L'Escoubaye

Starting from the village of La Bréole, this walk is suitable for the whole family.
It will allow you to discover both the Château de La Bréole and the Serre-Ponçon Dam, a key feature of the local heritage of the 20th century.

Details

143035
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.89 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 735 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 755 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,330 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,766 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

YellowPR®® markings

(S/E) From the car park near the post office, head towards the Main Street, turn right onto the road towards Les Masses for about 400 metres, then take the road towards Palleyros for 250 metres until you reach the start of the Sentier du Château, which branches off to the right.

(1) Take the path that climbs to the right via wooden steps through the groves and pine trees to the hamlet of Le Château (1,000m).

(2) Continue along the path which descends on the other side of the hill until you reach a wide track. Turn right. After about fifty metres, follow the track which climbs opposite until you reach the edge of a meadow; the path then branches off to the left, climbing through the pine trees. Follow it to L’Escoubaye (920m), a beautiful viewpoint overlooking Lake Serre-Ponçon, then continue along the path to the edge of a meadow. Turn left and head uphill along the edge of the meadow until you rejoin the path, which leads back into the pine trees

(3) This well-marked downhill path is easy to follow until you reach a wide track. Turn right. After 250 metres, turn right again.

(4) At the three-way junction, follow the D57 road uphill for about 700 metres.

(5) Take a dirt track branching off to the right and pass under the power line. Walk past Saint-Pierre Church and the cemetery on the left and reach the car park near the post office (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,054 ft - Car park near the post office
  2. 1 : mi 0.39 - alt. 3,094 ft - Staircase
  3. 2 : mi 0.67 - alt. 3,291 ft - The Castle - Lac de Serre-Ponçon
  4. 3 : mi 1.53 - alt. 2,930 ft - L'Escoubaye
  5. 4 : mi 2.29 - alt. 2,782 ft - Pierre Belle
  6. 5 : mi 2.68 - alt. 2,946 ft - Path on the right
  7. S/E : mi 2.89 - alt. 3,054 ft - Car park near the post office

Notes

NB: Hikes by the same author can be found on the La Bréole website

Please note that the map route and the GPS track may be inaccurate; hikers should ensure they follow the route as it appears on the ground, whether it be a marked path, trail, signposting or cairns. In any case, a good sense of direction and experience are your best assets.
Please ensure the route is adapted to the least experienced members of the group.

Worth a visit

A ‘rubine’ is a gullied slope formed of black marl, sedimentary rocks that were deposited on the seabed during the Mesozoic era.

The castle is thought to have been built before 1239, as a Latin text from that year already mentions it! Now in ruins, it offered an ideal position for controlling the Ubaye and Durance valleys; moreover, due to its location, it enjoyed plenty of sunshine, unlike the village, which at the winter solstice lies in the shadow of Clôt la Cime from early afternoon onwards. It was the scene of fierce fighting in 1586 during the reign of Henry III, at the end of the last Wars of Religion in Provence.

Escoubaye means ‘to sweep’ in Provençal dialect; indeed, in the past, the inhabitants used the serviceberry, a shrub found on the site, to make brooms.

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

4.7 / 5
Based on 24 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Montero
Montero
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Short route with a few steep sections both uphill and downhill. Beautiful view of the Serre Ponçon lake. Suitable for children aged 7 and above.

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Dompie
Dompie

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful views of the lake.
Relatively easy route, just a short slippery uphill section at the start.
A lovely walk!

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User 9164512

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike done with our two children aged 12 and 10.
The route is very well marked! A superb view after some beautiful climbs! Much of the hike is shaded (which is nice when it's hot 😅).
Be sure to wear hiking boots and avoid hiking in rainy weather!

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User 18633273

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, but not as easy as it looks, with quite a few steep climbs and descents, which can be tricky with children. Beautiful views and pretty shaded paths – we had a really good time.

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LesDeuxLoulous
LesDeuxLoulous

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike offering magnificent views of the dam and the entire lake.
Did it with two dogs weighing 10 and 20 kg without any difficulty.

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Libersart
Libersart

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Overall, a beautiful route with few difficulties

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Viviana
Viviana
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A great hike, to be enjoyed with frequent stops to admire the scenery, but also some art installations not mentioned in the description as they are very recent. So don't follow the advice in the comment dated 18 September 23:

"The passage to the meadow requires a little attention, as the yellow markings can be misleading. To keep it simple, go around the meadow and don't head towards a picnic table."
On the contrary, head towards the picnic table, with a fountain and a very curious, unusual installation. Similarly, be careful after the water treatment plant, keep your eyes open...
Walking sticks are recommended. The slope is quite steep in places.

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carolepa
carolepa

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike alternating between wooded areas and open spaces with magnificent views of Lake Serre Ponçon and the Ubaye River. The hike is quite long, with frequent stops to admire the scenery

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Visophi
Visophi

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 16 September 2023, with no rain for several days. In wet weather, some sections may be slippery.
The passage to the meadow requires a little attention, as the yellow markings can be misleading. To keep it simple, go around the meadow and do not head towards a picnic table.
The hike is often under the cover of trees, which is nice in hot weather. Wear good shoes because, as already mentioned, there are many roots!
A pleasant walk

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lajiji
lajiji

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, with one downside when you arrive at Escoubaye: the field alongside the path has been ploughed and planted, so be very careful to find the rest of the path and the Escoubay fountain, and don't get too close to the lake (it's steep)

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meschiens
meschiens

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 29, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike yesterday, Monday 28 March 2022, with our usual clear blue sky.
Magnificent panorama with a bird's-eye view of the lake and dam from an angle we hadn't seen before.
Nevertheless, I think it's a good idea to wear good hiking boots, possibly walking sticks, and to be very careful (especially on the descents) as the trail is dotted with exposed roots...
Thank you for this tour.

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Mareve
Mareve

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Be careful at level 2 'arriving in a field'. Cross the field on the left and follow the sign for Fontaine. The path continues above. If you go behind the picnic table, the path overlooks the lake and becomes dangerous.

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Jean-Pierre Maucort
Jean-Pierre Maucort

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views of the lake: it feels like the Mediterranean: the lake with its coves and small boats
Be careful with the signposts if a farmer is ploughing his field: the signs disappear. Fortunately, we had the route on our phones. At the stone bridge with the three-way junction (no. 4), you can turn left and go down to the La Breole pontoon (lovely views of the lake and coves)

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LiKa Photo
LiKa Photo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nothing in particular, very happy with this site
Beautiful scenery, good weather, we took lots of photos so had more time to enjoy the walk
Thank you very much!

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Séquoia 27
Séquoia 27

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely little walk, well signposted. The view of the lake is very pleasant.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.