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From Saint-André-les-Alpes, head towards Colmars, pass La Mure and take the D52 on the right towards Allons. Park at the edge of the Ivoire, just before the Chapelle Saint-Domnin.
(S/E) At the start of this track, signs indicate the start of the "Puy de Rent" hike. From this point, the hike begins on a wide track that climbs steadily towards a fir tree plantation, until you reach the first intersection. The trail is marked in yellow.
(1) Turn right to go around the fir tree plantation. Continue along this winding path, which climbs gradually through the forest. The path is located between two ravines. After this first section, you will arrive at an intersection.
(2) Continue left, following the sign for "Puy de Rent". The trail continues to climb through the woods in switchbacks, leading to a clearing. You will arrive near the summit on the ridge of Puy de Rent.
(3) Turn left and follow the trail to the highest point of this hike at an altitude of 1,996 metres. The 360° panorama is superb, with views of the Mercantour massif, the Verdon massif and the Pre-Alps.
(4) After a well-deserved lunch break and this climb, take the same path as on the way up.
(3) Continue straight along the ridge, following thePR® markings, until you reach an intersection with signs.
(5) Turn right towards "Coulet de Saint-Domnin" and begin the descent through the woods until you reach another intersection with directional signs.
(6) Turn right towards "Allons" and leave thePR® to rejoin the yellow markings. The path runs along a balcony overlooking the Allons valley, then through a larch forest again. After a long 3.4 km descent, be careful not to miss an intersection marked by a cairn.
(7) At the cairn, turn sharply left. This path is little used and therefore not very visible.
This route requires a good sense of direction.
In places, old yellow markings remain. Descend this winding path to an intersection at an altitude of 1,274 m.
(8) Continue along the path to the right and continue down the winding path to reach the right bank of a small stream. The path widens, passes a beautiful little chalet on the right in the middle of a field, and then reaches the main road. On the left is the Saint-Domnin Chapel.
(9) Take the main road on the right and return to the car park at the edge of the Ivoire before the chapel (S/E).
You have to avoid tree trunks, some large, some small, that have been uprooted directly on the path, creating holes, or have fallen across the path, forcing you to go around them on steep and not always very stable terrain, which requires technique. The markings must have been on some of these trees, as there are almost no yellow markings visible on the descent. Towards the end, there was heavy rain and the path disappeared completely. You have to follow a small valley through the broom (without being able to see below knee height because of the bushes) to come out a little further on a forest track. For someone with pruning shears, a chainsaw (who knows?), or even a GPS watch on their wrist and who isn't afraid to cross through bushes, why not, but I found that it made the end of the hike difficult and unpleasant, whereas the other trail was well marked, shaded and pleasant. To top it all off, at the end, the track is blocked by an electric fence (which wasn't in use when I passed by) and there is no gate to cross at the track, which means you have to go around it if it's in use, but I didn't see any options.
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
