Montagne de Robion via the Saint-Trophime Chapel

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

the landscapes are breathtaking throughout the hike.
The trail is very difficult with several sections crossing scree slopes on the mountainside (risk of vertigo) with steep slopes.
This hike is very difficult without a GPS device.

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Date of your route : Dec 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the hike on 5 December 2024, starting from Petit Robion.
From there, the climb through the woods is marked and fairly steep until you reach the St Trophime chapel.
Then, after descending the steps, we set off to the left of the chapel through the scree to reach the first ledge on the right, passing above the chapel. At the end of the ledge, there was an easy climb up some boulders for about twenty metres.
Then, still through scree and a few cairns, we reached the summit while being "watched" by a dozen vultures. A quick picnic at the summit, then descent to the west on a ridge with a few exposed passages; it is best to put away your walking sticks for the ridge crossing.
Arriving at a "forest of dead wood", it is best to cross it on the left, then descend through boxwood trees, following the numerous cairns to find the passage through the boxwood on the left. Return through a pleasant wood before rejoining the path towards Le Petit Robion.

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Date of your route : Jun 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Two passages deserve more detail.
Between the chapel and the summit: facing the cliff, climb up the first scree slope to the left of the chapel, at the foot of the cliff turn right onto the grassy platform and then climb up the boulders directly above the chapel.

Between the deadwood forest and the pass marking the start of the Barre des Rousses, stay on the right-hand side before turning left at the last moment to cross the pass.

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Date of your route : Oct 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Robion is the most impressive mountain in the Verdon. It is the most beautiful, the wildest, the most secret, the most vertiginous. For this impressive mountain, an impressive hike was required. Probably the most difficult and challenging in the whole of the Verdon, mostly off-trail. This hike is very demanding. You have to climb up to the Saint-Trophime chapel, take the scree-covered gully next to it, follow the ledges that streak across the high wall, and climb the rocky steps at full slope, all while conserving your strength. The real challenge is the west ridge, nearly a kilometre long, which plunges into the void and must be traversed as best you can (often sitting down and always using your hands), like the scales of a stegosaurus. There is no room for error. At the end of this challenge, you reach the Arragis plain, exhausted but happy, with this magnificent and incomparable summit behind you. All that remains is to let yourself slide down between the broom bushes, guided only by a few welcome cairns, to reach the forest tracks below. You often have to find your own way, whether on the climb after the chapel or on the ridge, so you need to be in good physical condition and not afraid of heights. But this is the only route that will give you the full measure of this magnificent mountain.

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Date of your route : May 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I did this route yesterday, 6 May 2023. Lots to say: starting from Robion, a magnificent sign points the way to the Chapel of Ste Trophime. In fact, it's not easy to get there because there are no markings and a sheep pen diverts us (I think). We passed through the sheep with three friendly big dogs and a large Patou sheepdog on the horizon. The chapel is incredible, though! Then follow the directions given by previous hikers: after the scree, don't take the first ledge, but the one next to the rock face. After that, it's a matter of feeling your way to the summit. The magnificent view makes all the effort worthwhile.
The descent via the aerial ridge is truly majestic but dizzying: not for the faint-hearted! Something new, I think: there is now a cairn in the field of burnt trees that shows the way and, more importantly, the path has just been cleared: the machete and pruning shears must have been put to good use, because we now have a royal route ahead of us. Then, quite low down on this boulevard, there is a fence to cross, and you will find an old path that leads to the Basse de la Doux. After that, it's a piece of cake: in 15 minutes, you're back in Robion.
The route took (me alone) 6 hours from car to car, including breaks. It's a wonderful adventure that I recommend with caution: it's really only suitable for experienced off-roaders, in calm, dry conditions and outside of the hot season (which is already beginning).

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I did this route yesterday, 6 May 2023. Lots to say: starting from Robion, a magnificent sign points the way to the Chapel of Ste Trophime. In fact, it's not easy to get there because there are no markings and a sheep pen diverts us (I think). We passed through the sheep with three friendly big dogs and a large Patou sheepdog on the horizon. The chapel is incredible, though! Then follow the directions given by previous hikers: after the scree, don't take the first ledge, but the one next to the wall. After that, it's a matter of feeling your way to the summit. The magnificent view makes all the effort worthwhile.
The descent via the aerial ridge is truly majestic but dizzying: not for the faint-hearted! Something new, I think: there is now a cairn in the field of burnt trees that shows the way, and, more importantly, the path has just been cleared: the machete and pruning shears must have been put to good use, because we now have a royal route ahead of us. Then, quite low down on this boulevard, there is a fence to cross, and we find an old path that leads along a contour line to Basse de la Doux. After that, it's a piece of cake: in 15 minutes, we're back in Robion.
The route took (me alone) 6 hours from car to car, including breaks. A beautiful adventure that I recommend with caution: it is really for off-road experts, in calm, dry conditions and outside of the hot season (which is already starting on this south-facing slope!).

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Date of your route : Aug 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

I did the route from Robion (point 3). Up to the chapel, no complaints. It's when you reach the summit of Robion that things get complicated. There's no path through the scree, so you have to search around, sometimes retracing your steps to find a way.
The summit is fantastic. It's a real reward. I quickly wondered how to get back down. Certainly not the way I came up: too dangerous. I chose to descend by following the end of the route to Soleils.
The section on the ridge is dizzying. I finally turned back towards the summit and found a way by following the path towards "Le Parking" and then turning right towards the village of Robion.
I was pleased to have done it, but it's no walk in the park.

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Date of your route : Aug 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very good, challenging hike with good terrain reading, a few dizzying passages to be done in dry weather (similar description to others). The most complicated and time-consuming part is passing through the broom without a clear trail; it's tough going and you end up going round in circles. We had to cross over to the other side through the boxwood to reach a marked trail, as a precaution, crawling through the boxwood like wild boars for 300 metres. Long trousers are a must in your bag.
Overall, I loved the very playful aspect. Not for everyone. To be repeated via the Barre des Rousses.

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Date of your route : May 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did the circular route starting from Robion point 3. Access to the ledge (actually there are two possible routes) by climbing up the corridor to the left of the chapel without any problems. At the end of the ledges, we climbed up the scree slope, more or less following animal tracks (no real marked trail). Once out of the scree and through a small passage using your hands on the left, the summit of Robion is easy to reach. The same goes for the secondary summit, but the passage to descend on and along the ridge REQUIRES the ground to be DRY and there to be little wind, as it is a long (nearly 900 m) and fairly exposed passage that can be done without equipment. You must not be afraid of heights! At the end of the passage on the ridges, it is best to wear long trousers to avoid scratches on your legs, as there is no noticeable path and the broom is not that soft, not to mention the few brambles hidden there! Pass to the left of the dead wood forest, veering left just before a small pass and from there, check your position on the map to find the passage through the Rousse ridge. A "fun" hike for those who are used to this type of terrain, but not accessible to everyone.

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Date of your route : May 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We do this route by passing along a ledge above St Throphime Chapel rather than "going around the cliff"....

Furthermore, it is practically impossible to follow the GPX route as a considerable number of points are missing to be able to use it effectively.

This is an interesting hike that can also be done starting from the Chamateuil car park on the D 102, which saves about 150 metres of elevation gain.

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Date of your route : Oct 28, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route marking on the ground is rather random, with a lot of uncertainty about the route, which led me to unintentionally stray from it and choose a descent down an uncomfortable scree slope.
That said, although the walk is very physically demanding, it is original and offers some very beautiful views.

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