Sumiou Mountain and Lure Ridge

Access:

• From Sisteron, leave the town via the D53 (Avenue Jean Moulin) and continue right onto the D943 towards Noyers-sur-Jabron. After approximately 4.5 km, turn left onto the D53 towards Valbelle / Montagne de Lure, crossing the bridge. Park at the entrance to the hamlet of Les Richauds (parking on the left below the town hall)

• From Montbrun-les-Bains / Séderon, drive down the Jabron valley via the D943. Pass through Les Omergues, Montfroc, Saint-Vincent-sur-Jabron and then Noyers-sur-Jabron in turn. Then turn right onto the D53 towards Valbelle / Montagne de Lure, crossing the bridge. Park at the entrance to the hamlet of Les Richauds (parking on the left below the town hall)

(S/E) From the car park, look for the wooden marker post at the junction of the D53 and the small access road to the hamlet of Les Richauds.
Facing the signpost, turn right towards Chapelle Saint-Pons and Pas de Jean Richaud, following the^GR®6. White/red markings.
Walk up through the small hamlet, quickly passing the town hall on your right, and leave the hamlet via a track suitable for vehicles.

(1) After about 500m, pass a wayside shrine and continue straight on at the junction. Follow Chemin de Sara, Chapelle Saint-Pons, Pas de Jean Richaud. Continue on the^GR®6. White/red markings.
After 75m, the^GR® turns right and becomes a footpath.

(2) Pass the signpost for the junction to Chapelle Saint-Honoré. Turn left and make a return trip to the chapel.
Then, continue straight on along the slightly ascending^GR ®.

(3) After about 500m, you’ll reach a fork. Take the path on the right, which leads into the woodland towards the Chapelle Saint-Pons. Yellow markings.
The path climbs more steeply quite quickly, emerging from the woodland and approaching the rock face.
It then climbs through rocky terrain. A small stone bridge leads to the chapel’s platform. This offers a beautiful view of the surrounding valley.

(4) Continue behind the chapel. You will soon come to a cave on the left (Trou de Saint-Pons), which opens out on the other side of the cliff (the first section is quite narrow to access) and offers a beautiful view. Turn back after visiting.

Go round the cliff following the path, keeping close to the rock face at the start. The path then descends, passing several climbing routes (the names of the routes are painted on various rocks).
When the path begins to veer right as it descends, look out for a small cairn on the left with a blue dot painted on a rock, partly faded.
Climb slightly to the left and you will soon reach a first small ledge in a fissure.

This is equipped with old, narrow footholds, set into the rock to help you cross.
You will then reach the foot of a slightly exposed ascending ledge, equipped with a handrail (check the condition of the rope before using it).
This ledge leads to a second ledge, equipped with an unsecured metal cable. Reach the top of the cliff through small box trees and broom.

(5) You will then emerge onto a grassy track; continue to the right to descend.

(6) After about 850m, at the fork in a wide track, continue to the right on the^GR®6. White/red markings.
Then, after 75m, leave the wide track by turning right onto the crossing path, at the start of the tall vegetation. Follow the wooden sign “Chemin de Sara” and stay on the^GR®6, marked with white and red.

(7) After 450m, you’ll come out onto the D53 (access road to Montagne de Lure) and continue right towards Jas des Bailles. Follow the road for 100m.
When you reach the Saint-Robert car park, turn right towards the Grotte des Peyrourets (wooden sign). Stay on the^GR®6.

At the fork that appears shortly after 200m, continue to the right towards the Grotte des Peyrourets (wooden sign). Yellow markings. Cross a riverbed (water may be present) and continue straight ahead. The path then climbs.

(8) On the flat section, turn left towards Montagne de Sumiou, marked with yellow signs. You will soon cross a path on the right heading towards Valbelle; continue straight ahead. The path (wide track) climbs in wide hairpin bends to reach the eastern ridge of Montagne de Sumiou, marked with yellow signs.
After the final hairpin bend, continue straight on towards the west along the grassy track.

