Crossing the Dentelles, the Sarrasines, the Clapis and the Grand Montmirail

An easy loop for exploring the Dentelles.
The Dentelles de Montmirail: this is a mountain range forming thefirst foothills of the Alps in the Rhône valley. It includes the Clapis range, the Grand Montmirail, the Dentelles Sarrasines, the Crête de la Salle, the Crête de Cayron and the Crête Saint-Amand.
This loop trail takes you through the heart of the three main ranges, along wide tracks and paths through the woods.
There are numerous viewpoints, including the Rocher du Midi viewpoint.

Details

18766426
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.61 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 347 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 346 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 468 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 253 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park at the Les Florets car park.

(S/E) Continue along the track that climbs up to the Col du Cayron.

(1) Turn right, heading south-west, onto the track. Continue slightly uphill to reach the Rocher du Midi crossroads. Climb the wooden steps on the right to reach the viewpoint on this rock. Enjoy the view of the Dentelles, Mont Ventoux and the entire valley.

(2) Go back down the stairs and turn right onto the track. Keep on this track and follow the almost flat path to reach the Col d'Alsau.

(3) Leave the track here and take the wooden steps opposite. After a few steps, continue along the path through the woods marked with a blue dot. This will quickly open up and continue through the scree. There is a superb view of the Dentelles and the Clapis climbing site with Saint-Amand and Mont Ventoux in the background. You will reach a crossroads in line with the Clapis cliffs.

(4) Leave the path that descends to the right and follow the one on the left to go around the cliffs. Follow the blue markings, pass the small rocky passage without difficulty, and continue down this main path. You will arrive at the crossroads leading to the Pas de la Chèvre.

(5) Turn left and cross the small Ruisseau de l'Aiguille stream, which is often dry, three times. You will come out onto a vineyard belonging to the Domaine de Cassan. Go around it on the left to return to the road at the Domaine de Cassan.

(6) Continue on the left, along Route du Cayron. Follow this short stretch of road, which is not very busy, until you reach the barrier. Continue slightly uphill on a forest track to reach the Col du Cayron, which you passed earlier.

(1) Turn right, downhill, and follow the same route you took on the way there to return to the Florets car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 312 m - Les Florets car park
  2. 1 : km 0.63 - alt. 399 m - Col du Cayron
  3. 2 : km 1.94 - alt. 456 m - Belvédère du - Rocher du Midi
  4. 3 : km 3.36 - alt. 446 m - Alsau Pass
  5. 4 : km 4.21 - alt. 431 m - Clapis crossroads
  6. 5 : km 4.87 - alt. 345 m - Pas de la Chèvre - Dentelles Sarrasines
  7. 6 : km 6.13 - alt. 265 m - Domaine de Cassan
  8. S/E : km 8.61 - alt. 313 m - Les Florets car park

Notes

This loop is not difficult but is a hike in the heart of nature.
Wear good walking shoes, suitable clothing and bring water.
Take your rubbish with you when you leave.
Between (3) and (6), be careful of the many trailheads; always stay on the main trail. The route is used regularly and is fairly intuitive.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 29 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.1 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
marie3084
marie3084

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent, easy hike with constant panoramic views of the Dentelles.
Highly recommended.

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luc33
luc33

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful and fairly easy hike. A pleasant distance and very beautiful scenery!
It's best to follow the GPS as the signs are very faded and there are lots of possible turnoffs, so there's a high risk of getting lost. But if you follow the trail, there's no problem, and it's a delight in the shade of these majestic rocks! We did it in 2 hours and 10 minutes, without any long breaks.

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User 2032955

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb short hike, but easily completed in 2½ hours.

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Torquebiau
Torquebiau

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful loop with a lovely view in the middle. The route is not very well marked but interesting.

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patrick002
patrick002

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful views, superb for discovering the Dentelles and the Clapis. I thought there would be a lot of forest fire tracks, but the route is varied with pleasant paths and beautiful views. Thank you for this route.

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JODIDO
JODIDO

I think I recognise that sign now...
But you should have gone down to the Grand Montmirail estate, then headed to Lafare. That would have saved you from having to turn around... At the time, I was a little disappointed that I didn't follow the directions exactly, but after reading about your experience, I think I did pretty well in the end...

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charbond
charbond

ENVIRON at UTM: 663069;4890746 (Z31) Item no.: 378 m. A sign stuck into the cliff itself, measuring 40 cm x 20 cm and 2 m high. At this point, the blue dots have disappeared. The right-hand bend further on, where you have to descend towards Lafare, can only be reached by taking considerable risks, even for an experienced hiker, as the ground is crumbly and sloping with gas on the right. If you want to go lower, there is no way through. Three young Germans arrived after us and also looked for a way through, but they turned back. If there is a safe way through, it needs to be marked.

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JODIDO
JODIDO

Hello,

Which part of the hike are you referring to? Where is the sign that says "path not recommended after this point"? Your explanation is a little vague... The one after the Col d'Alsau? I easily found the right path to the Clapis cliffs by following the blue dots, but then I lost the route mentioned in the description because I ended up at the Grand Domaine de Montmirail.
But that didn't bother me, as I was able to return to Lafare, finding myself on the other side of the Dentelles de Montmirail. I didn't see any sign saying "path not recommended after this point"...

