Pas des Voutes and Pas de l'Allier starting from Chatelus

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A very beautiful, easy hike with superb views at Pas des Voutes, Pas de la Charmate and Pas de l'Allier.
Hike currently unavailable: The Pas de l'Allier trail (Echevis municipality) is closed by municipal order.

Details

n°4225
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Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.92 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 55 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,173 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,163 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,088 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,745 ft
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Photos

pas des voutes seen from the pas de l'allier
On the Méselier pass
At the foot of the Allier
From the Rochers du Bournillon

Description of the walk

Park in the Col de Méselier car park.

(S/E) Follow the road for 250m towards Les Saffrières.

(1) Take the path on the left which climbs gradually through the Sert de la Foulette forest.

(2) At the fork in the road, take the path on the left, which turns almost 180°, and climb steeply up to the Pas des Voutes.

(3) Once you reach the ridge, head towards Saint-Julien-en-Vercors, passing through the Pas de la Charmate.

(4) Continue on to reach the Cabane à Lily.

(5) Turn right. You will reach a junction.

(6) Turn right and head for the Pas de l'Allier viewpoint.

(7) Then head back down the hillside and return to the crossroads you passed earlier on the way up.

(2) Follow the outward route in reverse to return to the Col de Méselier car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 1,745 ft - Car park at - Col de Méselier (534m)
  2. 1 : mi 0.23 - alt. 1,841 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 1.35 - alt. 2,697 ft - Junction with the Pas de la Voute path.
  4. 3 : mi 1.93 - alt. 3,622 ft - Pas de la Voute.
  5. 4 : mi 2.05 - alt. 3,734 ft - La Charmate Pass. Viewpoint over the - Bourne (rivière)
  6. 5 : mi 3.19 - alt. 3,747 ft - Lily’s Hut.
  7. 6 : mi 3.86 - alt. 3,740 ft - Fork in the road
  8. 7 : mi 4.38 - alt. 3,832 ft - Pas de l'Allier.
  9. S/E : mi 6.92 - alt. 1,752 ft - Car park at - Col de Méselier (534m)

Notes

No special equipment required.

Worth a visit

There are many variations on this hike near the Gorges de la Bourne, the Grottes de Choranches and the magnificent village of Pont en Royans, with its suspended balconies.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 55 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 7308271

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Please note that a local by-law prohibits access to these passes. We were able to make a round trip to the Pas des Voûtes.

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User 26712320
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Warning ⚠️⚠️ We did the hike on 22 July after the storms, and once we reached the Allier pass, the return to Chatelus was impassable. There was no information to indicate that the path was closed. We found ourselves on a path covered in scree with a 30 cm passage and holes leading into the void. Very, very dangerous. The marked path had been destroyed by the scree. We finally turned back to where we came from. Otherwise, great hike and magnificent views. We really enjoyed it.

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Mireille26
Mireille26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Pas de l'Allier reopened 5 days ago! Pas des Voûtes too (officially reopened: origin Vercors tourist office). A magnificent hike, with a few brief passages that were a little exposed, but a technically accessible hike. It took us 3hrs 05mins, walking at a brisk pace with few breaks. Beautiful views. Fairly shady and cool.

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Jean-roch Lardé
Jean-roch Lardé

good morning.
Please note that
The Pas de l'Allier and the Pas des Voutes have been closed by municipal decree since 2022 due to landslides, and this for an indefinite period.
This hike should be withdrawn as it is not feasible until the paths have been made safe.

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Florence 35
Florence 35

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb walk with beautiful panoramic views

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yves boudoul
yves boudoul

Hello,

I saw that access to the pas de l'allier was closed last year (August 2022). Has anyone done the hike in the last few days? (last weekend for example)

Thanks in advance.

yves.

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Netra
Netra ★

Hello Émilie, and sorry for your disappointment.

A warning message, indicating the ban, was posted on 25 August in the introduction to the hike form.

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Emilie.L
Emilie.L
• Edited:

Overall rating : 1 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : Yes

Please note! This route is absolutely inaccessible today and since 9 August. A prefectoral decree at the car park indicates that it is forbidden to enter the site because of the numerous landslides, but the sign is far too discreet and many of us didn't see it. We went there (on 25 August) and took great risks trying to do the loop. We ended up turning back. Despite the incredible views, the risk of fatal falls is too great to venture out on this trail at the moment.

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dupizat
dupizat

warning: 24/08/2022 the path to the pas de l'Allier has just been banned by municipal by-law (between the junction to the pas des voûtes and the pas de l'allier) due to rock falls. So I didn't do it, especially as I was on my own, and the return via the pas des voûtes - which I did a few years ago - so on the way down seemed a bit too tricky.... In this terrain, if a path collapses, even partially, it can become impossible to get through.

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Jibus22
Jibus22

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk that we shortened to 10 km so that we could do it in the morning during the heatwave. The climb in the shade in the morning and then the forest protected us from the heat.
The path shifted in one place because of a scree slope, and some of the sections were tricky.
But otherwise, the views are magnificent.

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Zigouille
Zigouille

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk with beautiful scenery and views on both sides.
There is a drinking water fountain at the Chatelus car park.

To be done in the direction indicated, starting at the Pas des Voûtes, as it climbs a little steeply.
Some sections after the Pas de l'Allier are a bit crumbling and stones were falling from above for a few dozen metres on the cliffside section; so be careful
Pleasant picnic spot at the viewpoint between 4 and 5, where you can sit in the shade on logs.
Not really difficult, a hike done with a 4-year-old who climbed almost everything.

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GphPhil26
GphPhil26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great walk, magnificent views of the gorges de la Bourne and the little gorges.

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Deuxpattes
Deuxpattes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk with breathtaking views all the way.

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meco
meco

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike, done for me in autumn, with a touch of fog on the way up. Nobody there that day, magical!

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pat ninno
pat ninno

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

November hike with the fog lurking in the valleys! the fog cleared as soon as we reached Châtelus, giving us some magical panoramas. the hike was of average length and not too difficult in fine weather. the green/yellow markings are very visible and well maintained on the circuits in this part of the Vercors. do the loop in that direction, the descent being easier by finishing at the pas de l'allier, this part being restored and safe.

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