The four passes starting from the hamlet of Château in La Piarre

From the village of La Piarre, head towards the Col de Carabès until you reach the hamlet of Le Château and park after the wash house or, a little further up on the right, at the start of a track.

(S/E) From the wash house, head up towards the Col de Carabès; take care on the road. Walk for about 170 metres and take the marked path on the right. There is a yellow and red marker on a pine tree a little way up the slope after the start of this path.

(1) Walk up to the hairpin bend on the D27. Continuing uphill, walk for about 400 metres along the road.

(2) Take the signposted path on the right. There is a post with yellow and red markings indicating the direction of the Col des Combes.

(3) Follow the grassy track to the right and cross a path on the left.

(4) Take the signposted path and climb up to the Col des Combes.

(5) Continue to the left to reach the Col de Carabès.

(6) Cross the road carefully. There is a track and two footpaths; take the footpath furthest to the right and head uphill, following it along the ridge. This footpath is marked in yellow. Watch out for mountain bikes, which may be using the path. Reach the Col de la Selle.

(7) Continue along this path until you come to a track; follow it to the left until you reach the signpost indicating the Col de Charron.

(8) Just after the pass, take the track on the left, signposted ‘La Piarre’. Stay on the main track and wind your way down, then carry on straight on to Les Granges, following the Torrent de Courencq.

(9) Take the grassy track on the left; before you reach the Maison des Granges, it turns into a footpath a little further on. Follow it and take the descent leading into a field of grass, which you’ll need to cross to reach the road.

(10) Turn left onto the D27 and stay on it until you reach the car park at the Château wash house (S/E).

There is a drinking water point at the Château wash house.
Between the Col des Combes and the Col de Carabes, the descent is quite steep; walking poles are useful, and I’d advise avoiding this section in wet weather.
The route follows a few short sections of road; although the road is quiet, caution is still advised.
The route is marked in yellow and red in its first section, but do pay attention to points (1) and (4), as the trailheads are inconspicuous despite the markings.

About 7 km from the castle lies the source of the River Drôme at La Bâtie-des-Fonds – the water is drinkable and refreshing – as well as a short interpretive trail recounting the history of the 1936 landslide, which swept away part of the village. You can have a meal at a picnic table opposite the town hall.