Les Pomerolle

Explore the south-western ridge of the famous Saou Forest.

⚠️ Between 1 July and 15 September, Prefectural Order DDT-SEF-2026-0176 of 4 June 2026 concerning temporary restrictions on access to the Saou Forest and the Ambel Plateau in the event of a fire risk, assessed on a daily basis. A map is published every evening (around 5.30 pm) for the following day.

Details

n°25686

Creation:
06 May 2013

Last update:
08 Jul 2026

Last review:
26 May 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 7.50 mi
Average duration: 5h 25
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 2,244 ft
Descent: - 2,238 ft
Highest point: 3,471 ft
Lowest point: 1,552 ft

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Diois, Dauphiné
City: Saou (26400)
Start/End: N 44.652256° / E 5.130977°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3138OT
Hour-by-hour weather

Avalanche risk assessment bulletin

Discover Visorando Premium

Downloads

Open in the mobile app

Download GPX GPX

Download PDF PDF

Photos

View of Riche Colombe and Petit Pomerolle.

Description of the walk

Park at the Dauphins car park in the Saou forest.

(S/E) Take the closed road leading to the Trianon and the Auberge des Dauphins.

(1) Continue straight ahead, then turn right onto the track suitable for vehicles. Cross the Vèbre via the concrete bridge (sign) then immediately turn left onto the wide^PR®® (yellow) marked path. Pass the horse-riding stop and arrive at a meadow.

(2) Turn right and begin a steep climb. At the fork, continue along the main path and ignore the path branching off to the right. You’ll reach a fork (Les Coupes) with a forest track.

(3) Cross the track and continue the climb, veering slightly to the right. You’ll join the track suitable for vehicles.

(4) Cross over and follow the forest track, veering left as it climbs.
You’ll reach the Berches crossroads.

(5) Take the forest track on the right (signposted ‘Pomerolle’), walk for about 150 m and you’ll find the start of a path on the left.

(6) Follow this path. After a steep climb, the path veers to the right and continues through the woodland on almost level ground. Reach the ridge at Pas de Jossaud.

(7) After taking in the view, continue through the woods, pass Pas de Courbis (viewpoint) and reach the summit of Grand Pomerolle without difficulty; it is clearly marked by a large cairn.

(8) Continue towards Petit Pomerolle; be careful as the descent is steep and can be slippery in wet weather. At the bottom of the descent, you’ll come to a fork at Pas de Berlhe.

(9) Begin a short climb to reach Petit Pomerolle, then descend to another fork (signposted ‘Petit Pomerolle’).

(10) Turn left for a short round trip to the viewpoint at the Pointe du Petit Pomerolle (beware of cliffs!).

(10) On your return, continue to the left. The path winds its way down and turns into a forest track. This continues along the contour line and joins the track suitable for vehicles.

(11) Follow this track, ignoring the paths branching off to the right and left shortly afterwards. Stay on this track to return to the junction where you started.

(1) Turn left and follow the outbound route back to the car park (S/E)

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,552 ft - Les Dauphins car park
1 : mi 0.13 - alt. 1,572 ft - Auberge des Dauphins. Cross the - Vèbre (rivière) - Affluent du Roubion
2 : mi 0.52 - alt. 1,624 ft - Turn right into the forest
3 : mi 1.08 - alt. 2,100 ft - Les Coupes, opposite, veering to the right
4 : mi 1.36 - alt. 2,352 ft - Les Fourneaux, a track suitable for vehicles
5 : mi 1.84 - alt. 2,726 ft - Les Berches, junction, turn right
6 : mi 1.93 - alt. 2,710 ft - Path on the right
7 : mi 2.51 - alt. 3,182 ft - No Jossaud
8 : mi 3.86 - alt. 3,451 ft - Le Grand Pomerolle
9 : mi 4.24 - alt. 2,894 ft - No Berlhe
10 : mi 4.53 - alt. 2,694 ft - Small pass
11 : mi 6.21 - alt. 1,893 ft - Forest track
S/E : mi 7.5 - alt. 1,552 ft

Notes

There is no water on the route. You will need plenty as the walk is quite long and it gets very hot in summer.

Worth a visit

Visit (from the outside only) the Trianon, the creation of Maurice Burrus, an Alsatian industrialist specialising in tobacco.
Saou, a typical village at the edge of the forest.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5

Based on 70 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5

Route interest
4.8 / 5

oldevant

26 May 2026 at 12:19 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did it the other way round to avoid the steep slope and the intense heat. It was a very good decision to tackle the climb in the morning and save the shadier section for the afternoon.
We saw vultures on the cliffs.
A lovely walk that I’d highly recommend. The route description is very clear.

