Grotte des Ussets and Rochers des Deux Soeurs

The start is below the hamlet of Les Pignes, which can be reached from Rochefort-Samson, following signs for Les Ducs then Les Pignes. Park in one of the two car parks before the ‘Voie sans Issue’ sign.

(S/E) From the ‘Voie sans Issue’ sign, head back down to the bend and turn right into the field; you need to join the path further down and follow it northwards, initially on level ground, and when it starts to climb, turn left onto a good path which joins one of the branches of^{the GR®} de Pays des Monts du Matin.

(1) Continue straight on along the^GR® to the Éperon des Ussets.

(2) Turn right, heading north, onto the Éperon towards the Pas du Loup, then left at the sign for the Montagne des Ussets; note a track leading uphill to the right.

(3) At the Pas du Loup, take in the view, then head back to the path you spotted earlier, which climbs steeply to the left, and visit the cave.

(4) Head back down and turn left onto the^PR® route towards the Col des Tourniers and then the Pas de la Pierre.

(5) At the pass, head up the slope opposite to reach La Porte and come to a fork in the path.

(6) Take a steep, slippery shortcut straight ahead to cut across the circular loop. At Font Pourcel, take the track that climbs and passes to the right of the viewpoint. Leave this track shortly afterwards and take the path to the left of the Pas de la Pierre. Before reaching the Pas, head for the cliff and turn left.

(7) From the Pas, head down towards “Sous le Pas de la Pierre” and turn right to rejoin the^GRP® des Monts du Matin.

(8) Continue straight on along the^GR® 9 and^GRP®. The path is easy to follow and leads to Léoncel and the Pas de Bouvaret.

(9) At Bouvaret, leave the path to Léoncel on your left and keep to the right towards the Pas.

(10) Do not climb up to the Pass, but turn left and walk for 150 m.

(11) Continue along the track, which is sometimes hard to follow for about 200 m.

(12) At a fork, turn left and head slightly uphill if the track disappears. Pass a few scree slopes and reach a tree marked with a red dot, from where a path leads off to the right and straight up the slope to the Brèche du Cou de la Momie.

(13) Take the path on the left which runs alongside the cliff before veering away from it; follow a steep slope through the boxwood to reach a rock which you must either climb or bypass on the left, following the path that leads to the summit (panoramic view) after a second, easier climbing section which is no more exposed.

(14) Return to the previous junction.

(13) Take the path opposite, which leads to the Poitrine de la Momie, running alongside the cliff through the boxwood. There are a few easy, non-exposed rock sections to negotiate to reach the summit (beautiful pinnacles).

(15) Begin the descent by following the ridge northwards, then into the woods, but without straying too far from the edge.

(12) When you return to the junction you passed on the way up, turn left, heading in the opposite direction to your ascent, until you reach a shortcut at another junction which you also passed on the way up.

(11) Follow this path to the left and head for the Pas de Bouvaret.

(16) Then turn left down the slope towards Courbière.

(17) Leave the Sentier du Pas de Bouvaret on the right, heading towards Font Pourcel and the Pas de la Pierre, and continue on to Sous Verdu and a mountain bike track.

(18) At the hairpin bend on the left, take the lower path (mountain bike trail) which leads back along a ridge to the starting point. Leave this path once you can see the car park and head down a gently sloping meadow (S/E).

No water or specialist kit required, apart from poles, which you’ll stow away to reach the two summits.
As for the technical sections involving rock ledges to cross, there are plenty of ledge-like paths.

Below the Pas de la Pierre , do not head right into the gully – it’s a slippery and exposed route.
The rocks are easy to climb once you’ve found and correctly placed your first foothold; they are not exposed.
Below the summit of the Petite Sœur, do not take the horizontal ledge that heads off to the right.
From the summit of La Poitrine, continue a few metres along the ridge and rejoin the path through the woodland.
Below Verdu, the cows have trodden several paths; the correct one is at the exit of the hairpin bend and is marked with small mountain bike signs.
On the cliffs of the Combe d’Oyans, you’re sure to see some climbers.

Enjoy the various views.