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charbond
charbond

Overall rating : 2.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A sign indicates: path not recommended from this point onwards. And indeed, it is very dangerous, to the point that we had to turn back. Elsewhere, the blue markings are often faded, making it easy to get lost and forcing you to start again on other paths. The northern side of the Dentelles is very well signposted and just as beautiful.

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JODIDO
JODIDO

Good evening,

It took you 2 hours and 15 minutes! Walking? Well done!
Since you want to recommend this hike to other people, I suggest you climb up to the Dentelles Sarrasines and the Rocher du Turc from the Col de Cayron. You can then descend directly to the Col d'Alsau. When you reach the green signs on the trail coming from the Col de Cayron, continue straight ahead and, once you reach the ridge, take the trail on the right. You will then be able to admire the "natural windows" in the rock.
This route is much more attractive than following the track to the Belvédère du Rocher and then taking it again to return to the Col d'Alsau.
You can also reach the Belvédère via the Dentelles Sarrazines before returning to the Col d'Alsau. For this option, follow the path on the right from the green signs. Allow 45 minutes to reach the viewpoint.

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TomTom884
TomTom884
• Edited:

Hello. I completed the hike today without any particular problems in 2 hours and 15 minutes (at a good pace). It's true that sometimes it can be a bit tricky to find your way (especially between the Col d'Alsau and Le Clapis, where there are lots of paths branching off to the right and left).
I plan to take some friends on this hike in the coming weeks, but some of them are a little afraid of heights/slipping. There are two or three sections that I found a little difficult for them in the part between the Col d'Alsau and the Cassan estate (steep sections with lots of slippery stones). I'm thinking of doing it clockwise so that these sections are uphill rather than downhill...if anyone has already done this walk in this direction, do you think it's a good idea? Thanks!

Edit: I can see some tracks on the IGN map between the Col d'Alsau and the slippery section of the clapis, on the other side of the Vallat de l'Aiguille. I did see them when I was walking. Perhaps they are more accessible than the scree slopes indicated in the hike?

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JODIDO
JODIDO
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I don't like to give up when I'm out hiking!
So I decided to go back to the Dentelles to try and follow this route. I wanted to understand where I had gone wrong last Saturday.
But, as I wanted to walk for at least five hours, I set off from Lafare. I parked in the car park at the entrance to the village.
I first went to the waterfall, and although it's not particularly difficult, you need to use your hands a little to get close to it. Then, after taking a somewhat steep path, I went to the Chapelle Saint Christophe. You have to continue for five minutes to reach a viewpoint that offers beautiful views of the region.
A narrow path took me to the Cassan vineyard, and at the end of the road, I turned left towards the Col du Cayron.
As the track leading to the Rocher viewpoint wasn't very interesting, I climbed up to the Dentelles Sarrasines from the Col du Cayron, and as I had noticed last Saturday, there is a problem with the signposting.
I took the path on the right marked "Rocher du Turc-Col d'Aslau", but following this blue-marked section, you eventually arrive at the foot of the Rocher viewpoint. This means that the other signpost indicating "Rocher du Midi-Belvedère" is also incorrect, as this path, which passes through a gap, follows a route that leads back to the Col d'Alsau...
I had called the Gigondas Tourist Information Office on Monday and mentioned to the person I spoke to that I was going to check it out for myself. So I decided to go straight to Gigondas to report the error. Unfortunately, the Tourist Office was closed that day! I headed back up towards the Dentelles and, after the Col d'Alsau, I found the right path to the Clapis cliffs. A couple I met told me to follow the blue dots, which I did! But I must have taken a wrong turn at an intersection, because I ended up at the Grand Domaine de Montmirail.
But I didn't regret the mistake, because the views of the cliffs are magnificent from that side, and after a short walk along the road, I found my car in Lafare...
A very beautiful hike in almost spring-like weather! Five hours, 15/16 km and 600 metres of elevation gain.

PS: I posted 40 photos of this hike today and 35 on Saturday of the other route I did, and they can be seen on the Visorando page on Facebook...

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JODIDO
JODIDO

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I had already done several hikes in the Dentelles de Montmirail, but I didn't know this one.
When I reached the Col d'Allau, I took a path that climbed up to the right, which led me to the natural arches of the Dentelles Sarrasines and the Rocher du Turc. The description isn't very clear about the Col. It says to go straight ahead, but where exactly? So I wasn't able to follow the suggested route...
Once I reached the junction for the descent to the Col du Cayron, I followed the cliffs, but after a while I turned back, not really knowing where it would lead me!
Once at the Col du Cayron, I took the track towards Lafare, and when I reached a junction with signs for vineyards, I turned back.
I returned to the Les Florets car park after a 3-hour walk, covering 10 km and 400 metres of elevation gain.

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obus74
obus74

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful hike with magnificent views.

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ChristoValou
ChristoValou

Very nice hike, but there are not enough signs along the route.

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