The Jas du Pié Gros and the Combe de Malaval

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One of the possible hikes on the southern slope of Mont Ventoux.
A beautiful climb through the forest leads to Jas de Piè Gros, with magnificent views of the valley before descending via the Combe de Malaval.

Details

n°42909
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.83 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 656 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 648 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,062 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 428 m
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Photos

Sunrise over Mont Ventoux
Combe de Mars
Vallon du Bonnet de Capelan
Combe de Bouisse

Description of the walk

The route starts from the Clops car park. To get there, cross Bédoin and head towards Chalet Reynard, Mont Ventoux D974. At the Station des Lavandes (petrol station), take the left-hand road and follow it for 2 km to reach the Clops car park.

(S/E) From the car park, facing Mont Ventoux, take the path on the right (GR®91) towards Grand Replanas.

(1) Once you arrive at Grand Replanas, leave theGR® and follow the yellow markings on the left towards Jas de Piè Gros. There is a fairly long climb before you get there. Don't forget to turn around from time to time to enjoy the view of the valley.

(2) Once at the jas, turn left onto theGR®91Btowards Mazanet.

(3) When you reach the Mazanet crossroads, turn right onto the track, still on theGR® towards small pass Rouge.

(4) At Small Pass Rouge, leave the track and turn left, then left again 100 metres further on. At the next crossroads, the signposts point to the right towards Rocher du Midi.

(5) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead towards La Combe de Malaval, which you must descend all the way. During the descent, admire some natural cavities; don't hesitate to stray from the path to visit them. Once you reach the bottom of the valley, go to the forest track opposite to rejoin theGR®91you took at the start.

(6) Take theGR® on the left, which cuts across a few bends in the track to reach Les Combarets.

(7) Continue right at this point towards Les Clops to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 437 m - Les Clops car park
  2. 1 : km 0.66 - alt. 441 m - Le Grand Replanas
  3. 2 : km 3.41 - alt. 939 m - Jas du Pié Gros
  4. 3 : km 4.37 - alt. 970 m - Mazanet
  5. 4 : km 5.39 - alt. 1,062 m - Le small pass Rouge
  6. 5 : km 7.48 - alt. 759 m - Turn right towards the Rocher du Midi
  7. 6 : km 9.88 - alt. 428 m - Turn left onto the track
  8. 7 : km 10.58 - alt. 459 m - Les Combarets
  9. S/E : km 10.83 - alt. 438 m - Les Clops car park

Notes

"Jas" is a Provençal term meaning "lodge" and used to refer to large sheepfolds built away from farms and hamlets, in the middle of the countryside. Jas are often built from dry stone.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 22 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
DAN 84
DAN 84

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The jas de Pié-gros is hard earned, but the reward of the Malaval valley more than makes up for the effort.

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bernard coulomb
bernard coulomb

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The path leading up to the site is incredibly rich in tools carved out of the hard limestone by prehistoric humans; superb pieces with fine retouching for a better cutting edge, right under our feet!
On the way back down through the bottom of the ravine, it's easy to understand why all these tools were found here: these huge cavities have been inhabited since the Palaeolithic era.
A beautiful walk through the most distant times of our past!

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vickingfred
vickingfred
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, perfect for setting up camp in sheltered caves.

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s.le-cocguen
s.le-cocguen

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello, The climb from point 1 to point 2 is steep and rocky. Be careful, the main elevation gain is here over 2 km of climbing straight up. The view behind you is magnificent. Although rated as moderate, it can be daunting if you are not fit enough for points 1 to 2. The rest is very pleasant and the valley is superb. I did it on 27 September in beautiful weather and it was great fun.

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Fred M.
Fred M.

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

A trip to Mont Ventoux, off the beaten track and with hardly anyone around at the end of March. A good 3 km climb to start with But the views are stunning.
A superb series of caves and other cavities in the Combe Malaval (written Maraval on some signs), which will delight children and provide a welcome shelter in case of need.

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Faka30
Faka30

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, with a steep climb at the start and a beautiful sunrise as a bonus.
Slippery in wet weather.
The signs say "Maraval" and not "Malaval" (so I don't know what the real name is)
Hunting in progress but we weren't disturbed.
Be careful, we had to go back up the path that runs parallel to the valley because it's very difficult to see the path that goes down to the right, and the tree with the GR sign is not very visible.
The caves are impressive.
Thanks

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nepal2209
nepal2209

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk. We wanted to go up via the Malaval valley but had to turn back and descend via this valley.
The descent requires caution at the beginning, but once you are in the combe, it is fine.
Please note that we reversed our route because there was a hunt going on at the entrance to the Malaval valley in the morning.

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fredopol
fredopol

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike with views that stretch far and wide! With these beautiful panoramas behind you on the way up, taking this route in reverse offers the advantage of enjoying them to the full on the way down!
Please note: between points 4 and 5, the GPS route does not quite match the actual route (but the path is obvious and well marked!).
A little dark on a January afternoon, the descent through the Combe de Malaval must be very pleasant in summer!
Fred and Nad.

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peyreg
peyreg

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A beautiful hike, as always in the Ventoux region!
A view that stretches far and wide, beautiful autumn colours and pretty stones!

A long and pretty descent, watch out for rocks and your ankles...

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Caderousse
Caderousse

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very nice hike, unfortunately we missed the junction to go down into the Malaval valley and stayed at the top. The descent is difficult on the stony track

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josyannie
josyannie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike with breathtaking views of Bedoin and the surrounding area on the way up.

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LaGrenouilleSale
LaGrenouilleSale

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I loved it.
A variety of sensations between rocks, pebbles and undergrowth
Very difficult going uphill, especially when getting back into it, but very enjoyable.
Took just under two hours in "trail hiking" mode.
Watch your ankles on the descent!

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FéeViviane
FéeViviane
• Edited:

it's preparation for hiking trips in 2018.

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mano42
mano42

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Just a clarification that added 1.6 km to our total distance. Be careful at point 1, the large plateau is not marked, so don't miss the climb on the left, which is a narrow path. We followed the GR to the Combe de Curvier and turned back. Similarly, at the Les Clops sign, don't enter the hamlet on the left, but continue straight ahead a little further to find the car park.

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capi.lucie
capi.lucie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 14, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We also did it in reverse, climbing up the Combe de Malaval, but for the descent we pushed a little further to take the Combe de Curnier via the Jas des Landérots.

In bright sunshine, it may be preferable to take the Combe de Curnier and descend in the afternoon via the Combe de Malaval, which is cooler and less stony.

A very beautiful hike with splendid scenery and plenty of exercise.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.