The Coulmes Forest between Presles and the Rochers du Ranc

A microcosm of the Vercors in the Coulmes forest, with its viewpoints, chasms, caves and springs.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 17.20 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 721 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 721 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,278 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 840 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the small car park in front of the town hall, Place de la Fontaine.

(S/E) Follow the village’s main street southwards.

Yellow/red markings

(1) 100 m from the village exit, turn left in the middle of the meadow. Cross the meadow, then head into more wooded areas following the well-marked path. Ignore the offshoots on either side and reach a road.

(2) Follow it to the left and, 200 m further on, at the right-hand bend, take the path leading uphill to the left. This path is clearly marked heading north, then takes a sharp bend southwards to join a wide track. Continue to the right as far as the houses at Le Charmeil, where you reach a road.

(3) Cross the road and take the slightly left-hand ascending path, which then turns into a forest track. After a gentle climb, you’ll reach a road.

(4) Do not follow the road but take the hairpin bend to the right, heading downhill. Follow the path through the forest, ignoring the signposts to the right for “Ferme Adrien” and “Toquemada”. The path heads southwards downhill, then levels out, and then heads south-east and eastwards up a steep slope.

At the ridge, the path becomes a stony track. After 500 m, leave the track and take a path downhill to the right. Cross an area of tall beech trees and reach the Haut Goulandière junction.
End of Yellow/Red markings – Start of White/Red markings

(5) Continue straight ahead towards the east and leave the forest. You will reach the ruins of La Goulandière. Follow the right-hand descending edge of the meadow. After crossing through the forest, reach and pass the other ruins of Petite Goulandière. Continue southwards to reach the Belvédère du Ranc viewpoint with its information board explaining the views.

(6) Return along the same path to the last ruins. Continue left along the outward route, ignoring the path that branches off to the right at the edge of the meadow, and re-enter the forest.

Yellow-green markings

(5) Ignore the path leading to the finish opposite and turn right uphill, following theyellow-green markings. After a 200-metre climb, you will reach a stony path.

(7) Cross this track and continue straight ahead uphill. Follow the well-marked path with red and white markings, ignoring the side paths on either side. The path climbs to the left then descends to the right to reach a crossroads at Beauregard.

(8) Continue straight ahead along the flat path for 200 m to see the chasm below on the left in the forest.

(9) Retrace your steps.

(8) Head downhill to the right.

After 200 m, you’ll arrive near the Pra l’Étang cave on the right, which is recognisable by its gravel path. Head to the cave to visit it, then return to the original path. Continue by taking the path down to the right until you reach a road.

(10) Follow the road to the right for a return trip to the Fontaine de Pétouze, 250 m away.

(11) Retrace your steps.

(10) Follow the road for 100 m and turn right onto a path leading downhill towards the west, then heading north to reach a road near a house in Bournet.

(12) Follow the road to the left. At a left-hand bend, cut across two successive bends in the road to find yourself below it, which is now on your left. The almost level path reaches a road at Croix Sappey.

(13) Cross the road and head straight ahead. Follow the path, which then becomes a road as you approach the village of Presles. Continue to Place de la Fontaine (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 857 m - Place de la Fontaine
  2. 1 : km 0.19 - alt. 847 m - Path on the left
  3. 2 : km 1.7 - alt. 859 m - Road, on the left
  4. 3 : km 2.81 - alt. 912 m - Le Charmeil
  5. 4 : km 3.9 - alt. 1,027 m - Reziron Road
  6. 5 : km 7.34 - alt. 1,121 m - Haut Goulandière junction
  7. 6 : km 8.45 - alt. 1,009 m - Belvédère du Ranc
  8. 7 : km 9.82 - alt. 1,160 m - Crossroads with a stony path
  9. 8 : km 11.22 - alt. 1,263 m - Beauregard junction
  10. 9 : km 11.4 - alt. 1,243 m - Gouffre
  11. 10 : km 12.84 - alt. 1,090 m - Fontaine de Pétouze junction
  12. 11 : km 13.13 - alt. 1,111 m - Fontaine de Pétouze
  13. 12 : km 15.1 - alt. 946 m - Bournet junction
  14. 13 : km 16.35 - alt. 893 m - Croix Sappey
  15. S/E : km 17.2 - alt. 857 m - Place de la Fontaine

Notes

No water sources except at the Fontaine de Pétouze (but far from the start).
No shelter.
Standard hiking kit.

Access to the village of Presles: Very narrow on the Drôme side from the Gorges de La Bourne road via Pont-en-Royans, but normal on the Isère side via Saint-Pierre-de-Chérennes and Le Faz.

Worth a visit

On the route:
Village of Presles.
Ruins of Goulandière.
Ranc viewpoint: orientation table and views.
Beauregard Chasm.
Pra l'Étang Cave.
Pétouze Spring.

Nearby: Bourne Gorges.
Choranche Caves.
Le Faz Nordic site.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.2 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
BadinD
BadinD

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An excellent hike that we have already done several times.
This time, we were hampered by a logging operation that was hauling logs along the completely ruined path between points 4 and 5 on the Gd Serre hillside. It's a real mess!
On the way back, between points 8 and 9, towards the Pra l'étang cave, the junction to turn right is poorly signposted and I missed it.
It should be noted that some kind souls couldn't resist ransacking the Goulandière shelter and lighting a fire at the viewpoint! (Point 6)
Some people clearly need a good kick up the backside!
Finally, it's a shame that the café in the village of Presle is no longer open, as it was a nice place to meet up after a beautiful hike.

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MissVertigo
MissVertigo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's a really superb hike, ideal in hot weather as it's well wooded and a little high up (800-1,300 m)
There are no vertiginous sections along the route!
(However, it's true that access to the village via Pont en Royan is...OUPS! Not for everyone!!! (Not for me, anyway...
A few details where we got confused:
At the first point 5, "continue east" = continue straight ahead (for those who don't have a compass)
AND on the way back, at the second point 5, the markings are no longer white and red but yellow and green.

The climbs and descents are easy; the landscapes, mostly forest except around the Ranc viewpoint, are very pleasant!
This hike will be one of my favourites!

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sqffqsdDSQF
sqffqsdDSQF

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 03, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I went on this walk in April 2024. There aren’t many views, but it’s a pleasant walk. Warning! I was bitten by a dog between points 2 and 3 near the hamlet of Charmeil on the Chemin Bonette. It barked, and then, after I’d passed, bit me from behind on the lower part of my calf.

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Odile_92
Odile_92

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I went on this hike in July 2023 during a heatwave, and the almost constant presence of the forest was a welcome relief.
A lovely walk with a stunning view, though only for a short while; for the most part, it’s more of a forest stroll.
The path isn’t very clear; we went wrong several times and it requires constant attention.
Overall, I was very satisfied with this hike

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joelle.david12@
joelle.david12@

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb route, lovely views, very pleasant.

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dan liberté
dan liberté

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We did this route on 4 March 2021. A very lovely route.
At point 7, the instructions say to follow the well-marked white/red trail. In reality, it is now marked yellow/green. However, at the start of the trail, the letters ‘GR 9’ are painted in large letters on a tree, and the markings continue clearly in yellow/green right to the end. This sign reassured us.
There were still patches of snow on the path. We’ll be back in the spring. Lovely walk.

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