The Coulou Pass, the Pas du Curé and the Pas de la Corne

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
After reading several reviews, I was undecided... but then I went for it.

To be clear, this route is reserved for experienced hikers. For those who "blindly" follow the points on Visorando without looking at topographical maps beforehand, a few surprises await you... quite a few trees on the ground, it's slippery, the trails are not always maintained and not easy to find.
The loop is doable in its entirety, without any surprises... but it's a far cry from the DFCI trails where you meet other people.
My 9-year-old daughter had a blast and had no difficulty at the Pas du Curé or the Pas de la Corne, and personally, we added a loop under the Fangasset rocks (be careful, there are no signs, no markings and the paths are quite exposed)
In my opinion, the circuit is suitable for dogs (two tricky sections, but they are short)
For children, anything is possible with a rope and a harness to secure them (if they are very young).

To be done in dry weather: it is slippery.

After the Pas du Curé, follow the GR: the path suggested on this route has been unmarked... you can take it, but it's easier to follow the GR to the road before the dam!

THE LOOP IS DOABLE IN ITS ENTIRETY EXCEPT FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T READ A MAP!!!!

Very nice!
Enjoy your hike!

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Date of your route : Nov 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

While the hike isn't particularly exciting, it's not as disappointing as some people say. The Coulou gorge has a certain charm. The descent (and ascent) is 307 metres, so it's extremely easy. However, we did this autumn hike after several days of rain: the trail is rarely used, if at all. With the rain and autumn leaves, the trail becomes very slippery from Pas du Curé onwards. It's not exactly dangerous, but it is unpleasant and very messy if you slip! In short, this is a hike best done in good weather. It should be noted that, as a result, we did not go back up via the Pas de la Corne as indicated, but via Batardière, the Plateau Charvet and Les Roux (a section that does not make the route very interesting). This is probably not a hike to do in winter if you are not a regular mountain hiker.

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Date of your route : Apr 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

PLEASE NOTE: Due to a landslide, the Chemin du Pas du Curé is closed (on the Engins side). The trail signs have been removed. The loop is therefore no longer accessible, forcing hikers to make a round trip from Nizier sur Moucherotte to the EDF dam in Engins, with a steep incline.
Furthermore, we were unable to find the Le Moucherotte holiday centre, which is the starting point for the walk. We believe it has been converted into accommodation.
Personally, I do not recommend this route, which I found to be of very little interest.

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Date of your route : Mar 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, quick walk that is easily accessible from the city of Grenoble.
Time overestimated, except certainly after heavy rain.

Some tricky sections not recommended with young children.

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Date of your route : Feb 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As others have already mentioned, do not attempt this route if it has rained recently, as it is very slippery in many places. Some sections are also very uneven, which makes things more difficult.
As for the duration, 2 hours and 15 minutes is a bit optimistic; in any case, if the ground is wet, allow for more time.
Not suitable for children.

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Date of your route : Sep 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Circuit completed in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION due to unclear signage at the start (first the Pas de la Corne, then back via the Pas du Curé) in good weather, but the circuit is PARISH SPECIFIC TO BRETTAINE SLIPPERY AT BOTH STEPS. However, it seems easier to me in this opposite direction.
Another "anomaly" in the markings: the turn-off for the return before Batardière is marked earlier than on the map. We tried to follow the green and yellow arrows (for 150 metres) but they seemed very new or even unfinished as the trail disappeared in the woods. We took the passage indicated on the map, 200 metres further on before the first house, where we saw that the markings had been removed (bark removed from the trees), but followed the GPS track precisely. It joins the route "under construction" with the green and yellow markings resumed. So no mistake, but follow the exact GPS track.
i'm not sure if I'm making myself clear.
In short, a beautiful, slippery loop where the bans on mountain bikes and horses are entirely justified.
Nice lunch spot on the banks of the Furon, near the footbridge at the foot of Engins.
Not great for children, I would advise against it.
Crossing the two steps requires caution in wet conditions. Handrails are welcome.

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Date of your route : Jul 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 25/07/2022. We couldn't find the "entrance" to the gorge from the main trail after number 1. We retraced our steps to follow the marked route "pas du curé" (priest's path). We finally ended up at the bottom of a long descent, at the Coulou gorge. The gorge is rugged and extremely difficult, if not impossible, to traverse.
The descent via the Pas du Curé is technical and perilous. Avoid in wet weather or with young children. The climb back up from Engins is tough, with handrails in some of the steepest sections.
A beautiful hike, but be careful with young children. Only to be attempted in dry weather!!!

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Date of your route : Jul 24, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The suggested direction for the hike is a good one, given how difficult it is to find the path in places when walking in the opposite direction. This hike is for people who are used to difficult trails and are not afraid of heights; not suitable for children; a beautiful route through the woods and very mountainous.

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Date of your route : Aug 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As a local resident, I do this walk at least once a year and always enjoy it just as much. Both the route itself and the natural surroundings give you the feeling of being in an Indiana Jones film!
It's also a kind of pilgrimage, following in the footsteps of the priest of Saint-Nizier who, in the past, would walk down (and back up!) to celebrate mass in the village of Engins via the pass that now bears his name.

For those who are not particularly sure-footed and for very young children, I strongly advise avoiding the Défilé du Coulou. As the author of this hike points out in the introduction, it is a little "technical", the going is not easy and there is a real risk of slipping.
However, it is easy to get around this difficulty. When you reach point 1, a place called "Le Corba", take the wide path on the left that leads directly to the Pas du Curé (signposted) and then continue the walk as described.

Both on the descent from Pas du Curé and on the ascent to Pas de la Corne, the tricky sections are always well protected by steel handrails, firmly anchored in the rock. Of course, caution is still required, especially with young children.

After Pas de la Corne, at a place called "Goulet des Moulins" (signpost), ignore the path that branches off to the left towards "Pas du Curé" and "Sous la falaise" (signpost) and take the path that climbs to the right towards Saint-Nizier. The "Sous la Falaise" passage is relatively tricky, with the possibility of small rocks falling and a risk of slipping.

Thanks to Darphinos for posting this enjoyable and original hike online

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Date of your route : Apr 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
The Coulou gorge is stunning and safe: you walk through the stream between two cliffs, which are very steep and mossy.
Some areas where there is a risk of slipping are equipped with a solid iron handrail (3 cm in diameter!) to make the passages safe. Do not attempt in rainy or stormy weather as the stream bed is very narrow and there is no escape route in certain parts of the stream.

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Date of your route : Nov 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

there are no markings on the ground at the start of the Pas de la Corne lower section near the stream, but perhaps that's a blessing in disguise; we didn't meet anyone, which is just as well!

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Date of your route : Aug 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We did this hike starting from St Nizier, descending via the Pas du Curé and ascending via the Pas de la Corne.
A pleasant walk, well shaded in summer; best avoided in rainy weather

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Date of your route : Jul 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A short, interesting and well-shaded route for hot days.

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Date of your route : Oct 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

starting from the dam, we climbed up to the Pass of the Horn (a steep climb) and therefore did the route in reverse.
just after the hairpin bend on the right after St Nizier, the path marked with red markings is not that obvious... is this the right one? We descended into a dry riverbed with rocks on either side to reach the Coulou gorge.
a very beautiful descent to be enjoyed without rushing, after the Pas du Curé to the dam

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Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to give your opinion.

"Route on map" refers to assessing the accuracy of the route as it appears on the map in relation to the actual terrain.

The route seems to have caused problems
Would the Visorando GPS application have been useful to you?

See you soon

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