Le Bec de l'Orient via the Pas de la Clé

Date of your route : May 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hiking on the edge of the Vercors with access from Autrans
In pictures: https://youtu.be/uWe25BI-E1A?si=BkqhK49D...

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Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk that we did in the opposite direction to the suggested route, so that we could tackle the main challenge (Pas de la Clé) right at the start.
Although the path along the cliff ridge is quite busy, we were alone for the rest of the route.
Best done in August as there are plenty of wild raspberries 😋

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Hello,

Yes, sorry. You’re absolutely right.
Thank you for letting me know and, above all, for being so observant.
Sylvie

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Hello, and many thanks for this very interesting comment, although a few clarifications are needed.
I assume you are referring to this hike and not the one mentioned in your message, which is only a round trip.
This then fits in well with the data you’ve recorded.
Have a good week.

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Date of your route : Mar 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did it in the opposite direction, following the advice of people who said that the ‘Pas de la Clé’ section on the way down could take you by surprise… even on the way up, a bit 😉
The hike was absolutely stunning, with the views, the flowers coming into bloom, and the variety of landscapes (sharp limestone pavement, forest, mountain pastures).
For me, it was 15.5 km with 900 m of elevation gain. 4½ hours, not counting breaks.
Really top-notch and not far from home – perfect for recharging your batteries.
Just between Pas de la Clé and Bec de Lorient, it was a bit busier, but that’s to be expected as many hikers set off from Autrans.

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Hello,

For your information:
As the road is closed between the village of ‘Le Coing’ and the Mortier Tunnel, we were unable to reach the start of the hike. There were two options: either start the hike from the village, but that would add an extra 300 metres of elevation gain, or go round the mountain range and start from Autrans, but that would make the hike longer and we didn’t have time, so we made the decision to head for Molière, which we didn’t regret. The Bec d’Orient will have to wait for another time.

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Date of your route : Jul 30, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Hike completed in late July 2018.

The Pas de la Clé hike must only be undertaken in dry weather!
Right from the start of the trail, coming from the Montaud-Tunnel du Mortier track, forestry machinery has ravaged the landscape, creating a massive trench 2m wide and almost 1m deep, which really hinders walking for over 300m. The path is partially overgrown, and the yellow and green markings are barely visible to novices. Because of this and the fact that this section has become a right mess, the hike loses some of its appeal! I actually find the behaviour of these people scandalous... the forest is theirs and it shows!

On the ascent and upon reaching the bottom of the “slide” carved into the rock, there is a “short climbing section” suitable for beginners, though it may intimidate some people: to enter the crevice, you need to use your hands. Once you’re in the gully, you just need to be careful (stop and clip your poles to your rucksack) and keep using both hands to make your way gently to the top. It’s quite magical!
For beginners who don’t feel confident, go round this slide on the left and follow a fairly difficult path with a few very exposed hairpin bends, which takes you to the top of the pass; allow an extra 10 minutes.
However, on the descent I would advise against the slide; stick to the path, but be careful there too!

Once past the “pass”, the section running along the cliffs and leading to the Bec de l’Orient is gentle, well-marked (red and white) and all that’s left is to enjoy the view.

Marco

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Hello
I’m sure there are variations, but it would be helpful if you could list them for me, along with the colour of the markings. This would allow me to update this description. It seems to me (although it is brief) that the route is perfectly clear and that the signposts (which were there when I walked it in 2014) help guide walkers in the right direction.
However, from the ridge onwards, it seems to me that there is no ambiguity whatsoever.
Have a good evening

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Thank you for your comment, ClaudioLuigi38, but Visorando isn’t a site that encourages the use of waypoints. Our main focus is on providing a detailed description and an extract from an IGN map. Among other things, this allows users to venture off the beaten track.

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Date of your route : Aug 09, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Please indicate the signposts on the route map, as there are several different routes leading to these two sites.

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