The cliffs of Roche Colombe

The west summit of Saou forest, which marks the beginning (or end) of this forest.

Details

n°25705

Creation:
06 May 2013

Last update:
07 Apr 2025

Last review:
28 Apr 2026

Activity: Walking
Distance: 9.36 km
Average duration: 4h 25
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 606 m
Descent: - 600 m
Highest point: 871 m
Lowest point: 329 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Diois, Dauphiné
City: Saou (26400)
Start/End: N 44.646385° / E 5.060708°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3037SB, 3038SB, 3137OT, 3138OT
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Photos

Very nice view from the top on the other side of the rock

Description of the walk

Start out from the village of Saou at the signpost for Roche Colombe above the church (S).

Take the road following the yellow PR waymarks (Petite Randonnée – Short Hike) and the white signs for the climbing sites (1). Further on, join the wide path that winds along the edge of the tall boxwood and oak trees.

Keep going until you reach a mountain pass (2) opposite the summit of La Poupoune, a rock-climbing Mecca, and then continue along the flat before making a last climb up to the summit of Roche Colombe (3).

Follow the path down a gentle slope before beginning a steeper descent that ends at Pas de l’Echelette (4).

Ignore the path off to the right and instead take the path to the left. Gently make your way across the more difficult passage that follows, and then continue through the forest.

Join a wide forest track and then follow the PR waymarks (5), which are clearly marked, to get back to Saou and the car park.

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 329 m - Parking des Clos
1 : km 0.14 - alt. 339 m - Climbing trail
2 : km 1.78 - alt. 654 m - Col face à Poupoune
3 : km 2.91 - alt. 869 m - Roche Colombe
4 : km 4.05 - alt. 705 m - Pas de l'Échelette
5 : km 5.94 - alt. 526 m - PR return
S/E : km 9.36 - alt. 329 m - Parking des Clos

Notes

There is no water source along the way, so make sure you take enough water with you.

Worth a visit

Saou forest.
You can visit Trianon pavilion at the end of the car park in the forest.
For information on this building, see the Pommerolle hike.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 171 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5

Route interest
4.8 / 5

User 601289

28 Apr 2026 at 13:28 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk in fine weather, Sunday 26 April 2026

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User 1875903

13 Apr 2026 at 00:59 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 11, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

I was a bit disappointed compared to all the positive reviews I’d read or heard beforehand.
A fairly steep climb offering few views, followed by a traverse through a forest that now seems dead, before heading back down.
Fortunately, the view from the summit is splendid, particularly over the Saou forest and the 3 Becs. If you’re on the fence, this is definitely the hike to do – it takes just a little more time and effort.

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renéetrichon

31 Mar 2026 at 16:53 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, well-signposted route, except for the last section

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User 26582549

22 Jul 2025 at 20:52 7200 • Edited: 22 Jul 2025 at 20:56 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

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

A beautiful walk with a good part in the forest, sheltered from the sun and wind, except for the first hour and a half of the climb, where you are more exposed to the sun.
The end of the loop is a bit tricky (ladders) but it's worth it.

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User 26004797

02 Jun 2025 at 13:25 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Well-shaded trail for most of the way.

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GM2S

07 Apr 2025 at 13:19 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike ... the climb is steep but the view from the top is worth it ...
very pleasant undergrowth sections ... beware of a downhill section in the rocks ...
hiking boots obligatory ...
there were quite a few people on this beautiful spring Sunday...
do it again and again!

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crob42

18 Nov 2024 at 10:11 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful autumn hike with a superb panorama at the top. It's well worth the climb to admire it.
The November wind is very cold but many parts are sheltered from it, and the sun warms you up.
however, it was a real pain to park in Saou because it was the day of the winter fruit fair...

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Chavezdominguez

23 Oct 2024 at 18:22 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very nice hike, a beautiful view, lots of people, an easy hike, just the rocky passage, a little technical, slippery, and the ladder, we had a good laugh, it is made for dwarfs. lol, and the returns super. thank you and bravo to the author.

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Benji091207

07 Oct 2024 at 08:57 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Super, not very complicated but a short climb at the start to wake up the legs.

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Hepatic

12 Aug 2024 at 18:16 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike. Great views from the summit. Not many people but it was warm. The return after Echelette is very well shaded. A great day out.

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barnab26

12 Aug 2024 at 11:52 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike, leaving at 8am, arriving without hurrying at 10am (77 year olds). Lovely views from the first summit, overlooking the syncline of the Saou forest. The fact that you did it early in the morning meant that you could better appreciate the relief, with the play of shadows. The view from the actual summit (a little further on) is not as good, as the vegetation prevents a 360° view. There was no problem on the way back, except that it took almost twice as long to get back. Otherwise, a superb hike that we recommend.

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mimouche

12 Aug 2024 at 09:14 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Having done this loop many times, I still find it just as interesting. What's more, in these hot weather conditions, you're always in the shade!

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Emmanuel26

22 Jul 2024 at 09:23 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very fine and fairly ambitious hike on the first part (be careful, it is due south although most of it is shaded). You are rewarded by the view from the summit. The return is gentler on the north and then west sides of the mountain.

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Gemainisada

15 Jul 2024 at 18:54 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Arriving from Crest, park in the car park on the left as you enter Saou. The path starts at the top of the car park on the right, just beside the sign with a map. The climb is quite steep, but once you reach the top it's nice to take some time to look at the view over the valley, the Saou forest, the three beaks on the other side...
After the summit, the descent is almost always through undergrowth.
On the other hand, when I did the hike on 14 July in the early afternoon, the climb was rather difficult in the heat and you really need to bring water. It's true, I'm not much of a walker.
I'd happily do it again in dry weather, but not as hot.

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terrence raptor

08 May 2024 at 11:26 7200

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Enjoy the walk. Walked on 07 April 2024 with 4 adults and 4 children (2 girls, 2 boys) (10, 9, 8 and 7 years old), who are not necessarily used to walking. We preferred to do it in the opposite direction, so as to have a gradual gradient.
It's a fairly strenuous route, particularly on the way back down, towards the climbing site and afterwards, where there are several places where it would be a good idea to make it safer, given the amount of foot traffic. There's also the passage with a ledge secured by a steel cable handrail and sealed rungs, which still requires special attention. If I'd known the route was like this, I wouldn't have taken on the novice children, but everything went well. For the record, the 4 kids were in front.
From the Les Clos car park, it took us 4 hours 20 minutes to complete the route, with regular breaks and one of more than 30 minutes for a packed lunch at the top of the ridges.

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