Pas du Follet, foot of the Pic de Bure cliff

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike that allows you to get as close as possible to the Pic de Bure if you don't feel up to climbing it.

As already advised, it is best to park at the Plateau de Bure cable car car park and start the hike on foot from there. The start is very easy and well signposted.

From stage 1 to stage 3, do not rely entirely on the red markings on the map in the hike description, but take the easy-to-find paths that run alongside it (as already explained in previous comments).

We were able to complete the section between stages 3 and 4, and the view at the Pas du Follet is definitely worth the detour! It is best to have walking sticks for this last section, which is quite steep (especially the descent), and to bring a windbreaker as it can be very windy up there, even in August!

It took us 5½ hours to complete the hike, but we started from the cable car, which adds about 20 minutes to the walk.

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Date of your route : Aug 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We climbed up the Vallon de l'Ane, starting on the path that begins under the cable car and leads to the top of Bois Rond, a slightly steep warm-up. But this way, we bypassed the sheepfold (1698). Once you reach an elevation of 1868 metres, it is best not to turn off at the first cairn but to continue climbing to the next one for the route that passes under the scree slopes. The final stretch under the Pas du Follet is a bit tricky. Caution is advised.
Magnificent geodesic folds are visible and the Pic de Bure is impressive. Note the presence of a rope team in the Pilier Demaison. The toughest part of the day is on the way back at elevation 1868, when you have to climb back up to reach Vallon Froid. But it's short, about 110m of elevation gain. On the way, we chat with a friendly shepherd.
A beautiful hike in the mineral landscape of Dévoluy with magnificent views.
Lino.

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It's true that it's a beautiful hike. I should have been more specific about the starting point, but you provided the missing details, so that's perfect.
Best regards, René

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Date of your route : Aug 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A splendid hike with a variety of mountain landscapes and breathtaking panoramic views. We had trouble finding the starting point: the avalanche car park is not signposted. To get there: follow "l'enclus" and the Bure cable car. Continue along the tarmac road to the right. There is a first car park at the end of the road, which then becomes a path. Continue further on the left to find the second car park, known as the avalanche car park.
We did the section between points 3 and 4 (there are no signs saying it's forbidden). It's a scree slope but not too difficult.
We are good walkers and did it in 3½ hours.

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Date of your route : Nov 06, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello, I was already familiar with this hike, which for me is just an extension of a hike I do
in the same place, which I call "Le Col de l'Ane" (Donkey Pass), which is a circular route around the Donkey Ridge.
My starting point is below the first pylon of the IRAM cable car (track from IRAM to Cabane de l'Avalanche, then car park below the pylon).
Take the path between the track that climbs up to the Combe de la Corne, then the Chalet du Vallon de l'Ane, then point 1833 on the map, where you have the choice of climbing south towards the Pas du Follet or towards the Col de l'Ane to descend via the Vallon Froid and return to the starting point via the track that leads to the Cabane de l'Avalanche.
Pas du Follet can be an extension of this circular hike (point 1833-Pas du Follet-point 1833).
I did the Col de l'Ane this year, and I don't see any danger as long as you don't get too close to the walls of the Demaison pillar.

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Thank you for clarifying the distance; it is indeed 1 km (the second waypoint was positioned 1 km away...).

Kind regards

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Date of your route : Jul 17, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,
Thank you for this beautiful hike.
The written description of the start of the hike is, in my opinion, incorrect and misleading. As I was completely unfamiliar with the area, I was fortunate to have a map and some basic navigation skills to find the path leading up to Vallon Froid or Combe Froide. The description gives the start of the trail as 500 metres from the car park, just around the bend before the junction with another track, but if you look closely at the map, it's actually more than 1,000 metres away. And there, the very steep trail that was supposed to cut across the switchbacks of the track is impassable. It actually starts on the left in a bend 700 metres further on, still going up the track. Apart from that, the route from the combe froide is magnificent. We did not climb up to the Pas du Follet because of the prohibition order.

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Thank you, Mäe N., for this information. We have added a comment to the introduction of the hike.

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Date of your route : Sep 26, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,

Due to bad weather and several recent accidents (including fatalities, according to people we met nearby), hiking has been prohibited by prefectural order since June. We came across the order posted at the start of the hiking trail.

Here is what the order says:

"blah blah blah" Considering the danger following the collapse of part of the cliff and pending further studies

Article 1
Access to the foot of the Pic de Bure cliffs is prohibited until further notice.
Article 2
Climbing on the Bure cliffs is prohibited until further notice.

Decree notified on 11/06/2014

There you go! Fortunately, we found a nice little hike starting on the left, which passes through pastures to a superb view, perfect for a picnic break (Col de Rabou).

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Unfortunately, as I have no information on this subject, I am unable to provide you with any details.
We only made one return trip to Le Follet, I'm afraid. Best regards, R Quichot

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Hello,
I would like to climb the Escaliers route to Pic de Bure starting from St-Etienne en Dévoluy. To do this, I am trying to find out if the Pas du Follet can be crossed. Do you have any information on this, or what do you think after your round trip hike to this pass? I found on the Internet that in the good old days, mule trains used to pass through there carrying charcoal. What do you think?
Thank you in advance for your reply.
Kind regards.
Alain LAPORTE

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