Country:
City:
Access: From Chalet Reynard, head towards Sault on the D164. Drive for about 4.5km. Parking is available on both sides of the road just before a space with an iron statue of a deer. I opted for the car park on the left, at the start of the track, which is smaller than the other but is the starting point for the hike, making it easier to describe (see photo).
GR®4/GR®9markings (white and red)
(S/E) From the "Belvédère" signpost, with your back to the road, take the track opposite after going through a gate.
(1) At the first open space, ignore the track on the right. Continue along the main track (very stony in places).
(2) You will come to a trail junction (La Baraque d'Aurel - separation ofthe GR®4andGR®9) and continue straight ahead (GR®4) towards "Mont Ventoux/Pas de la Frache" (signpost). A little further on, ignore a path taken by theGR®4that branches off to the left (large cairn).
Not marked
Continue straight ahead on this relatively good track. Further on, it opens onto a vast open space with a beautiful panorama of the east of Ventoux, the Drôme and other unidentified peaks (by me). Stay on the track until you reach a well-marked perpendicular path, which is also the end of this track
(3). Turn left and prepare for a steep climb through the forest. You will come out onto another open space. On the right, there is a beautiful view of the summit of Mont Ventoux. Continue straight ahead towards the cairns. The path enters the forest again. Shortly afterwards, it forks. Take the right-hand fork and follow the cairns here and there. In any case, it is fairly well marked. The trail opens onto a clear space between two earth embankments and the start of a track
(4). Turn right. Shortly afterwards, you will see the summit of Mont Ventoux in front of you (keep it in sight until you reach Tête de la Grave). You will come out onto a large platform that was used by the army for radar several years ago. Stay on this track, which runs along the ridge, and enjoy the superb view of the Baronnies.
You will reach a tarmac road; turn right. Very soon you will find a track starting on the right. You will rejoin theGR®4trail further down (signposted "Pas de la Frache").
MarkedGR®4(white-red)
(5) Take this track and go through a gate. The track, which runs through trees, is very pleasant at this point. This does not last long, however, as it becomes very stony and quite steep. Ignore a path on the left that descends into Combe Brune (signpost). Shortly afterwards, you will see another signpost on the right in a fir tree ("Le Signal").
(6) Continue straight ahead towards the summit. The track descends quite steeply before climbing just as steeply again. After this climb, keep an eye out for another signpost on the right about 400m further on ("La Tête de la Grave").
PR® markings (yellow)
Note: this yellow marking appears to have been redone recently (4 September 2016).
(7) Turn right. Be careful, as the start of the descent is a little tricky for a few metres because the path is uneven. It then becomes more passable, although it is not very wide and the rocky terrain may put some people off. Shortly afterwards, at the hairpin bend (cairn), turn left (do not go straight ahead).
Continue down this path. After two more hairpin bends, the path follows the curves of the valley and leads to a perpendicular path (signposted "Serres Gros").
GR®9markings (white and red)
Note: Unlike the previous trail, the "white and red" markings are very old. In some places, you have to guess where they are.
(8) Turn right towards "l'Epaulement de la Frache" (4 km).
Caution: Pay close attention at this point. A few metres further on, a path descends to the left (oldGR® mark on a fir tree). This is the path you need to take. The path that continues straight ahead runs parallel to ours but leads to the top of Épaulement de La Frache.
Our path winds downhill, then continues to the right. Walk through the beech forest with a few small ascents and descents and some open sections (old clearings?). If conditions are favourable (headwind, no noise, etc.), you may come face to face with chamois, as I once did.
(9) Further on, ignore a path that descends steeply to the left. An old sign on the edge of the path invites you to continue straight ahead (GR®9). You will reach an open space: the Épaulement de la Frache.
(10) Turn right and take the leftmost track in the direction of travel. Continue straight ahead on this main track. Further on, ignore a track that joins on the left. Shortly afterwards, you will come to the crossroads you passed on the way there (la Baraque d'Aurel).
GR®4/GR®9markings (white - red)
(2) Turn left. Follow this main track, which you took on the way there.
(1) In a small open space, ignore a track on the left and continue straight ahead to the car park (S/E).
Visorando Member
Difficult 
Easy 
