Le Serre Chauvière via the Col du Royet, La Fescle, the Colombe trail

Parking is available in the small car park located before the entrance to La Colombe campsite in Aurel. The route is anti-clockwise.

(S/E) Head up the road to the left (east) running alongside the campsite. At the junction, turn right (east) onto the small road leading to the hamlet of La Roche. Follow the road past the hamlet; it ends at a right-angle bend. A stony path leading to the fields continues from there. At the next Y-junction, stay on the lower, flat path.

(1) Cross the Ruisseau de Colombe via a small bridge. Head uphill through the woodland, following a track and ignoring the various side paths.

(2) At the next junction, leave the marked path and take the wide track opposite, heading south-south-west, which climbs gradually through the woods. Ignore the various paths branching off to the right or left and continue along this main track until you reach the next clearly marked junction.

(3) Continue straight ahead: you will find the yellow and white markings again (though they are sometimes sporadic). Climb through the Bois de Diaumenge, without leaving this path. Further up, it runs alongside a meadow, then continues to climb through the woods to cross small rocky outcrops. Do not leave this well-marked path. Reach a fork.

(4) Continue in the same southerly direction towards the Col du Royet, straight ahead. The path winds around and then crosses meadows before reaching the Col du Royet.

(5) At the pass, turn left and follow the forest track for about 250m. At a left-hand bend in the track, leave it and follow a path straight ahead. Take a series of tight hairpin bends to reach the Plateau de Chauvière. Follow the ridges along the edge of the cliffs to the summit (survey marker).

(6) From the summit (1,262m), descend along the cliff face, heading north, until you reach the next junction, marked by a signpost.
Take the path descending to the right, following the ridges towards Pas d'Aix.

(7) Reach the Pas d'Aix mast (shortcut possible, see § Practical Information). Continue along the ridge, heading north-east towards Die.

(8) Reach Pas des Issarts, continue along the ridges in the same direction for a further 200m or so. The path, which is fairly well-marked, then takes a very sharp left-hand bend and heads off in the opposite direction, towards the south-west, before joining a forest track.

(9) At this fork, follow the track straight ahead. Ignore the various junctions to the right or left. You will reach a three-way junction at the Plaine mast.

(10) Take the track on the left for about a hundred metres, then at the next fork, turn right onto a track heading north. Continue along this track to the next junction: Mât de Pertuis.

(11) At the Mât de Pertuis junction, leave the track and head down a path on the left, heading south towards Sources Saint-Martin. Do not leave this path (ignore the various cairns here and there).

(12) At the Sources Saint-Martin marker, turn left towards Col de Royet for a few metres. At a small junction, take the path on the right heading south-south-west, which has been very recently (and very well) re-marked in yellow. It passes in front of a spring, runs along the edge of the Colombe stream, at the foot of small rocky outcrops. The small Yellow Cross on the path indicates that, at this point, you must not descend towards the stream, but instead continue straight ahead in the same direction. (This small cross probably refers to an old route that crossed the stream and climbed up the opposite bank, which is no longer in use).

(13) Further down, cross the Colombe stream and join the Colombe balcony path, which you should follow along the left bank until the next junction with a track.

(14) Head down to the right, staying on the track at all times. Further down, it skirts a large meadow, then a smaller one, before crossing the Colombe stream and following it along the right bank to the next junction.

(15) At this junction, continue straight ahead to reach the Chambon farm. Pass between the two farm buildings, cross the Colombe stream again and continue along the track, staying on it until the next crossroads to rejoin the ascent route.

(2) Turn right and continue to the small bridge.

(1) Cross it, pass through the hamlet of La Roche and follow the road to the car park (S/E).

Between (12) and (13): Caution: ticks present. Consider using repellents on your body and/or clothing.

(7) From the Pas d'Aix mast, it is possible, by taking the path on the left and staying on it, to shorten this route by joining a wide track further down and following it up to the left to rejoin the route just after (9).

- Dogs must be kept on a lead: livestock.
- The Col du Royet is accessible by car from Saint-Benoît-en-Diois or Montmaur-en-Diois.
- Very hot and dry area in summer.

Grotte du Fournet (for experienced hikers, with vertiginous sections).