The Tour de la Scie

Departure / Arrival : Bréziers

Cross the hamlet of Champsaurs and take the track on the left at the level of the crow's feet. Continue on this slightly uphill track. At the next intersection, continue to the left, towards the Bois des Devins and the crête de la Scie.

Leave the track leading to the Chapelle Saint Sixte on the left in favour of the ascending track on the right. Gradually enter the Devins wood, a pretty mixed forest, classified Natura 2000. Once you reach the pass, take the track on the left to walk along the Scie ridge to the Antenne. Views open up to the east, west and gradually north, offering beautiful panoramas of the surrounding mountains. The Blanche, the Ubaye, the Dévoluy and even the Ecrins can be discovered. Little by little, the unusual viewpoint of the dam is revealed to the most experienced eyes. Go past the water tank and continue towards the Antenne. Caution: Beware of the steep ravines as you approach the Antenne. VIEWPOINT - Then take time to enjoy the view. Return to the pass by the same route. Back to the pass, the less adventurous can turn back. The more athletic are invited to descend to the left, into the Blanche valley, towards Champ du Pin and Gréolier. After a few hairpin bends, turn left onto the E6 track.

After a long stretch of nearly 4 km of forest track, leave it for a small path in the undergrowth, heading off to the left.

Turn back onto a forest track, at the Champ du Pin. Take it on the left towards Gréolier. Here again, a long section of track allows you to walk northwards. It eventually gets lost in a field and becomes a nice wooded path down towards Gréolier. VIEWPOINT - Unobstructed view of the dam, its compensation basin and the village of Espinasses, whose town planning bears witness to the history of the valley. This path then plunges into the Gorges ravine. Cross the ravine passing over the big dam. Once you arrive on the left bank of the ravine, go down towards Gréolier on a farm track in the middle of the orchards until you reach the tarred road. Follow it on the left for a little more than 1 km.

Leave the road to take a wooded path on the left, towards the hamlet of Beaufort. This pretty path crosses different environments: from damp undergrowth to dry scree. Once you have reached the hamlet of Beaufort, cross it and continue on the paved road for about 500 m. Turn left and continue climbing towards the Saint-Sixte chapel along the botanical path. The path, always ascending, sometimes steep, crosses two gullies to reach the pass.

From the pass, it is possible to go up to admire the panorama of the Chapelle Saint Sixte, about 10 minutes round trip. Alternatively, cross the fence and walk across the field towards Bréziers. Join a stony track at the end of the clearing and follow it to the hamlet of Les Achards. Shortly after leaving the hamlet, at the crossroads, turn right towards Les Champsaurs and find the starting car park.

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