Saint-Nizier - Lans-en-Vercors circular via Le Moucherotte

Departure from Saint-Nizier at a place called Le Mollarout: large car park near the tree-top adventure park.

(S/E) Walk up the car park looking towards Montagne du Moucherotte, leaving the only house next to the car park on your left. At the top of the car park, take a fairly wide path on your left that climbs towards Moucherotte.

(1) 400 metres further on, you will be at an altitude of 1,263 metres. Cross the forest track and climb up the smaller path opposite. You will join the^GR®91150 metres higher up. Take this path, which will take you across the old ski slope and up the edge of it.

You will reach a forestry track that continues to climb. Follow it to the left, heading steadily towards Moucherotte. Turn right at the next junction.

(2) Leave the path and turn right onto the^GR®91marked trail, heading towards La Cheminée and Le Moucherotte.
You will happily pass La Cheminée (aptly named, as it is quite a climb) and then the more gentle crossing that takes you to the Moucherotte refuge. The trail continues past the refuge and climbs to the viewpoint, where you can take a well-deserved break and enjoy the magnificent view.

(3) Coming down from the viewpoint, follow the^GR®91towards Lans-en-Vercors and join the three-way junction at the top of the Combe de Saint-Nizier.

(4) Turn left onto the path leading up to Habert des Ramées; this path is certainly more attractive than the^GR®91itself. When you reach Habert des Ramées, walk past the front of the building and continue along the path for 50 metres.

(5) Take a small path on your left that descends, without any signposts but also without any risk, to rejoin the^GR®91. Climb up to the right for about 450m to reach a hairpin bend.

(6) Two paths start on the left outside the bend. Take either one, as they will lead you without any signposts to the Croix des Ramées, where you can enjoy a view of the valley.

(7) Return to the^GR®91and turn right. 30 m further down, you will see a path on your right that descends, marked "Lans-en-Vercors 1h20", "Les Jeux 25mn" and "Tour des Quatre Montagnes".
Take this path and follow the yellow and red markings for the Tour des Quatre Montagnes. It descends quite steeply and then joins a track that leads to Pas de la Tinette.

(8) Cross this pass and turn right towards "Lans-en-Vercors, 3.4 km - 1h05". Descend for 500 m and you will arrive at a place called Les Jeux. Leave the path that turns left (yellow and red markings for the Tour des Quatre Montagnes) and pass over the collapsed shed, following the yellow and green markings. Cross a meadow on a well-marked path. Just after a vegetable garden, turn left and descend Les Traverses. At the bottom, you will arrive at La Chenevarie. Descend to the D106 departmental road.

(9) Cross it, following the signs for "Le Bruyant" on the Chemin de Prenay.
200 m further on, under the shade of the trees, continue along the tarmac path, ignoring the yellow and green markings that take you on a detour to the left, which I find pointless. You will rejoin these markings further down, at a crossroads with a barn in a place called La Grange Verte.

(10) Turn right onto a path leading downhill towards Croix de Lichou. This recently constructed, well-maintained path will take you from orange sign to orange sign, in a circular route, to Saint-Nizier-du-Moucherotte.
Turn left at the first intersection and you will soon find benches and tables for lunch.

(11) Continue straight ahead on the path that turns left to follow the D106 and reach Croix de Lichou.

(12) Then take the path on the left to admire the view from the Bec de L'Aigle (about 20 minutes round trip).

(13) Turn back.

(12) Take the road on the left, then the path on the right, which will take you 1.1 km to a fork at the top of the path leading down to the Gorges du Bruyant.

(14) Ignore the path that branches off to the left and continue along this pretty path, which is interrupted only once, just before the hamlet of Les Volants.

(15) Follow the D106 for a few dozen metres. The path runs more or less parallel to the D106 on the right-hand side. Continue to the holiday centre at a place called La Tour.

(16) Leave the direction of Saint-Nizier and turn right to take the shortcut to Le Mollarout.
Cross the road, go behind the transformer and take a path on the right that leads up to the car park (S/E).

Shelters: Le Moucherotte, Les Ramées.

Benches and tables (11) are located along the return route, which is mostly shaded.
Walking sticks are highly recommended for the ascents and descents.
Walking shoes - no trainers on such a long distance, they'll overheat!

At Le Moucherotte: spare a thought for Brigitte Bardot, who starred in a film shot up there (with Vadim) at a time when there was a hotel-restaurant that could be reached by cable car.
The imposing communications relay station. The Belvédère.

A place called "Les Jeux": the harshness of life in the mountain pastures.
The entire return journey is along a beautiful walking trail that takes you back to Saint-Nizier.
Passage at Bec de l'Aigle and its viewpoint over the Gorges d'Engins