The Crêtes de Vanson

Date of your route : Jul 02, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A friend who knows the area well points out to me that this walk should be called the Crête d’Aigues Champs, rather than the Crête de Vanson. Indeed, it is the name ‘Crête d’Aigues Champs’ that has been used on the Altituderando website, which features what is undoubtedly a more interesting – though also more challenging and slightly longer – version of this walk. Indeed, why cut the route short two-thirds of the way along the ridge without attempting to walk its entire length?
For my part, I preferred to continue along the ridge to its summit (altitude 1348 m) rather than begin the descent at the cairn marking the descent that I came across on the route. And I didn’t regret it. Admittedly, the final third is wilder and moves beyond the strict confines of a standard hike into the realm of easy alpine hiking (with a faint or non-existent path, several sections over slabs sometimes requiring small climbing moves to get round the thorny vegetation and to walk along the edge of the cliff), but it was well worth the effort, because the further you go along the ridge, the more spectacular and varied the views of the natural amphitheatre of Chardavon become.
Many comments point out the inaccuracy of the GPX track, and it’s true that it’s rather rough. But a good reading of the terrain makes it easy to avoid this pitfall and prevent yourself from getting torn up by dense, thorny vegetation. At the start of the ridge (at the first high-voltage pylon at the end of the track), head towards the edge of the cliff to find the start of the narrow path that runs along the ridge.
The route along the ridge presents no navigational difficulties, and for those wishing to begin the descent as indicated on the map, a clearly visible cairn marks the start of the descent path.
All in all, the Aigues Champs ridge is a delight for the senses, offering truly unique views of all the surrounding mountains, starting with the Signal de Lure and the Pic de Bure, but also La Brigue, the Pic de Couar and Cheval Blanc, the Monges, then the Ventoux, as well as glimpses of the Ecrins massif, the Dévoluy, and so on. You won’t be bored for a single second, as the panorama changes as you make your way along.

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Date of your route : Oct 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The nicest part is the section along the ridges, where the scenery is superb. There are a few pylons, but you quickly pass them. I had read a few comments mentioning difficulties in reaching point 3, but in fact you really have to push on almost to the cliff to turn left and continue along the ridges.
However, I don't think we followed the trail between points 4 and 5, but it's easy enough to rejoin the trail afterwards on the way down.

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Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. Difficulties finding the passage at point 3. We couldn't find the path at point 4. Had to scramble through the thickets, roughly following the route, to finally find the trail again

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

Lovely walk. The views from the crêtes are amazing. Mont Blanc and the Alps to the north and Provence to the south. A few electric fences to navigate, but apart from that a wonderful walk.

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Date of your route : Jun 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike along the ridge.
Magnificent view.
However, the disaster occurred between points 4 and 5. First, the GPS wanted to send me straight down into the ravine on the right. Then, on the path that descends, as already described by another hiker, I found myself in the alpine jungle where I couldn't move forward or backward because it was so dense. Fortunately, on the way back up, I came across a path that took me back to the path down to the road.
It's a shame because this route is truly magnificent.

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Date of your route : Dec 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike in the middle of autumn.
I trusted the trail without looking at the descriptions between points 4 and 5, which was a sad mistake that earned me a nice shot to the head and a wild boar azimuth 🐗 in the undergrowth.
Otherwise, the ridge path is fantastic and the colours were magnificent.
I did the hike with my two dogs 🐶 without any difficulties, but make sure you bring a lead for the rest of the road section at the end of the hike.

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

A few comments to clarify the route description:
In point 2, it would be useful to specify where the trail starts (another track or pseudo-trail located about 15 metres to the right near the crossroads).
At point 4, it is the second cairn (located below the trail).
From 4 to 5, the trail to follow is direct, with no crossroads, and leads directly to the clearing/meadow. The track is then on the other side of the meadow, on the left after descending about twenty metres.
Other than that, I recommend this hike. The beauty of the ridge landscape more than compensates for the few minor issues mentioned above.

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Date of your route : Jul 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The view from the ridges is superb, but this section represents only a third of the route.
Climb up a wide forest track, descent plus a good kilometre of tarmac (sun hats!).
On the ridge, we probably missed the right/left turn visible on the map (we're probably not the only ones!). Continuing on, we did indeed come to a cairn.
The GPX file indicated the path straight ahead, so we continued and passed the trail without finding it again.
We returned to the aforementioned cairn, where a well-marked and easy trail joins the route from a farm track (yellow cistern and drinking trough).
Could there be a hidden fork and two cairns? Something for future users to figure out!

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Date of your route : Apr 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Solo hike, normal walking pace in 3 hours.
The ascent and descent are on tracks, which are of very limited interest.
The path along the ridge is a little more pleasant, with fairly good views on the right-hand side, Vanson, Mezien, and on the left, Barre du Geruin and Monges.
The descent is a bit rough in the brambles before rejoining the trail.
All in all, a nice little hike, worth doing once to get to know the area.

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Date of your route : Apr 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A hike accessible to all, with a well-marked starting point, but the rest is much less so. However, it is not difficult to find your way around, as the surroundings are visible, especially if you are familiar with the area.
Very pleasant on the ridge, with lovely views on both sides.
Thank you for suggesting this hike... less than 10km from our home.

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Date of your route : Aug 13, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Same as the other comments: continue to point 8 on the ridge to descend towards the road. I don't like hawthorn and the trail is impossible to find. A waste of time.

I liked: the crackling of electricity from the high-voltage line! lol

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Date of your route : Aug 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello
Superb hike, and like the previous reviews, we didn't see the ford or the cairn... in fact, we followed the ridge to its northern end and descended on sight, adding a little spice to the walk! And the kilometres of ridge are well worth the trip.
Thanks to the person who suggested this route.

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Date of your route : Jan 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

This hike is best done in spring as the ascent and descent are completely shaded by the woods. The ridge offers superb views.

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Date of your route : Jun 27, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A superb hike in beautiful autumn weather, a real treat once you reach the ridge.
However, we skipped the descent through the forest as indicated on the map and continued along the ridge almost to the end, enjoying a magnificent view of Saint-Geniez. Final descent to the last valley to cross it via a forest track that leads to the ford before No. 7. However, this alternative route is much more challenging than the basic hike. It is partly marked by blue dots on the rock from point 4 onwards and passes the highest point of the ridge. This route is suitable for adults or very experienced children. A GPS device with IGN maps such as Iphigenie is highly recommended.
A few comments on the description:
(S/E) There is mention of fords that we did not encounter at the beginning of autumn.
(4) We couldn't clearly see the path going downhill. Since we wanted to continue along the ridge, this didn't bother us, of course.

Thank you again for this superb hiking idea.

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Date of your route : Sep 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello,

Above all, don't be discouraged by the climb between the electricity poles until you reach the ridge... because once you're on the ridge, the view to the north and south is simply magnificent! For 2.5 kilometres!

To be honest, we got lost between points 4 and 5 (the GPS didn't help us)... so those hundred metres felt like a rather unpleasant trek through the jungle...

But in the end, the experience was very positive!
A must-do!!!

Have a great day,

Backpacks and Sore Muscles
www.sacsadosetcourbatures.fr

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