(9) After 600m, at the fork, turn right. Take the track heading north; there are no markings.
After 200m, at the cairn, continue to the right and cross the small clearing. A cairn is visible 50m away at the edge of the woods on the left. Head towards it.
At the cairn, continue to the left then descend through the undergrowth along the visible path. The path leads to the Grotte des Peyrourets.

Pass the viewpoint on the right. Continue down the fairly steep and slippery path in places, scrambling down small rocks. The path then turns left (west), hugging the rock face. Access to the cave requires climbing over a small rocky ledge (2m).

(10) After visiting the cave, head back up the path. At the edge of the small clearing, rejoin the path you took on the way there and continue to the right along the grassy track. This track ends abruptly. Continue westwards for about 200m through the sparse vegetation. There are a few scattered cairns.

(11) Then turn south (to the left) to reach the ‘bare’ section of Montagne de Sumiou.
Continue eastwards along the western ridge and follow it for about 900 metres. A few cairns are visible, some of which are painted green in places.

(12) When you reach an altitude of 1,300 metres, head diagonally left (south-east) and look for the cairn-marked path. There is fluorescent green paint.
After 200m, you’ll come out onto an old grassy track. Follow this to the right and continue descending.

(13) After about 700m, cross a good, passable track. Turn right onto this track to continue the descent. Yellow markings.

(14) Cross the^GR®946, follow it straight on towards Jas de Madame along the good track. White/red markings.
After 200m, at the fork in the track, turn right onto the^GR®946.
Then, after about 700m, continue straight on towards Jas de Madame on the^GR®946. Ignore the path branching off to the left. White/red markings. At the next fork, located after Jas de Madame, turn left onto the^GR®946.

(15) You will come to a large junction of tracks. Turn left towards Pas de la Graille via the^GR®6on the forest track. White/red markings.
After 200m, leave the forest track and continue on the^GR®6to the right. The track narrows and climbs more steeply.
You will cross the D53 road three times. Continue along the^GR®6, following the track which runs almost straight ahead. Below the Pas de la Graille, the gradient becomes very steep.

(16) At the “Pas de la Graille” sign, continue left towards the Pas de la Croix. Then take the^GRP® Tour de la Montagne de Lure. Yellow/red markings. Start following the eastern ridges of the Montagne de Lure.

(17) At the “Cairn 2000” sign, continue straight on towards the Pas Jean Richaud.^GRP® Tour de la Montagne de Lure, yellow/red markings.

(18) Pass the “Pas de la Croix” and continue along the ridges heading east. Carry on straight ahead on the GRP^®.

(19) At the “Jean Richaud” sign, turn left towards Valbelle. Descend through the forest via a series of hairpin bends.^GRP® Tour de la Montagne de Lure, yellow/red markings (route deviation on the map).

(20) When you reach a crossroads of tracks, take the second on the left. Stay on the^GRP® Tour de la Montagne de Lure, yellow/red markings, and continue downhill.

(21) At the bottom of the descent, you’ll reach the D53 county road. Turn left and continue along this road for about 300m. Yellow/red markings.

(7) Turn right onto the path, following the^GR®6. White/red markings.
You will come out onto the track again, then continue straight ahead.

(6) At the fork that appears shortly afterwards, leave the route taken on the way there to your left and continue to the right, staying on the^GR®6. White/red markings.

(3) After 2.7 km on the^GR®6, you will cross the path leading to the Chapelle Saint-Pons.
Continue straight down towards Valbelle. Stay on the^GR®6. White/red markings.

(2) Then, after 500m, pass the signpost for the junction to the Chapelle Saint-Honoré. Continue straight on along the^GR®6as you descend.

(1) Pass the oratory again. Continue straight on the^GR®6towards Valbelle until you reach the car park (S/E).

No water source.
Head torch required to access the caves.

(2) Saint-Honoré Chapel
(4) Saint-Pons Chapel
Saint-Pons Hole after (4)
(10) Peyrourets Cave