Pic de Bure walks

The Dévoluy massif offers a striking contrast of colours between the pure blue of the sky and the ochre of the rocks in its trio of peaks (Obiou, Grand Ferrand, Pic de Bure). Warning! The descent via the Combe de Mai, from (4) to (1), is prohibited outside the winter months for the first few hundred metres. See the prefectural decree on the protection of the Plateau de Bure biotope.

This is a long circular loop that takes you along the two possible hiking routes on this side of the mountain. The difficulty is mainly due to the length. The elevation gain is also significant and some passages require great care (cables).

Pic de Bure, one of the three giants of Dévoluy, is technically the most accessible but includes a section with a cable. You will arrive in a lunar landscape, among the observatory's satellite dishes. In good weather, the view is extraordinary. There may be a few herds on the plateau. A more recent route also offers the option of starting from the Joue du Loup resort.

1 November 2025: a user reports => this concerns the route between the wps (6), (7), and (8).Geoportal (Biotope protection decrees) (!) WARNING (!) This hike crosses the perimeter of the prefectural decree for the protection of the Plateau de Bure biotope, in which it is STRICTLY FORBIDDEN to leave the marked trails, under penalty of a 4th class fine of €750. For the time being, the agents of the French Office for Biodiversity, responsible for enforcing this decree, are taking a preventive approach, but they will surely soon move on to enforcement. Access to the Plateau de Bure off the beaten track. This alpine hike via the Pas de Paul offers an unusual and wild setting, through devolved steps, vertical corridors marked by large staircases. This variant allows you to reach the westernmost peaks of the Bure plateau, the Tête des Pras Arnaud and the Tête de la Cluse, before the Pic de Bure.