The Gobert Trail from Font Froide to Combe Chaulange

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This hike will take you along the Sentier Gobert, famous for its rich flora, which is in full bloom during June and July.
This mountain trail also offers splendid views of the Lans-en-Vercors plain and Villard-de-Lans.

Details

n°1220297
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.84 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 417 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 415 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,557 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,169 m
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Photos

La Ya
Combe Chaulange
Combe Noire
The meadows of Machiret

Description of the walk

Start from the Espinasses car park (1,175 m) located slightly below the hamlet of La Conversaria (3.5 km from Villard-de-Lans).

(S/E) Head towards the Col de l'Arc (signpost for the Vercors Regional Nature Park)

(1) After walking for 5 minutes, you will reach the intersection known as La Ya (signpost for the PNRV). Leave the path that leads to Combe Chaulange on your right; you will take this path on your return.
Continue straight ahead on the wide stony path towards Col de l'Arc.
The start of the walk is peaceful, passing through beautiful forests of beech, fir and spruce trees and along the green meadows of Machiret. You are now on the Grande Traversée du Vercors route.

(2) Cattle pens, drinking troughs and fences remind us that the Vercors plateau is, among other things, a livestock farming area. Most of the milk production is used to make the famous Vercors-Sassenage blue cheese. Continue climbing.

(3) At the Prairies de Machiret intersection (PNRV signpost), leave the path that branches off to the left towards Lans-en-Vercors and take the path on the right that climbs towards the Col de l'Arc.
The fairly steep climb up a stony path will take you to theGR® 91 long-distance footpath and the Font Froide spring in half an hour.

(4) At this crossroads (PNRV signpost), leave the path that leads to Pic Saint-Michel and continue south on theGR®91towards Combe Chaulange.
This is where the Sentier Gobert trail really begins. Follow the red and white markings.
This balcony trail offers beautiful views of the plains of Lans-en-Vercors and Villard-de-Lans.
Although the path along the mountainside is not particularly difficult, take care where you put your feet! In some places, the trail runs close to relatively steep ravines. Furthermore, there is little shade on theGR® 91 and when the sun is at its zenith, it gets very hot!

(5) When you reach Combe Chaulange (PNRV signpost), leave theGR®91and turn right down the descent towards Conversaria.
A path, which is a little steep at first but then widens and becomes easier to walk on, will quickly take you back to La Ya.

(1) Follow the same route as on the way there to return to the Espinasses car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,169 m - Espinasses car park
  2. 1 : km 0.33 - alt. 1,215 m - La Ya
  3. 2 : km 1.3 - alt. 1,272 m - Cattle yard
  4. 3 : km 2.02 - alt. 1,346 m - Machiret meadow
  5. 4 : km 2.91 - alt. 1,505 m - Cold spring
  6. 5 : km 5.22 - alt. 1,544 m - Combe Chaulange
  7. S/E : km 6.84 - alt. 1,171 m - Espinasses car park

Notes

The Font Froide spring (sign on a tree) is located below theGR®91, behind a barrier, just before the path that leads due east to the Col de l'Arc. Please note that this spring does not flow continuously.

You can prolong the pleasure by continuing along the Gobert trail beyond the Combe Chaulange to the Roybon hut, then return to the car park via the Croix des Plâtres (+1½ hours approx.). See the description of the longer version of this hike HERE

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

(4) Throughout the 2.2 km ofthe GR®91leading to Combe Chaulange, you can admire the wide variety of shrubs, plants and flowers that make the Sentier Gobert a real botanical trail: service trees, whitebeams, rhododendrons, gentians, anemones, wild roses, alpine daisies, orchids, globularia, houseleeks, foxgloves and many more.

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

4.7 / 5
Based on 32 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
montu
montu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 09, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Winter walk at -5°C, so not many people on the trail, from Les Lombards via Roybon (i.e. anti-clockwise). No problems except for a little on the descent in the middle towards Les Espinasses, which was very steep at the start and icy.
Beautiful view, beautiful path!

