Located at 1597 meters above sea level, Pas de la Graille takes you from the north to the south-facing slope. It gets its name from Occitan at a time when "Pas" (from Latin passus) meant a passage, while "Graille" means a crow, a well-know local bird.
Much used, even by cyclists, the pass also offers a magnificent view over the valley of the Durance. Pas de la Graille highlights the stark contrast between the very Alpine atmosphere of the North facing slope down into the Jabron valley and the sunny vegetation on the southern slopes leading down the Durance. This "capricious" river was once feared for its floods but has undergone continuous development since the nineteenth century, supplying Marseilles with drinking water and for hydroelectricity, farming and industry.
