The Virgin of Vercors

A walk, rather than a hike, through the Herbouilly forest to a distinctive rock, the Vierge du Vercors.

Details

61968
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.58 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 208 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 208 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,423 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,276 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the Col d'Herbouilly, where there are numerous spaces along the roadside.

(S/E) Take the wide track that starts 100 metres below on the right. This ONF track is called the Piste Forestière du Fouillet. Reach thesecond hairpin bend.

(1) Turn left and stay on this new track for about 2km until you reach the Fétoule crossroads (Vercors sign). Markings on trees are rare. When they do exist, they are yellow and green.

(2) At the crossroads, turn right, ignoring the Saint André cross on a tree. Then begin a short descent to the first hairpin bend.

(3). Turn right onto the path that runs along the edge of the cliff, where the Via Corda from Saint Martin en Vercors ends. Here, a sign urges caution.
Return to the Fétoule crossroads.

(2). Strangely, the return path is marked in yellow and green.
Then begin the descent via the path on the right. The sign indicates the direction of Herbouilly. Follow the yellow and green markings. You will reach another crossroads.

(4) Turn left and join the D221.

(5). Cross over and take the wide path opposite, which leads to the Herbouilly plain. Join the wide track that follows theGRP® Grande Traversée du Vercors (GTV) trail.

(6). The markings become yellow and red. Take this track on the left and, through the meadow and then the forest, reach the Col d'Herbouilly and the car park.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,367 m - Col d'Herbouilly car park
  2. 1 : km 0.53 - alt. 1,392 m - Second hairpin bend
  3. 2 : km 2.54 - alt. 1,344 m - Carrefour de la Fétoule.
  4. 3 : km 2.8 - alt. 1,350 m - Via Corda fork.
  5. 4 : km 3.91 - alt. 1,331 m - Forest crossroads
  6. 5 : km 4.4 - alt. 1,310 m - D221.
  7. 6 : km 4.78 - alt. 1,287 m - GRP (GTV)
  8. S/E : km 6.58 - alt. 1,367 m - Col d'Herbouilly car park

Notes

No water, no shelter.
This walk does not require hiking boots; a simple pair of good trainers will suffice.
The Vierge du Vercors is a rock that is particularly visible from the RD103 road, which leads to the Bourne Valley in Saint Martin en Vercors. It is not visible from the Via Corda arrival viewpoint.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

The Herbouilly forest is a key site of the Vercors plateau resistance.
Valchevrière: a village completely destroyed at the end of the war, whose memorial clearly explains the bloody events that took place there. Only the church survived the tragedy.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 24 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
peyreg
peyreg

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Crossing the Herbouilly meadow is always a pleasure, even if it has just been mowed.
The photos don't seem to match the guidebook at all, which leaves us at the top of the cliffs.
The title is very poorly chosen, as the Virgin of Vercors is not visible.
Beautiful views of the St Matin plateau in Vercors.

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herveg07
herveg07

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I actually did route 241315 (La Vierge du Vercors via Pas de Saint-Martin), with a variation at junction 2 to see the end of the Via Corda. As mentioned in the comments above, the description of this section is incorrect, as is the GPS track (there is no path in the forest corresponding to this track). Furthermore, the two photos actually correspond to circuit no. 241315 between points 1 and 2. In my opinion, the author got a little confused when creating this track retrospectively (not recorded during the actual route).

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zazoux
zazoux

Overall rating : 2 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Although the walk itself was quite pleasant for the most part, some elements of the description did not match up at all. We did not see the statue of the Virgin Mary or the locations shown in the two photos on the itinerary. The elevation profile showed an anomaly (as if the person had fallen abruptly off a cliff!). To follow the trail, we had to scramble off the beaten track and almost got lost... Nothing too serious, as the marked trails are not far away and we had a good GPS, but the reliability of the description was very disappointing. To be corrected?

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Dav2663
Dav2663

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Problem with the route between points 2 and 3: the route on the map is incorrect; you probably need to turn right before that. We never found the statue.
In summer, it is better to do the circuit in reverse and start with the Herbouilly plain because it is in full sun. The rest is very shady.

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marcelgilhac
marcelgilhac

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Please note that forestry work is currently underway below the ridge, and the paths are impassable. You must walk along the paths or through the forest

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GuyRobardet
GuyRobardet

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, easy walk through diverse and magnificent landscapes. However, at point No. 3, we couldn't find the start of the path leading to the edge of the cliff (even though we had several GPS devices). However, by continuing south along the path for about 200 metres, you can easily reach the cliff edge, which offers superb, unobstructed views of St Martin-en-Vercors and the Vierge du Vercors. You can then turn around and return directly to point 4 via the path starting at an altitude of 1,300 metres.

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fpay
fpay

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, easy walk, but be careful at the viewpoint.
Beautiful scenery
a good half-day walk

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Papa Jules
Papa Jules

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Easy walk and beautiful view from the lookout point. Be careful with children near the edge!

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Julieng190182
Julieng190182

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2020
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 through the woods. A superb view of St Martin en Vercors. Finally, the crossing of the Herbouilly plain is splendid.

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mahico
mahico

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The hike was very nice, but unfortunately the description of how to get to the statue of the Virgin Mary wasn't clear enough, so we never found it. Very disappointing. Otherwise, it was an easy and pleasant walk, mostly in the shade, except for the crossing of the plateau at the end.

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jfcoulon
jfcoulon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Easy and very pleasant hike

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ipapeau
ipapeau

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Start of the hike with exceptional views of Saint Martin! The Herbouilly plateau is very pleasant but not shaded. Best done in the morning during heatwaves

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iza07
iza07

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Easy hike.
We set off from point 5 to avoid crossing the plain in the afternoon sun and the slight climb.
To see the Virgin of Vercors, we made a round trip to Pas de St Martin. (mountain side trail)

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galli06910
galli06910

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful, very easy walk. Apart from the Herbouilly plain, the rest of the walk takes place under the canopy of a magnificent forest, but it is best avoided at this time of year because of the wild strawberries and raspberries, which added over an hour to our hike (a real treat). Be careful when you reach the edge of the cliff, especially with children, the view from the edge of the La Vierge du Vercors cliff is sublime.

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