The Crête des Baumes, starting from La Joue du Loup

Cross the Col de Rioupes and turn right to reach the Joue du Loup via the D17C. Take the first street on the left, Rue des Chaumattes. Park at the top of the street after the first bend to the right, near some beautiful chalets.

(S/E) Head down into the valley following the^GR® de Pays Tour du Devoluy, then climb back up to a junction (shown on the map, but difficult to spot in winter under the snow).

(1) Turn sharply right, staying on the^GR®, until you reach another junction.

(2) Ignore the path leading uphill and head left through a wood. You’ll reach the crossroads at the Bergerie du Forest du Puy.

(3) Leave the^GRP® here and turn left towards the sheepfold. Walk past it and you’ll come to a wide cross-country ski trail.

(4) Cross it and take the path opposite, which may be completely untouched in winter. Descend into the Bois de Font la Mère and reach the lowest point of this route at the junction marked ‘Les Étroits’.

(5) Turn right, following the balcony-like path towards Les Étroits. At the end of this path, there is another three-way junction.

(6) Take the path on the right to climb between two valleys; follow it through the woods without straying from it, until you emerge onto a wide track and a designated rest area.

(7) Continue to the right and follow the track, which climbs gently, until you reach a clearing and the cross-country ski trails heading towards Super Dévoluy.

(8) Follow the cross-country ski trail to the right for a few metres. Take care to stay on the edges. You’ll reach a Y-shaped junction.

(9) Leave the trail and take the snowshoe path on the left. Climb up, then make a wide left-hand bend. Continue along the Crête des Baumes until you reach the radio masts.

(10) Behind the antennas, take the path that descends steeply and ends at the Collet du Tat. Take care here: the descent along this narrow path can be tricky in snowshoes.

(11) Set off along the snowshoe trail to climb up to a small plateau overlooking La Joue. After this plateau, continue the descent through the woods to reach the^GRP® junction you passed on the way out.

(2) Follow the route you took on the way there in the opposite direction to return to the Chaumattes car park (S/E).

This snowshoe route can also be completed as a standard hike, although the winter scenery on the Crête des Baumes is exceptional.
Take care when passing close to cross-country ski trails.
Between (2) and (5) Part of this route may be untouched by snowshoes. It is useful to have a GPS or the Visorando app. Snow significantly alters landmarks.

(10) At the top, on the ridges, there is an exceptional panorama of the main massifs of the Champsaur: the Pic de Bure, the Col du Rabou; to the east, the Montagne de Faraut; to the south, the Grand and Petit Ferrand, the Grande Tête de l’Obiou, the Tête de Garnesier, as well as the villages at the bottom of the valleys.