Rossas Dindaret Mountain

A beautiful hike to discover wild peonies in the Valdrôme area, on the Crêtes des Casses in the Haut Diois, on the border of the Drôme Provençale.
This walk is a feast for the eyes, as you will encounter a wide variety of flowers in May and June.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.77 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 451 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 444 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,524 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,088 m

Photos

Description of the walk

From Valdrôme, take the D106 towards Saint Dizier-en-Diois. After about 3 km, pass the access road to Rossas on your left, then once you reach the small Bascous road (just before the Col de Rossas), take the path on the left. After the descent, park in the shade under the trees at a fork that leads to a field.

(S/E) Continue along the same path. It leads to the foot of Combe Belle. Ignore the side paths and keep heading south until you reach a Y-junction.

(1) Take the path on the right behind the first cattle barrier. After a slightly steep initial climb, go through a second barrier (close it properly) and the slope becomes gentler. Pass the Ravin du Tac and, after a wide left-hand bend, you will arrive at the ridges right on the border between Drôme and Hautes-Alpes.

(2) At the Col de Bruis signpost, continue left up the ridge towards the peaks.

(3) You will reach thefirst summit, Serre de Beaupont, at an altitude of 1,449 metres, with a beautiful 360° view. The walk continues along the ridge line and reaches the highest point.

(4) From Montagne de Dindaret, at an altitude of 1,528 m, begin the descent.

(5) Barely 500 m later, at an altitude of 1,459 m, you will arrive at Peyre Grosse. Take the path downhill to the left to leave the ridge. Keep heading north-northwest until you reach the crossroads with a wide forest path.

(6) At an altitude of 1,357 metres, signposted Cotes Abrans, you will arrive at the Casses forest track. Take it to the left. The Casses forest track passes under the Combe Belle ridge and leads you to the junction of the circular route.

(1) Head north along the path you took on the way there and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,090 m - Combe Belle
  2. 1 : km 0.58 - alt. 1,133 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 1.97 - alt. 1,262 m - Col de Bruis (1263m)
  4. 3 : km 4.06 - alt. 1,446 m - Beaupont Greenhouse
  5. 4 : km 5.53 - alt. 1,524 m - Montagne de Dindaret (1528m)
  6. 5 : km 6 - alt. 1,452 m - Peyres Grosse, descent from the ridges
  7. 6 : km 6.61 - alt. 1,355 m - Casses forest path
  8. S/E : km 10.77 - alt. 1,090 m - Return to Combe Belle path

Notes

To admire the medicinal peonies in bloom, it is best to visit between mid-May and early June, depending on the year. This plant is protected at the national level.

Worth a visit

You will find numerous peonies along the ridges, in some hollows, then on the path back at the end of Montagne de Dindaret and along the Combe Belle forest path that takes you back to your car.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Thierry84
Thierry84

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

There is an area at the summit that is not well marked before the access to Mount Dindaret, perhaps because of the electric fences put up by farmers, which caused us to deviate slightly. There are sheepdogs with the sheep, so be careful.
There are some beautiful peonies near the summits.
In some places, the path is rutted by horse riders (there were six or seven at the summit).
The return via the forest path is a bit dreary.

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Manfort
Manfort

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful route, especially when the peonies are in bloom. Thank you. A very beautiful view.

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vincent vi
vincent vi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The peonies weren't in bloom, but what a fantastic view and beautiful tulips!

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Gégel26
Gégel26

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Please note that in summer there may be sheep, guarded by Patou dogs, which are not very friendly.

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vincenmarino
vincenmarino

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike done the day after a big storm, so the path was a bit rutted at the beginning. Very well marked and very interesting from a botanical point of view. We found peonies in bud at high altitude. Superb.

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CBERNARD
CBERNARD
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 3 July. Excellent weather but very hot, even at an altitude of 1,500 metres. Best to do this hike in spring to see the peonies and other flowers. Very pleasant walk along the ridges with breathtaking 360° views. Passes along the edge of impressive cliffs. Beautiful view of the peaks of eastern Drôme and Dévoluy, the mountains of southern Drôme and Mont Ventoux further south. Fairly steady climb to the summit at an altitude of 1,528 metres, very well signposted route with numerous, freshly repainted markings. Difficult to get lost. Slightly steep descent to Cotes Abrams and easy, somewhat monotonous return along the Casses forest path at the foot of the cliffs. A very beautiful and accessible walk.

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rochenadine1
rochenadine1

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 17, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A splendid hike today under sunny skies. Magnificent 360-degree views from the summit and, above all, flowers galore (gentians, wild peonies, columbines, etc.). TO BE DONE AGAIN

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ericmanosque
ericmanosque

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting and peaceful hike above the cliffs with beautiful views to the south.
Between points 4 and 5, don't hesitate, the descent is through the woods; there is only one path.
At point 3, there is a shepherd's wagon, but on this particular day, there were no shepherds or sheep.
The return trip along the forest road may seem tedious, but the cliffs are impressive.

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