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Shaki26
Shaki26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 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 hike offering superb scenery. The climb is mostly in the shade (making it perfect for summer) and leads to a well-deserved view along the ridge. We had no trouble finding the trail; everything is well marked and clearly indicated in the hike description. I highly recommend it!

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User 23593371

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The information was good, the weather was on our side, and the hike was magnificent.
The group was satisfied. Thank you

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jldequin
jldequin

Thank you again and well done for your follow-up!
A short hike but relatively physically demanding! The climb is short but still 400 metres, and after heavy rain the ground was slippery in places.
I loved the long traverse along the mountainside, which led to a fairly tricky descent that caused a few problems for my wife (aged 76!)
There is a problematic sign for leaving the red and white marked path on the descent, so be careful to turn right, as there is no sign...

i looked but couldn't find it, but thank you for this wonderful discovery

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tchoumi
tchoumi

Hello Jldequin,
In your message dated 18 June 2024, you said that, due to a lack of signs on the ground, you were having difficulty finding the junction between the GR 91 and the path that descends on the right into Combe Chaulange to reach the La Conversaria car park.
As promised, I went to check it out last week and can confirm that there is indeed a signpost at the junction in question.
The signpost bears the following information:
"Combe Chaulange 1530 m"
- Straight ahead: "Col Vert" and "Roybon"
- Turn right downhill: "La Conversaria" and "La Ya"
Furthermore, when you are on the GR trail, as you approach Combe Chaulange, you can clearly see the path that descends into the valley.

I am delighted that you enjoyed the hike despite everything.

Please note that you can extend the pleasure by continuing along the Gobert trail beyond Combe Chaulange to the Roybon hut and then returning to the car park via the Croix des Plâtres (+1½ hours approx.)
This is the "Grande boucle du sentier Gobert" hike (no. 3399526) described in the VISORANDO app.

Best regards
Tchoumi

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jldequin
jldequin

A short hike but relatively physically demanding! The climb is short but still 400 metres high, and after heavy rain the ground was slippery in places.
I loved the long traverse along the mountainside, which led to a fairly tricky descent that caused a few problems for my wife (aged 76!)
There is a problematic signpost for leaving the red and white marked path on the descent, so be careful to turn right, as there is no sign...

i looked but couldn't find it, but thank you for this wonderful discovery

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tchoumi
tchoumi

Hello Jldequin,
Thank you for your comments on this hike.
You mentioned having difficulty finding your way when leaving the GR 91 (red and white markings) to begin the descent into the Combe Chaulange.
However, at this intersection (point 5 on the description), there is a signpost clearly indicating that you should take the path on the right, which, as you descend the aforementioned valley, will take you back to the starting point: La Ya then La Conversaria (car park)
Could this signpost no longer be there? I will check in the next few days.
I wish you many more enjoyable walks with Visorando.
Best regards
Tchoumi

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jldequin
jldequin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A short hike but relatively physically demanding! The climb is short but still 400 metres high, and after heavy rain the ground was slippery in places.
I loved the long traverse along the mountainside, which led to a fairly tricky descent that caused a few problems for my wife (aged 76!)
There is a problematic signpost when leaving the red and white marked path on the descent, so be careful to turn right, as there is no sign...

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thales
thales

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Few people except at the intersections between several trails.
Very good at the beginning of June, with a climb mostly in the shade followed by a flat section in the sun with a view of the plateau.

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marcelgilhac
marcelgilhac
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. We extended it to the Col de l'Arc, which made it a more challenging walk. It's best to have crampons in winter

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Agnes Jacquemond
Agnes Jacquemond

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 29, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike that offers many alternatives (Pic Saint Michel, Col Vert)
Be sure to bring appropriate equipment in winter

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randon3ur
randon3ur

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike for a family outing with children! As indicated in the description, however, you need to keep a close eye on them during certain difficult sections of part (4).

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randon3ur
randon3ur

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike for a family outing with children!

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tchoumi
tchoumi

Thank you for your comment. I'm delighted that you enjoyed this hike

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Artemis
Artemis

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 04, 2022
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, a varied route through meadows, woodland and mountain pastures, with a lovely hillside path at the foot of the cliffs offering views of Villard and the plateau. Lots of flowers.

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