The Barre des Dourbes ridge

Long north-south oriented ridge, the Barre des Dourbes ridge separates the basin of Digne-les-Bains from the Barrême syncline.
Rising in stages over twenty kilometres, culminating Pic de Couar some 1988 m above sea level.

Details

4722
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.35 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 647 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 656 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,722 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,102 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Les Dourbes, 8 km east of Digne-les-Bains by the D19.
Car park at the Serre forestry building, 1.5 km east of the hamlet of Dourbes.

Yellow markings
(S/F) At the car park of the forestry building, follow the forest track to a crossroads.
Turn left onto the GTP route to the Pas de la Faye. A little further up, turn right at a hairpin bend onto a small path that leads to a track above the track on the right and arrive at the crossroads of the paths tp the Pas de la Faye and Pas de Tartonne.

Yellow-Red markings
(1) Continue across the forest track for about 1 km. Turn right onto a path that goes up to a loop. It then joins a trail. Follow this trail crossing to the intersection with a path, ignoring the trails heading off to the sides. Continue to climb in hairpin bends. Ignore the path on the right under the Barre and head on to the Pas de la Faye by a crevice (steep passages).

Yellow markings
(2) Then leave the GTP and head right to the top of the rocky ridge. The route passes near St. Martin’s hole. Continue in the same direction until Pas de Tartonne (steep passages along the ridge).

(3) Then head down the path on the right, sometimes sideways, sometimes winding between two deep ravines. Leave successively right paths to the right under the Barre and cross over to reach the path taken on the way in.

(1) The return journey takes the same route as the outbound route to head back to the car park (S/F).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,111 m - ONF car park
  2. 1 : km 1.47 - alt. 1,253 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 4.78 - alt. 1,673 m - Pas de la Faye
  4. 3 : km 6.51 - alt. 1,646 m - Pas de Tartonne
  5. S/E : km 10.35 - alt. 1,102 m - ONF car park

Notes

Do not forget binoculars, water and a wind-proof jacket.

Worth a visit

On the way: St. Martin’s hole, the Barre des Dourbes ridge, wildlife, wild sheep.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 51 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Lou cigalou
Lou cigalou

👍

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Thabor
Thabor
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Barre des Dourbes, climbed on this spring day in 2026: what a treat!

This ridge is absolutely stunning even when viewed from below, and it offers a magnificent 360° view once you reach the top.
The limestone it’s made of takes on shades ranging from grey to golden; you could stay at the bottom and gaze at it endlessly, as its hues shift constantly depending on the colour of the sky, the angle of the sun, the time of day and the weather. A visual delight!

For those who like to discover things for themselves, don’t read on!

The designers of the Barre trails have done an admirable job: all the trails are even and predictable, and none are so steep as to require ropes or cables.

DIZZYING SECTIONS: only the climb up the Pas de la Faye features sections of this kind.
Just before you reach the top, there are 30 or 40 metres of flat ground where you have the normal path of small stones, bordered by 30 to 50 cm of grass on either side, with the cliff face to your right and the drop-off to your left.
If even over 30 to 40 metres you’re not sure you’ll be able to cope, then perhaps it’s best to give up. As always, it becomes dangerous if there are gusts of wind.
But the section is very short! And there isn’t a single obstacle; you can look at the photos if that reassures you. As for the Pas de Tartonne, it’s very simple: there is NO dizzying section, nothing, nada.

FITNESS LEVEL: the climb up to the Pas de la Faye is the only really physically demanding part.
It gets steeper and steeper as you approach the summit. Towards the end, there’s a section that climbs very steeply and you have to go round or over rocks; sometimes you need to use your hands a bit.
Anyone who walks regularly can manage this climb; no special technique is required.
The descent from the Pas de Tartonne is only challenging for the first 300 metres, where you need to be careful. It’s steep but there are no loose stones. Once you’re lower down, it’s a classic winding descent. Let’s be honest: those with weak knees will suffer.

