Crête des Serres

Description

A long hike on the imposing Crête des Serres (mountain crest). We will benefit from its 1,777m of remarkable views of the peaks of the Southern Alps and the Castillon lake and the peaks of the Haut-Verdon in the background. Leaving the village square to reach, at 1,778m, the pastures of the Crête des Serres mountain, to discover an exceptional panorama, fine lavender plants, Verdon. This hike is a real change of scenery! From the Place de Verdun, head to the church, go across to reach the Grand'Rue then take the first right (Rue du Moulin). Take the village road No.2 of Méouilles. Continue on this road until the Verdon and cross it. Continue on the left bank of the road and 200m before the restored castle of Méouilles, across from the entrance to the Deux Saints tourist site, take the path going left towards the mountain. 1- Go along the trail with craggy black rocks then a clearing before heading into the woods. At 400m, reach a road in a curve. Keep going and 200m further, follow the trail down to the right. Go up the trail. When exiting the woods, pass through the clearing and, below a cottage, reach the track from the house of Villard. Continue on the track to the state-owned forest. 2- Climb the path that rises with switchbacks interspersed with a train. Follow the less steep and more enjoyable trail. After 1.5km of walk, reach a forest track. Take the path rising on the opposite side. Make the final climb through a rising trail with long crossings to the ridge. Reach the top of Serre Gros 100m to the right. 3- At the top, head down the same path.

Difficulty

Official rating: difficult, by Parcs naturels régionaux de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

Before you go

• Avoid high summer temperatures, leave early. We recommend: 2L of water per person, a hat and proper hiking shoes. Careful, snow in the winter. Preferred seasons: Spring, autumn (fall).

Getting there

Start: Rue du Moulin, Saint-André-les-Alpes, Saint-André-les-Alpes (04).

Sources

• Track: Parcs naturels régionaux de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Chemins des Parcs), Licence Ouverte 2.0, Licence Ouverte 2.0 (Etalab) (www.cheminsdesparcs.fr/trek/33832-SAINT-ANDRE-LES-ALPES---La-crete-des-Serres). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 931 m, Parcs naturels régionaux de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur