Petit and Grand Ruy via the Col Gauthier

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A wild route that uses tracks as little as possible and offers beautiful views of the Pays de Dieulefit, the village of Vesc and its plain, as well as the Montagne de Couspeau and La Lance.

Details

n°29644215
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.83 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,198 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,198 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,474 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,352 ft
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Photos

Village of Vesc
Vesc Plain
Jabron Valley
La Lance

Description of the walk

To reach the start, follow the D330 between La Paillette and Vesc and turn off onto the first small road on the right (just before a bridge). Follow this for 3 km and, where the tarmac ends, park near the DFCI water tank.
Take care not to obstruct the work of the fire service by parking between the road and the water tank.

(S/E) Follow the road downhill to the three-way junction. Turn right, uphill, onto Chemin d’Auvergne. Ignore Chemin de Germaine on the right and head for the start of a path on the left at the hairpin bend that follows.

(1) Leave the track and follow the path on the left, which turns into a footpath about a hundred metres further on. Cross a gully and continue along the mountainside, keeping a sheep fence on your left, until you reach a three-way junction.

(2) Continue along the right-hand branch until you reach a fork at the shoulder of Montagne de Ruy.

(3) Head up to the right (yellow-red markings), pass a flat section by curving to the left and reach the ridge. The path continues to climb, more or less following the ridge, and joins a track suitable for vehicles with a paragliding launch site.

(4) Continue along the track, following the ridge until you reach a right-hand bend, where you’ll find the start of a very inconspicuous path on the left. Take this path, which continues to climb along the ridge, and arrive at the Grand Ruy, which also has a paragliding launch site.

(5) Carry on along the track until you reach the hairpin bend.

(6) Leave the track and head down the slope, following the ridge. The path is very faint, if not non-existent, on a steep slope but without any technical difficulty.
An old sheep fence also serves as a guide; follow it to your left. Pass quickly past a hunting lookout on your right (a garden chair perched on a tree) and continue down this steep slope to the plateau at Col Gauthier. Note a second lookout (a water reservoir) about twenty metres to the right, then continue along the ridge and, a few metres further on, take a small path to the next fork.

(7) Turn right, descend to the bottom of the valley and join a track suitable for vehicles at a hairpin bend. Cross the stream and continue straight down until you reach the tarmac road with the DFCI water tank (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,464 ft - DFCI water tank
  2. 1 : mi 0.48 - alt. 2,470 ft - Path on the left
  3. 2 : mi 1.04 - alt. 2,552 ft - Three-Way Junction
  4. 3 : mi 1.34 - alt. 2,500 ft - Junction
  5. 4 : mi 2.1 - alt. 3,120 ft - Paragliding launch site
  6. 5 : mi 2.5 - alt. 3,458 ft - Grand Ruy (1082m)
  7. 6 : mi 2.62 - alt. 3,419 ft - Hairpin bend
  8. 7 : mi 3.13 - alt. 2,877 ft - Junction after the - Col Gauthier (866m)
  9. S/E : mi 3.83 - alt. 2,461 ft - DFCI water tank

Notes

(6) If the gradient seems too steep or the route too difficult, you can return to the DFCI reserve by following the downhill track. This rejoins the route below Col Gauthier.

(7) You can combine this walk with the Bec de Jus walk by continuing straight on.

Make sure you take water with you.

Avoid in very hot weather.

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 2 reviews
Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
G. Jullien
G. Jullien

Thank you for those details. I’m going to lead this hike on 25 February with a group of 25 people. So I was out recceing the route yesterday. I forgot to mention that there are some magnificent views, particularly at the two take-off points. Kind regards.

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Denis26
Denis26 ★

Hello, G. Jullien
Thank you for your comment.
As for the path to take on the left after the (4), the description states:

Find the start of a very faint path on the left.

This path isn’t very well marked, but it’s easy to follow as it continues uphill along the ridge. Personally, I prefer this route to following the track; what’s more, it passes through a lovely beech forest.
For the descent after the (6), the route description states:

Head down the slope, following the ridge. The path is very faint, if not non-existent, on a steep slope but without any technical difficulty.

In the practical information section, I have noted:

If the slope seems too steep or the route too difficult, it is possible to return to the DFCI reserve by following the downhill track suitable for vehicles. This rejoins the route below the Col Gauthier.

My intention in suggesting this descent was to help those wishing to continue on to the Bec de Jus, as it avoids a drop of a good fifty metres.

Thank you again for your comment; this reply in the reviews will help to provide a little more information for new walkers who take this route.

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G. Jullien
G. Jullien

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We went for a walk after the rain, but in the sunshine. So it was a bit slippery where there were thick layers of leaves, but nothing too serious. However, I can confirm what others have said: the descent between points 6 and 7 is virtually non-existent and completely impassable for a group of walkers. You have to go back to point 4 and follow the GR de Pays de Dieulefit to the Col Gauthier (see the hike ‘Montagne du Ruy via the Caprin path’, between points 3 and 4). As for the red route from point 4 to point 5 and then 6, it doesn’t exist: starting from 4, you must follow the path to point 6 and then continue on to 5. Then return to 4 as indicated above to finish. The walk is then 8 km long with 380 metres of elevation gain.

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fdrom
fdrom

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very enjoyable walk with lovely views along the route and a magnificent vantage point overlooking the paragliding take-off area, where we had a picnic.
The descent from points 6 to 7 isn’t worth it in my opinion – it’s steep, unmarked and a bit of a risk. I’d recommend going directly from point 4 to 7 via the track. I didn’t take that route myself, but I’d advise it based on what I’ve said above. A lovely little walk. I’d recommend it.

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