Gicon

This short hike takes you quickly to one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Dévoluy, offering views of the entire syncline and the peaks of Vercors Nord, Chartreuse, Taillefer and Oisans.

The view towards the turquoise Sautet Lake is spectacular and, with a bit of luck, a sea of clouds will add a romantic touch to the landscape.

Grouse and chamois abound on the slopes of the Gicon and can be seen if you are discreet enough.

Details

n°4129710

Creation:
30 Sep 2020

Last update:
02 Sep 2026

Last review:
11 Aug 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 5.13 mi
Average duration: 4h 40
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 2,628 ft
Descent: - 2,654 ft
Highest point: 6,824 ft
Lowest point: 4,426 ft

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Dévoluy, Dauphiné
City: Saint-Disdier (05250)
Start/End: N 44.736008° / E 5.90942°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3337OT, 3337OTR
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Description of the walk

Information on how to reach the starting point, as well as details regarding difficulties, alternative routes and precautions to take, are summarised in the ‘Practical Information’ and ‘During the hike’ sections.

(Direction) Several walkers suggest doing this walk in the opposite direction, which is of course possible, but early risers will then miss out on the sunrise over the Obious and the other Isère peaks of the Dévouluy.

(Start/Finish) From the car park, follow the path climbing up the north-eastern shoulder of the Serre (signpost indicating the climbing site). After 300 m, look out for a cairn on a path branching off to the right.

(1) Leave the path heading up towards the climbing site and take the one heading eastwards along the hillside, marked by the cairn. The route remains level before crossing a ravine. It then climbs gradually before turning north, following the slope upwards and veering back westwards. It joins the edge of the western cliff face of the Gicon at IGN elevation 1659.

From there, follow the track that climbs northwards, as close as possible to the western cliff face of the Gicon, until you come within sight of a huge, semi-detached rock on the western flank of the cliff: the Piéroux.

(2) A secondary path allows you to make a round trip to the northern promontory of the Piéroux. After admiring the view, return to the main route and continue climbing northwards along the cliff.
⚠️ It is easy to lose the path; if this happens, always head westwards back towards the cliff to rejoin the main path.
This will take you to the cairn-marked summit of the Gicon (incorrectly spelled ‘Gigon’ by the IGN since 1986, despite repeated requests for correction from local residents and walkers).

(3) From the summit, follow the edge of the northern cliff face eastwards until you reach a gap allowing you to descend onto the northern shoulder of the Gicon.

(4) Descend carefully – particularly if the ground is wet – down this shoulder and follow it to the rocky ledge below.

(5) Several gullies above the scree descend from this outcrop due east, towards the Cabane de l’Aup, which is clearly visible below. Choose one of them and descend off-track towards the scree. Follow the loose scree eastwards until you reach the Cabane de l’Aup.

(6) Head south-southeast onto the grassy track suitable for vehicles, which descends alongside the Queyras torrent. This track becomes a forestry track at the 1492 mark.

(7) Continue south on this track, which then turns west to reach the starting point (S/E)

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 4,469 ft - Hauts-Gicon car park (relais station)
1 : mi 0.16 - alt. 4,580 ft - A small cairn to the right of the path
2 : mi 1.37 - alt. 5,899 ft - Heading towards Le Piéroux
3 : mi 2.18 - alt. 6,752 ft - Summit - Le Gicon
4 : mi 2.38 - alt. 6,660 ft - Setting off for the north shoulder of the Gicon
5 : mi 2.71 - alt. 6,070 ft - Top of the scree slope leading down to the Aup hut
6 : mi 3.07 - alt. 5,177 ft - Connection - Cabane de l'Aup (1575m)
7 : mi 3.43 - alt. 4,905 ft - Road accessible to Hauts-Gicon
S/E : mi 5.13 - alt. 4,462 ft - Hauts-Gicon car park (relais)

Notes

?️ Park at the Serre car park, N 44.73602° / E 5.90932°, at the Hauts Gicons mast. By clicking on this Waze link, you can enter these coordinates directly into your favourite sat-nav app.

