The Sainte-Croix of La Saulce

Head to the village of La Saulce and park in the cemetery car park, Chemin de l'Enclos.

(S/E) Walk past the church and head up to the left towards the wash house via Rue de la Charreirasse.

(1) Take the Montée du Château d'Eau opposite and ignore the other streets at the crossroads. Turn left onto Chemin de l'Aqueduc, towards Lardier - Saint-Marcellin, and continue to the road at the foot of the aqueduct.

(2) Turn right to pass under the Ventavon canal, go down Rue Saint-Marcellin then head back up to the bend. Turn right onto a stony path that climbs (^GRP®). Continue climbing, following the yellow and red markings of the^GRP®. Pass by an oratory, then cross the Torrent de Masseboeuf.

(3) Before reaching the tarmac road (50 m after a farm building), take the track then the path that winds steeply uphill to the right. Between pasture and forest, the path is clearly visible but not signposted. Pass over a pond at Vières and reach a junction.

(4) Turn right and head up and back to Sainte-Croix (green then yellow markings). Below the pass (982 m), head straight up towards a large, clearly visible cairn, reach the pass in question, and head right to the cross (1053 m).

(5) Enjoy the panoramic view over the Durance valley. In the distance to the west, you can see Mont Ventoux! Descend via the same route to the previous junction.

(4) Continue along the hillside to the right until you reach the road (D19), marked with yellow signposts, heading west with a survey table almost directly opposite.

(6) Take the road to the right , taking the usual precautions, until the next junction (where the roads to Sigoyer and La Pinée meet).

(7) Turn right onto the small Route de la Pinée, which skirts the south side of Serre Botier. The road descends and rejoins the^GRP® after about 200 m.

(8) Leave the road and rejoin the^GRP® on the right via a shaded path that descends gently through the Bois de la Pinée towards the hamlet of Tournoux. Reach the hamlet via the road.

(9) Turn right to pass between the farms, then continue along the path towards La Saulce. At the three-way junction, take the path on the right (elevation 829 m). This climbs for 1.5 km and, after a small pass (elevation 885 m), the descent to La Saulce begins.

(10) Please note: at this point, the path crosses a final small pass before descending to La Saulce. The path is slippery and steep here.

(10) Before the descent, turn left to visit the ruins of the square keep at La Saulce (a short round trip).

(11) Retrace your steps to continue the descent.

(10) Follow the path to the left to descend towards the village, which you reach via the Montée de Saulce Vieille.
Turn right onto Rue Dessoubre, then rejoin the original route.

(1) Turn left, walk past the wash house, then turn right towards the church square in the direction of the car park (S/E).

Fountain and shops in the village of La Saulce.

This range certainly lacks the appeal of the Pic de Crigne to the west or Céüse to the north. However, with its arid and relatively steep southern slopes—a favourite habitat of chamois—it is far from unremarkable, offering sweeping views over the middle Durance valley.

(5) La Sainte-Croix is a promontory offering a beautiful view over the Durance valley.

(11) Ruins of the square keep at La Saulce: from the end of the 10th century, La Saulce formed part of the fiefdom of the Lords of Orange, who had this keep built there in the 13th century. It dominated the valley and overlooked the Roman road.