The Dévoluy tour (Hautes-Alpes, Drôme)
Duration : 5 days
France, Southern Alps
Level : intermediate
from 800 € / p. from 4 to 8 persons
Infos & Booking
Description
I invite you to join me on the Dévoluy trek for a wild and spectacular immersion in the Alps.
Located between the Hautes-Alpes, Drôme, and Isère departments, the Dévoluy massif is a gem that remains unspoiled, often overlooked in favor of its more famous neighbors. Hiking the Dévoluy tour means immersing yourself in rugged and magnificent nature, among limestone cliffs, green mountain pastures, secluded forests, and impressive peaks. It also means discovering an authentic mountain, inhabited by a lively pastoral culture and villages imbued with simplicity.
This tour of the Dévoluy takes 5 days, covering a route of around 80 kilometers with a total elevation gain of 4,500 meters. The circuit follows well-maintained, marked trails, winding around the main peaks of the massif: Obiou (2,789m), Grand Ferrand (2,758m), and Pic de Bure (2,709m). These are mighty mountains, their silhouettes dominating the landscape and offering a striking mineral spectacle.
The hike starts from the hamlet of Les Sauvas and plunges into a world of silence, punctuated only by the hiker's footsteps and the songs of marmots. The trail crosses several high passes, such as the Col des Aiguilles and the Col de Charnier, offering breathtaking views of the steep-sided valleys and karstic relief.
One of the charms of Dévoluy is the diversity of its landscapes: sometimes austere and lunar, as on the limestone of the Bure plateau, sometimes gentle and pastoral in the valleys where sheep graze. The network of "chourums", or sinkholes and cavities carved into the rock, reminds us that we are in a limestone massif crisscrossed by underground galleries, a paradise for speleologists.
The villages we pass through (Agnières-en-Dévoluy, Saint-Disdier, and Saint-Étienne) are small, often clinging to the mountainside, and exude a peaceful atmosphere. You will sometimes find a lodge or inn where the welcome is simple but warm. These stops allow you to sample local specialties, such as tourton or blueberry tart, and chat with the locals or other passing hikers.
The climate is generally dry and sunny in summer, but evenings can be cool at altitude, so you'll need to bring suitable clothing. This tour is physically demanding, with some significant elevation gains, but it is accessible to anyone in good physical condition. The reward is immense: a rare feeling of freedom, rugged landscapes, and total immersion in a mountain world still untouched by mass tourism.
Walking around Dévoluy is a deeply rejuvenating experience. You'll come away struck by the wild beauty of the place, the intensity of your contact with nature, and a feeling of having touched something essential. Uncrowded and untamed, Dévoluy is not just a mountain range to cross, but a world to discover.
I also offer several hiking trips to discover other places in the Southern Alps:
- a 7-day trekking in the Valgaudemar,
- the Merveilles valley tour in the Mercantour,
- 6 days of hiking in the Luberon,
- the Clarée valley tour in the Hautes-Alpes
- and the Vieux Chaillol tour in the Écrins massif.
Program
Day 1: Les Sauvas - La Cluse.
This is the first stage of the Dévoluy tour. From the hamlet of Les Sauvas, we head to La Montagne and then Rabioux before stopping at the small village of La Cluse, the southern gateway to Dévoluy. This short first stage gives us a chance to get to know each other.
Elevation gain: 300 meters, elevation loss: 450 meters, distance: 13.3 km, walking time: 4 hours.
Day 2: La Cluse - La Jarjatte.
Today's stage takes us to the Drôme department. From La Cluse, you will reach the Col du Festre. At the pass, head towards the Vallon des Aiguilles, a valley characteristic of the Dévoluy massif. Depending on the season, you will see the Saute Aure waterfall, which is quickly drying up.
Our destination is the Col des Aiguilles, which takes us into the Drôme via a long, easy descent to the village of La Jarjatte.
Elevation gain: 950 meters, elevation loss: 1,000 meters, distance: 16.6 km, walking time: 7 hours.
Day 3: La Jarjatte - Lachaup.
After following the Buëch river along the road, you begin a long climb to the Fleyrard hut. From the hut, the ascent becomes steep to reach the only lake in the massif, Lake Lauzon, which we skirt around on the left. Opposite us, between the Tête du Lauzon and the Rocher Rond, the Col de Charnier pass allows us to re-enter the Dévoluy. From the pass, depending on your fitness level, we can make a detour to another giant of the Dévoluy: the Grand Ferrand (2,758m).
Elevation gain: 950 meters, elevation loss: 750 meters, distance: 11.7 km, walking time: 6 hours.
Day 4: Lachaup - Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy.
The penultimate stage is much less demanding and takes you to the village of Saint-Disdier at the bottom of the valley. We continue along the balcony path to the village of Le Collet, passing close to the Mère-Eglise chapel with the Pic de Bure as a backdrop. You will be above Saint-Étienne, overlooking the Rif Gorges, which you will descend to reach the village of Saint-Étienne.
Elevation gain: 700 meters, elevation loss: 850 meters, distance: 17.8 km, walking time: 7 hours.
Day 5: Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy - Les Sauvas.
The last and final stage of this tour of Dévoluy is probably the most alpine of the trek. From Saint-Étienne, you head towards L'Enclus and the IRAM cable car. A beautiful climb through alpine pastures takes us to the foot of one of the giants of Dévoluy: the Pic de Bure. We climb up the Combe Ratin via the GR trail. The change in atmosphere is striking, as you and the stone walls become one. You emerge onto the plateau directly at the IRAM observatory, where its 12 impressive antennas listening to the stars will leave you contemplative. You then cross the Bure plateau towards its summit and descend towards the Sauvas forest house via the Combe de Mai.
Elevation gain: 1,550 meters, elevation loss: 1,500 meters, distance: 20 km, walking time: 9 hours.
Note: In case of bad weather or the need for changes, I reserve the right to adapt the itineraries and content of the trip.
The price includes
- Supervision by the mountain leader.
- 4 nights full board (mountain hut, nights in dormitories with around ten beds).
- Meals from the evening of day 1 to the afternoon of day 5 (dinners, breakfasts, picnics).
- Logistical organization of the trip.
The price does not include
- Return transport to the hamlet of Les Sauvas, 30 minutes drive from Gap.
- Personal expenses (drinks or other purchases).
- Cancellation insurance (optional).
- Anything not mentioned in "The price includes".
Accommodation
In mountain lodge (shared room).