. 1,399 m - Serre Girardet
  5. 4 : km 5.91 - alt. 1,355 m - Tiolache
  6. 5 : km 6.07 - alt. 1,381 m - Crossroads with the yellow and green cross marker.
  7. 6 : km 8.05 - alt. 1,363 m - Ravin des Chauvines
  8. 7 : km 10.29 - alt. 1,908 m - Fountain and - Pas des Bachassons (1903m)
  9. E : km 10.46 - alt. 1,925 m - Arrival at the foot of the - Sommet de Montaveilla

Notes

Water source: Fontaine des hollowed-out tree trunks serving as drinking troughs. Make sure you have enough water before you get there: there are no other water sources nearby!
Equipment required: Map 3236 OTR. Bivouac and hiking equipment, food for 2 days.

(7) Once you arrive at the fountain, refill your water and find a place to bivouac nearby. There is a hut (Cabane des Aiguillettes) a little further on towards Grand Veymont. However, there are few places (4 large ones maximum), so it is better to take a tent to avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Enjoy the magnificent landscapes bathed in the colours of late afternoon. It is in these areas that you can already try to spot ibex and marmots.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

View from the Brisou ridge.
View of the high plateaus on Mont Aiguille, the valley and the plateaus.
Ibex and marmots to observe.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
REBOX57
REBOX57
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The climb to the Brisou ridge is quite steep, but fortunately shaded by the forest. There is a magnificent view from the ridge.
This is followed by a beautiful descent, then a slightly uphill path along the mountainside with a few short sections along the edge of the slope.
The ravines are a bit tricky, but not particularly dangerous. The first one is best tackled with the help of a fixed rope.
The final climb to the hollowed-out tree trunk serving as a drinking trough is quite steep and rocky, so take care, especially in the sun and with a heavy bivouac bag. The reward is some well-deserved spring water after a cumulative elevation gain of 1,100 metres.
Personally, I pushed on to the Aiguillette hut, a 15-minute walk from the Pas du Bachasson, to bivouac.

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mpittion
mpittion

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb two-day hike on 15 and 16 June 2024. We took a different route on the way back, deliberately avoiding the climb up to Grand Veymont and joining the GR trail. We had a wonderful time!

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VEMIT
VEMIT
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb hike,
it's quite a climb at the start, but there's plenty of shade at the beginning.
The chamois at the end are magnificent.
A bit crowded, but it's fine.
Well marked, no risk of getting lost.

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mathnicoles
mathnicoles

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very enjoyable hike. First climb in the forest, then a long "flat" section through the forest and ravines.
Be careful, as there is a slightly tricky section in the ravines where the path is narrow and covered with small stones, and can be quite vertiginous in places. The path is no longer marked in yellow/green once we leave the signposts, but there are still green and red markings all along the way until we reach the path leading up to the fountain. The final climb is a bit long and rocky, but before reaching the fountain, we saw a whole group of ibex and marmots.

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rollercalv
rollercalv

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello
The directions for the route are good.
However, crossing the ravines is becoming increasingly difficult due to erosion, which is changing the natural terrain.
Sometimes you have to search for a crossing point in order to cross and find the path.

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