Machine-translated

User 29006579

20 Apr 2026 at 09:38 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The first part is a pleasant climb through the woods.
Arrival at the top with a magnificent view!
The descent back down is very narrow and very uneven at the start! Loads of stones! Then it becomes monotonous.
But a hike well worth doing for the superb view at Les Pommeroles!!
Completed in 3 hours 15 minutes without a break (except to admire the view at the summit) and at a brisk pace!

Machine-translated

User 6638501

23 Mar 2026 at 08:20 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, with ascents and descents through the woods.
A magnificent view.

Machine-translated

monpotenico

23 Feb 2026 at 08:59 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 22, 2026
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, combining woodland and ridges. Exceptional views from the heights, perfect for enjoying a sandwich. The only major difficulty is the descent between the two Pomerolle peaks, which is very steep (and very dangerous in wet weather).

Machine-translated

Liru

03 Jan 2026 at 07:52 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

We did this hike at the end of December in freezing cold weather and thick fog, except at the summits where we had the privilege of admiring a beautiful sea of clouds. The sea of clouds prevented us from seeing the other surrounding peaks and the different mountain landscapes. That will have to wait for another time.
We did the route in reverse, which is actually preferable because the section between Grand Pomerolle and Petit Pomerolle is quite steep and can be very slippery (we had a little snow and ice).
The walk through the forest on the way there and back can certainly be very pleasant on hot, sunny days, but in winter and in the fog, we found it rather long and boring.

Machine-translated

User 13527072

29 Dec 2025 at 09:37 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Between Grand Pomerolle and Petit Pomerolle, there is a very steep descent, which is a bit challenging... Not recommended if the ground is wet.

Machine-translated

User 17997309

15 Sep 2025 at 17:56 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike, beautiful views upon arrival at Grand Pomer after the forest.
The route is well marked, so there's no risk of getting lost. The climb is steady and a little tough for those who aren't used to it, but no problem for those who hike regularly.

Machine-translated

phb51

25 Aug 2025 at 19:36 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Thank you to the creator of this tour. We enjoyed the views of the mountains and the plains.

Machine-translated

jnnicolas

25 Aug 2025 at 14:49 7200 • Edited: 25 Aug 2025 at 15:09 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 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 route, done on a fairly warm day in early August, starting in the morning, with a picnic near Grand Pommerole and numerous breaks. We encountered a few hikers, but the trail was not very crowded.
We took our time and went in the opposite direction to the signs (starting at Petit Pomerolle), which was a good decision. The climb between Petit and Grand Pomerolle has some really steep sections and is certainly long and difficult on the way down.
The route is very shady, except towards the ridges, but there the view is fantastic in all directions.
In the foreground is the Saou forest (which is worth turning around to look at during the climb), and the Vercors in the background, the three Becs at the far end, then Roche Colombe, with the Rhône valley and the Ardèche mountains in the background. We were lucky enough to see some vultures flying overhead. The view from the Grand Pomerolle towards the south is also magnificent, with Mont Ventoux on the horizon.
The return trip, which is a bit long, is completely shaded.

Machine-translated

afaurie

21 Jul 2025 at 10:03 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

i made the mistake of taking a shortcut on the way up to Petite Pomerolle. The exit was vertical, and I would have been faster taking the usual route
in strong winds, the circuit is fairly sheltered, even on the ridge

Machine-translated

NOAMCHACHA

05 May 2025 at 17:36 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk in the SAOU forest, followed by fine views at GRAND POMEROLLE;

Machine-translated

Dorando

15 Jul 2024 at 12:00 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A beautiful hike. At the top we admired the lavender fields in bloom, scattered among the other green fields.
We hiked in the opposite direction because the terrain was wet and slippery (it had rained the previous few days). It was a good idea!
Thanks to the author of this walk.

Machine-translated

ptitnain

27 Apr 2024 at 09:58 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very steep descent in the direction of the route. Personally, I wouldn't have preferred to do it the other way round.
Apart from this minor technical difficulty, the view is superb.

Machine-translated

maran04

18 Mar 2024 at 10:40 3600

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

The descent is very steep if you do it in the direction indicated on the route.
Otherwise, there's a fine view from the majestic Saou forest.

Machine-translated

ludof

13 Jul 2023 at 11:49 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I did this walk in three hours (I walked at a good pace with about 15 minutes of breaks in total), in the opposite direction to the description, in order to avoid the steep descent between grand and petit pomerolle.

The only drawback is that the best view of the route (view of the Saou syncline from the path between Pas de Berthe and Grand Pomerolle) is at your back, so don't forget to turn around.