The Bec de l’Orient and the Grotte de la Ture as seen from the Banc de l’Ours

Park in one of the two dirt car parks at the crossroads 100 m before the Auberge du Banc de l’Ours.

(S/E) Leave the road to the left immediately after the right-hand bend, heading north-west. You will soon come to the^GR® 9. Take this to the right, following a forest track in fairly good condition, with a generally stony or gravelly surface. Take a wide left-hand bend (the Fontaine Renard is on the right), then turn right and you will reach a lovely forest track.

(1) Cross the track and continue along the^GR®-marked forest path^. You’ll reach the “Sous Pierre Taillée” junction with a forest path leading uphill to the left.

(2) Take this to the left up a fairly steep climb. At the first fork, take the path on the right that climbs (yellow-green markings), then, at a high point on the path, leave it to the right via a well-marked track that climbs up to the Pas de Pierre Taillée (view over the Isère valley).

(3) Head back down to the fork you passed earlier.

(2) Continue climbing northwards along a section of refurbished forest track until you reach the crossroads known as “Les Fayards”.

(4) Ignore the right-hand branch leading to the Cabane de Nave, and continue climbing until you soon reach the ridge and the edge of the cliff. Follow it to the Signal de Nave.

(5) Continue along the path which more or less follows the ridge until you reach a junction at Pré de Nave.

(6) Ignore the path leading down to the Cabane de Nave and continue straight on until you reach a fork at La Cheminée. Approach the edge of the cliff carefully to admire, on your left, the slender vertical rock faces several hundred metres high, and a further panoramic view of the Isère valley.

(7) Continue along the path northwards to the Bec de l’Orient.

(8) Walk a short way down from the cross to enjoy one of the most impressive views.
Return to the previous junction.

(7) Turn left towards L’Avion and Gève, then, 100 metres on, visit the shelter built in memory of a Resistance camp.

(9) Retrace your steps for 50 m and take a little-used forest track, which heads due south across a karst area and winds its way in numerous zigzags, with many short ascents and descents. You’ll reach a fork in the path (alt. 1,475 m).

(10) Take care at this point: the track appears to go straight on, but you must turn sharply right to stay on the path, which continues to zigzag, generally running close to the rocks of La Ture.
After about 1,500 m of this rollercoaster ride, you’ll reach a sort of plateau.

(11) From there, take the gravel forest track, which is in very good condition and undulates gently towards the south, generally on a downward slope. Follow it for about 2 km until you reach a sharp right-hand bend, followed by a left-hand bend.

(12) Take care on this bend: the start of the path branching off to the right is not very visible. However, the path is well marked and leads to the Grotte de la Ture.

(13) You can visit the cave, or part of it, provided you have a torch and suitable equipment.
Please note: respect the peace and quiet of the bats, who are the cave’s primary inhabitants!
On leaving the cave, cross the forest track and take the path leading southwards.
After a few hundred metres, cross another forest track and continue for 300 m until you reach some pastures at the edge of the forest, where there is a sort of crossroads of paths.

(14) Take the right-hand branch, heading south-west, which descends into the meadow and then enters the forest again.
You’ll come to a junction with a main track.

(15) Take the path opposite, which leads uphill. Walk past the Auberge du Banc de l’Ours, and you’ll reach the car park (S/E).

There is a fountain between (1) and (2), but the water is not declared safe to drink.
Shelter is available at (9) Le Camp des Corbeaux.
The paths and tracks present no difficulty, but mid-cut trainers are recommended for a few short stony sections.