HORSEFLIES: anyone allergic to horseflies must wear long trousers and long sleeves from around May to August. I was bitten by numerous horseflies in 2024 whilst climbing Pic de Couard and also near Clappe in the southern part of the Barre, so the entire Barre area is affected.

Minor details: the summit of the Barre is, unsurprisingly, very rocky and stony; walking is a bit tricky, but nothing more.
Navigation is dead easy with the markings, except on the ridge where you can get a bit lost with all the bushes, but nothing that will really throw you off course.

Relevance of the date (10 April): patches of snow remain; we had to walk through some of them and snow got into our shoes, so it was a bit of a struggle in walking shoes. Wait until May if you don’t have snow boots or don’t want to use them.

Vegetation: spring flowers everywhere – primroses and crocuses – a riot of colour. Below and on the ridge, boxwood bushes absolutely everywhere.

Traffic: no one.

Weather: mild spring weather, a climb in the shade in the morning, sunny at the summit and on the descents. Perfect.

In short: go for it!!!

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Lou cigalou
Lou cigalou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 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 done in the direction indicated, which allows you to walk in the shade during the entire ascent. Obviously, the crossing of the plateau is not sheltered, but there was always a light breeze to cool us down, and at this time of year, there were carpets of flowers everywhere! And what a view! The description was perfect and the route had been repainted recently... pure joy. To be done again and again!

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1950bba
1950bba

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike. The ridge route is magnificent.
We did the walk as described.
Fearing a steep, rolling descent below the Pas de Tartonne, we continued to the Pas de Labaud, where we thought the descent would be gentler.
This hope was only half fulfilled, as the route (longer, of course) is still quite stony.
For old knees, it's probably best to do the circuit the other way round (with or without the variant via the Pas de Labaud). From what I saw on the way up, the descent from the Pas de la Faye should be comfortable.

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Isabelle Moysan
Isabelle Moysan

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Very nice walk. The vertiginous sections are easy. Thanks for the very clear description

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cam_bldn
cam_bldn

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike, we did it in the direction Pas de Tartonnne - Pas de le Faye! There were a few vertiginous sections but no major difficulties, and the view from the top was breathtaking! We took the opportunity to have a picnic at the top before heading back down. The path is well signposted all the way.

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mattdel
mattdel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike today.
It takes about 4 hours 4 hours 30 minutes, at a leisurely pace, and I can confirm that the passage over the plateau is not at all vertiginous.
I recommend this hike, which takes place on a west-facing slope, so it's shady in the morning!

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jougla jean michel
jougla jean michel

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's difficult to follow the path on the ridge if you get caught up in the boxwood.

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Mia NOIRE
Mia NOIRE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A walk just as I remember it. The trou de Saint-Martin is not to be missed!

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Louvier38
Louvier38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, with breathtaking views at the top!
Requires a moderate level of fitness, or you can split the hike in 2 (the view at the top goes well with a picnic!).

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JULIEN Hervé
JULIEN Hervé

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice hike, with perfect weather.
As I have a good understanding of vertiginous passages, I passed the two "sensitive" points without any problem (but certainly more tricky with strong gusts of wind).
The view is magnificent, with an almost perfect alignment between Lure and Mont Ventoux.

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Roubaud Eliane
Roubaud Eliane

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

A walk that can be classed as average for good walkers. Magnificent views from the summit and ridge.
The descent to the right of the Pas de Labau is fast but long and hard on the knees; it rejoins the track and requires a little ascent.
This hike should be avoided in very hot weather, preferring the 1st or last months of the year.

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rando0412
rando0412

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

lovely walk, perfectly maintained trails

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hugueschap
hugueschap

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

nice hike

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Marie Claude et Jean Claude
Marie Claude et Jean Claude

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, you classify this route as medium-difficulty. I think it would be more appropriate to classify it as difficult, particularly because of the steep last 500 metres or so, with stones that roll under your feet. Otherwise, the views from the ridges were magnificent. We took some superb photos. Our efforts were superbly rewarded.

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