? Water is in short supply, as is often the case in the Dévoluy, so make sure you bring enough with you (at least 1 litre per person).

? Dogs are allowed in this part of the Dévoluy and the walk poses no problems for them.

?♀️ The difficulty of this walk lies on the borderline between ‘moderate’ and ‘difficult’, mainly because it is easy to lose the path on the ascent to the Gicon (although you simply need to head towards the western ridge to find a clear route again) and due to a steep descent down the northern shoulder of the Gicon.

? Rain can make this hike more difficult, particularly on the descent from the Gicon.

? The walk is short and not suitable for bivouacking.

? Standard hiking kit is sufficient.

⏰ Setting off an hour before dawn will allow you to witness the warm light of day on the western ridge of the Dévoluy (from the 1,659 m IGN contour line).

? Finding your way is extremely easy: the route runs along the western and northern cliffs of the Gicon, then follows its northern ridge to a rocky outcrop which marks the start of the off-trail descent through the scree towards the Aup hut. From there, the track leads straight back to the starting point.

? There is only one emergency number in France: 112. Other numbers (15, 17, or direct numbers…) have no priority on mobile networks, do not connect via other operators’ networks when there is no signal, and in the event of a high volume of calls, ongoing calls are cut off to prioritise 112. So forget about them as soon as possible; they are dangerous and no longer serve any purpose (contrary to what some outdated training materials claim). If you cannot speak or hear, use 114 to communicate via text message. 112 works on any mobile phone (and landlines, of course), including on a locked phone and even if the SIM card is blocked (however, since 2004, France has been in breach of European recommendations and blocks calls to 112 when there is no SIM card in the phone. This blocking mechanism required special investment, as the GSM standard naturally allows calls to be made without a SIM card. Taxpayers will appreciate this particularly clever use of public funds).

⚠️ Please note: if your call is cut off, it is up to you to call the emergency services again: they have no way of contacting you or locating you. Remember to note down your GPS coordinates before calling, as the French government has not seen fit to equip emergency centres with AML (Advanced Mobile Location) technology, despite this having been made mandatory by the EU since 2018.

? In the mountains, switch your phone to 2G: the coverage of this technology is 4 to 8 times greater than that of newer technologies, and it uses significantly less battery power. Remember to switch off your Wi-Fi, as it drains the battery quickly and serves no purpose outside homes and offices. ? Bear in mind that your phone’s GPS tracking works even in aeroplane mode (GPS has nothing to do with mobile phone calls).

Worth a visit

? Alpine wildlife is abundant here; in particular, chamois are plentiful all around the Gicon, and black grouse strut about near the Aup hut before dawn (there’s no point looking for them later).

? The view from the summit is breathtaking. See this interactive photo.

? Several alternative routes are possible. From the summit, you can descend via the Combe des Chèvres ridge and continue on to the Grand and Petit Brechon. To do this, after point (4), head westwards beneath the summit cliff of the Gicon and reach the pass on the Combe des Chèvres. Follow this pass to the deep notch in the Ruisseau de Fontête, which you bypass to the south; climb back up onto the ridge to reach the Brechons. From the Petit Brechon, head eastwards on level ground to join one of the forest tracks leading back to the Hauts Gicons.

It is also possible to continue on to Pic Piérroux from the Col de l’Aup

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5

Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5

Route interest
4.6 / 5

User 10061776

11 Aug 2026 at 19:11 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike where, despite the moderate altitude, there are stunning panoramic views of Lake Sautet and the entire Dévoluy range
I then carried on to climb Pic Pierroux – a real treat with a 360° view
I’d highly recommend this hike for families

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Moman

04 Nov 2025 at 11:24 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views of Devoluy and Isère. The descent from the summit of Les Gicons to the shepherd's hut is quite steep and rocky. I recommend this hike during the grazing season, before 15 June and after 30 September. A beautiful hike.

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iffic21

01 Sep 2025 at 21:01 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful and enjoyable hike.
We also descended the grassy corridor just before the rocky outcrop. The trail is almost marked out!
We also preferred the GR to the track at point 7.

