Karstic cave Royer via Serre Plumé

Out of curiosity, I mapped out this route when I discovered that a karstic cave bears the same name as me. This route winds through the Lente forest and offers beautiful views of the Vassieux en Vercors valley and the Grand Veymont. And for those with a sweet tooth, you can enjoy wild raspberries, wild strawberries and, more rarely, blueberries along the way.

Details

40378
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.82 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 454 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 453 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,560 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,199 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the Col de Carri in the resort car park. The starting point is to the left of the Vercors Sud Nordic area ticket office at the Col de Carri hiking sign.

(S) Take the forest path on the left that climbs into the forest towards Serre Plumé and leads to the Estouble viewpoint.

(1) From here, take the track on the left for 200 metres to reach a viewpoint. After this round trip, you will find a second sign for L'Estouble a few metres away. Head towards Col de la Mûre along the forest track that climbs up to the right, lined with wild raspberry bushes. You will arrive at Pré-Bellet. Continue towards Col de la Mûre and after a few steps, you will see a small meadow on your left. This leads to a large meadow where, depending on the time of year, you may encounter Patou dogs protecting sheep from wolves. Pass the Crobache refuge on your right.

(2) Continue along the path. After a very short climb, take the grassy path on the right at the flat section.

(3) After a few metres, there is a solitary copse on the left. Opposite this copse, take a barely visible path between two trees that leads into the woods (I have included a photo of this spot). This very discreet path joins a wider track after about 20 metres. Continue along this track. This track is marked by signs showing a hiker on a blue background. Further on, a yellow sign indicates the direction of Carri. Continue in this direction to reach the Scialet Royer marked by a cluster of trees.

(4) Return by the same route to the previous crossroads.

(3) Turn right onto the path leading to the Col de la Mûre. When you reach the Pelouse du Lièvre Blanc, continue on to reach the Col de la Mûre.

(5) Take the grassy path on the left towards Serre Plumé. You will come to a second sign for the Col de la Mûre. At this point, take the path on the left towards Serre Plumé, which climbs gently at first and then more steeply. During the climb, you will have a view of the entire Vassieux en Vercors valley. You will arrive at Serre Plumé.

(6) Descend towards the Col de Carri. On the descent, follow the yellow and green markings and the red signs indicating "retour Carri". At the bottom of the descent, you will come to a forest path. Turn right and after a few metres, you will see a huge anthill on your left. From there, you will reach L'Estouble.

(1). From L'Estouble, return to the Col de Carri via the same forest track as on the way there (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,199 m - Parking - Col de Carri (1202m)
  2. 1 : km 2.08 - alt. 1,362 m - L'Estouble
  3. 2 : km 3.53 - alt. 1,437 m - Refuge de Crobache
  4. 3 : km 4.06 - alt. 1,452 m - At the Scialet Royer crossroads, turn right.
  5. 4 : km 4.67 - alt. 1,439 m - Royer karstic cave
  6. 5 : km 6.51 - alt. 1,420 m - Take the grassy path on the left. - Col de la Mure (1424m)
  7. 6 : km 7.34 - alt. 1,542 m - Serre Plumé
  8. S/E : km 10.82 - alt. 1,199 m - Parking - Col de Carri

Notes

Moderator update on 14/08/2018. For certain colours used for signposting, please also refer to the comments made by hikers on 24 June 2018 and 13 August 2018).

There are no water sources on the route. There is a refuge where you can spend the night if necessary. Good walking shoes are recommended, especially for crossing Serre Plumé.

Worth a visit

A few kilometres away, you can visit the Resistance Museum in Vassieux en Vercors.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 59 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Senmout
Senmout

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that alternates between many different landscapes, with the 360-degree view at Serré Plumé as the icing on the cake.
There was a little hesitation, but otherwise the path is very well marked.
We did it in the opposite direction and are very glad we did because the climb is really tough.

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JLGUI
JLGUI

Hello
Having done this hike in early spring, there was still snow, so we extended the route by passing through the Derbounouse meadow, which is not very visible (but can be seen with the Visorando app), which I highly recommend. Follow the trail (snowshoe signs nailed to the trees). Otherwise, it's very pleasant in the sun.Beautiful view of the surrounding mountains... Sf Grenoble

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atraver
atraver

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very beautiful route, varied, with a lovely view of the Vercors.

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JLGUI
JLGUI

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice walk, which we extended by 1 km, to go through the Pelouse d'herbounouse.

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Mamilo13
Mamilo13

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It's a lovely walk, but there's a slight downside: the gradient shown corresponds to the actual gradient from the lowest to the highest point! The route is rather bumpy, with ascents and descents in stony gullies, so the difference in altitude is more than doubled!

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Erik13
Erik13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A hike suitable for everyone, with a wide variety of terrain.

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fidu
fidu

I've already left a review under the pseudonym Fidu

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cathyferrer
cathyferrer

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely hike with beautiful views in an exuberant natural setting, copiously sprinkled with water.
To complete the day, we continued on to the Col de la Chau.
Many thanks to the author.

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fidu
fidu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A beautiful hike in February, with snow-covered stretches that made the place even more enchanting. The snow-covered Scialet du Royer was an added attraction. The crest over the serre Plumé offered a fabulous view of the snow-covered Vercors range.

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dabobo
dabobo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb 360° panorama from Serre Plumé.
The Scialet Royer is only worth a visit for fans of the area.

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Françoise Thiebaut
Françoise Thiebaut

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A varied walk with beautiful views

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figue04
figue04

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely, shady walk with beautiful views.
The signposting has changed Between points 3 and 4 follow the purple snowshoe signs.
And the yellow and green has become yellow and red.
I recommend this hike.

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pbenier
pbenier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Pleasant walk. in the shade most of the time, very pretty viewpoint at the summit over the Vassieux valley and the Vercors mountains.

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raoul26
raoul26

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, varied and pleasant walk. The karstic cave is well worth a look.
However, for me the distance was 12.5km and the difference in altitude 560m ....... to be checked.

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smallaxe
smallaxe

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Large car park at the Col de Carri
A short, uneventful climb to the large meadow and the Crobache refuge (very well laid out and very clean, by the way). Flowers everywhere but no sheep or patous.
It took us a while to find the Royer karstic cave, a natural curiosity in the Vercors.
Then we climbed up to Serre Plumé, where there were lots of people for a picnic break.
Here we have a beautiful view of the Vassieux plateau, which reminds me of certain landscapes in Lozère and, of course, the Gd Veymont in all its splendour.
in all its splendour.
The descent may seem a little strenuous, but it's not long and we reach the Col de Carri fairly quickly.
Not the most beautiful of hikes, but nice all the same.

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