Oratory and Source of the Font Sancte from the Escreins car park

Between Guillestre and Vars, head towards Val d'Escreins and follow this narrow road to the end.
The start is at the Escreins car park. In summer, a free shuttle bus from Vars runs there every hour.

Signposts are located at all major junctions.

(S/E) At the far end of the car park, take the track used for all the hikes.

(1) At the fork that appears immediately, take the left-hand track (^GRP® red and yellow markings). Cross a footbridge over the Rif Bel stream and shortly afterwards turn right towards Font Sancte. Head east-southeast following the red and yellow markings and climb gently through the forest.

(2) At a junction (green and blue signposts), continue straight on following the red and yellow markings.

(3) At the next junction, go straight on towards Font Sancte (red and yellow markings; leave the path towards Colette Verte on your left). Climb more steeply, still through the forest.

(4) At the next junction, turn right and take a footbridge over the Rif Bel (^GRP® red and yellow markings; ignore the “Arbres remarquables” path on the left). Climb up and cross another stream via a footbridge.

(5) At the next junction, continue straight on towards Font Sancte (let the^GRP® branch off to the right towards Col des Houerts). Continue the climb through the forest (yellow and purple markings). Descend slightly to reach a junction at the edge of a confluence of streams.

(6) Turn right towards Font Sancte. Follow the yellow-marked path to a wayside shrine.

(7) Leave the wayside shrine on your right and continue through a clearing in the woods along the yellow-marked path. You will reach the bank of a stream (which is not the Rif Bel).

Warning: to reach the spring, you must cross this stream, but the path on the opposite bank no longer exists (likely due to flooding; situation as of August 2024). Furthermore, it is not advisable to follow the well-marked path to the right that runs along the edge of the stream, as this involves crossing the stream just downstream or just upstream of a waterfall, which seems risky (not attempted, particularly as the stream was flowing strongly).

(8) Turn left instead, follow the stream on your right and descend to a small cairn. Look out for a rock on the opposite bank marked with two yellow markers: cross the stream at this point. On the other side, climb the very steep bank of the stream as best you can, aiming for the rock with the markers. You will come to a well-marked path; follow it north-west. Further on, turn sharply right along this path and climb up a ridge with another stream far below on the left. Pass a metal post with a yellow marker and reach the end of the path, opposite the spring and close to it (going right up to the spring itself seems rather tricky here too).

(9) Head back down the same path (at the metal post, ignore another path branching off to the left). At the rock bearing yellow markers, descend as best you can (even if you have to sit down) to cross the stream. Then follow the stream back up to the left.

(8) Find a good path and follow it to the right until you reach the wayside shrine.

(7) Turn right and follow the yellow-marked path to the next junction.

(6) Turn right towards the remarkable trees and wade across several streams. Then head down into the forest, following the purple markings. After a final steep descent, you’ll reach the junction near a footbridge you crossed on the way out.

(4) Turn right (do not cross the footbridge again) and follow the path you took on the way out in the opposite direction (red and yellow markings).

(3) At the junction, continue straight ahead and downhill.

(2) At the next junction, turn left (follow the green and blue signposts in the opposite direction to the arrows). Take a footbridge over the Rif Bel. On the other side, turn right, pass a hut and descend gently along a wide path.

(10) Pass a shelter on the left and continue towards the Escreins car park. In places, the path is covered by a relatively recent mudslide, which is now dry and compacted (as of August 2024). Pass the picnic tables on the left and return to the very first junction of the hike.

(1) Go straight on and you will immediately reach the Escreins car park (S/E).

No drinking water is available during the hike. However, the Basse-Rua Refuge serves delicious blueberry tarts and cold drinks.

Good walking shoes are essential.

Walking poles are recommended for the section between the edge of the stream (8) and the spring (9), which requires sure-footedness. The ‘Difficult’ rating given to this hike is due to the challenges encountered on the final stretch of the route before the spring. If you stop at the oratory, this already makes for a lovely hike, and the rating is ‘Moderate’.

The legend of the Font Sancte, or holy spring, tells of a young shepherdess who used to lead her flock to drink in the valley of the Font Sancte, bringing her animals down to the spring to quench their thirst. One of her goats led her to a beautiful spring of crystal-clear water. It has since become a place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of the hamlet of Basse-Rua.