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marcosolo84

25 Aug 2025 at 11:48 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Not recommended in very hot weather, as once you leave the forest there is no shade until you reach your destination. Magnificent view of Lake Sautet

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DanielANDRE

25 Jul 2025 at 21:54 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Be careful not to miss point 1; the junction is not very obvious and there is only a small cairn.
Between 2 and 3, the path is well marked
Between points 3 and 4, don't miss the "weakness" that allows you to reach the north shoulder.
We descended into the grassy couloir just before the rocky outcrop; no problem reaching the Aup hut despite the steep slope
At point 7, we took the path below the trail (GR) and then a path that joins another trail at point 1339
A very beautiful hike!

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MACHRISTELLE

26 Aug 2024 at 22:18 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I enjoyed the hike, with good descriptions and beautiful scenery, except that a fairly dense fog at the summit disrupted us. Thank you for the GPS tracking 😊 otherwise we would have turned back. To be done again in good weather.

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Adojoba

25 Aug 2023 at 10:37 7200

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike from the car park at the top of Gicon.
While the steep climb does not present any technical difficulties, the descent to the Laup hut is tricky. It can be described as difficult or even challenging: there are no marked trails on the steep slope between grassy areas and rocky terrain.
You have to dare to make your own trail and descend carefully in a zigzag pattern towards the hut.
From the hut, there is no problem returning to the car park.
The suggestion to do it the other way round is justified....

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BLT DJM

12 Nov 2021 at 17:01 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed in the opposite direction, ascending from the Aup hut, via a route slightly further south than the proposed route, zigzagging between the ledges through the grassy areas, which are more accessible. Although the slope is steep and there is no clearly marked path, the climb is safer and less tiring than through the scree a little further north. However, as this ascent route is not marked or even visible, it could be dangerous on the descent, especially if the ground is wet.

Climbing from the Aup hut avoids having to descend through the scree. In addition, crossing the ledge to reach the Gicon slope offers a panoramic view of the entire southern Dévoluy area.

The descent is fairly easy from the summit, across the meadows, but the appearance of low shrubs (some of which are thorny) means you have to find the path that runs along the western ledge, which is fairly visible and allows you to descend very easily without having to search for the route.

Walking poles are recommended, regardless of the direction you choose. In case of rain or wet ground, the outing could prove hazardous unless you have shoes with excellent grip, both on grass and rock.

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Annemarieclausse

20 Sep 2021 at 16:55 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2021
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 with breathtaking views, but we didn't complete the circular as the descent after the ridge seemed too difficult, so we returned by the same route, which was fine.

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Doman74

11 Aug 2021 at 17:52 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, accessible to hikers who are used to venturing off the beaten track.
The climb is easy. The description is good.
The path is easy to follow.
No particular difficulties until the descent, which is tricky and requires caution: delicate passage. But we may have taken it too far to the right.
Doing it in the opposite direction may seem easier: worth trying...
Thanks to the author for the description.

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MathildeB

27 Jul 2021 at 07:11 7200 • Edited: 27 Jul 2021 at 07:12 7200

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Before setting off, I read the description carefully and trusted the difficulty rating. It says that this hike ranges from "moderate" to "difficult" because it's quite easy to get lost between the paths: no worries for me on that front, the route is very clear, there are few markings but there are small yellow arrows here and there, so keep your eyes peeled. However, I think it would be more accurate to classify this hike as difficult. There was a lack of information about the steepness and practicality of the terrain. It climbs steeply and is very, very steep. We had to turn back because I found the terrain very dangerous. The dusty soil was slippery and it was very easy to slip and fall on the slopes off the trail. The path is narrow, both in the forest and outside, and thorny, prickly plants line the edges of the path. It is essential to wear trousers, not shorts. I also recommend walking sticks, which are basic equipment, but some people may not use them, so I prefer to mention it here. Also bring insect repellent, as we were bitten all over by large flat flies. Finally, the view is spectacular, but I was unable to enjoy it. I think this hike is suitable for experienced hikers, but definitely not for beginners.

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