Walking on the dragon’s back
August 2020 – Just past Hôtel Les Florets, motorised traffic is not allowed to pass. This is where the domain of hikers, rock climbers and mountain bikers begins. To the right of the road is a large car park, the starting point for the hike. The first part of the hiking trail runs along the traffic-free road to Col du Cayron. You walk past vineyards and have a beautiful view of the mountain ridge of Dentelles de Montmirail, which rises above the rolling Provençal landscape like an elongated dragon’s back. The pointed rocks look inaccessible. It is hard to imagine that you can hike there.
At Col du Cayron, the directions in the Rother walking guide confuse me. What is meant by the forest path on the right? Is that the road that runs along the edge of the forest or the footpath next to it in the forest? I choose the latter, but it goes up the slope to the foot of the cliff much faster than expected. The path is signposted with blue dots, though. I keep following them, it looks like the route from the walking guide in the opposite direction.
Where the first rocks rise almost vertically from the ground, a group of rock climbers is active. They are fiddling with their equipment at the base and a few are clinging to the rock face. The blue dots guide me further up the rocks. There is hardly a path anymore, I am clambering up over the rocks. With awe I walk over the dragon’s back, between the pointed protrusions. It seems as if the dragon is flying, so vast is the view.
The ledge over which I walk gets narrower, the abyss steeper. It’s doable, but I realise I haven’t met anyone for half an hour. All alone, I am a bit cautious. I turn around and take the same route back.
Searching for balance
June 2024 – It itches. Shall I try once again to hike the full route over Dentelles de Montmirail? I’m in the area anyway, after climbing Mont Ventoux. It’s a spontaneous idea, so I do not have a printed hiking map from home with me. But the map from last attempt is of course on this website. I can use that one, on my phone. I make a screenshot of it that I can use offline during the hike.
A second time like this, finding the way is a piece of cake. Over the road to Col du Cayron and then follow the blue dots. At Col du Cayron there is even a signpost indicating the blue route to Dentelles de Montmirail. In no time I am at the point where I turned last time. This time I bravely walk on. The path is actually not challenging at all. What makes a difference is that I now occasionally encounter other hikers. In the summer of 2020 it was worryingly quiet, due to corona restrictions.
Then the hiking trail stops at a vertical rock face. Somewhere high up against the rocks is a faint blue dot. As a godsend, four Frenchmen are just coming from the other side. Very carefully they descend along the rock. I observe them carefully and tell myself that climbing is easier than descending. I ask them about the walking route from the other side. It is all good, this is the first obstacle that they encounter. With that reassurance I climb up the rock face like a true rock climber. Searching for lumps in the rock that my foot can stand on and where my hands have enough grip. Searching for balance. I succeed, but with my heart in my throat.
The dragon’s tail
It is magnificent on the tail of the dragon’s back. From the hiking trail there are alternating views of the landscape to the left and right of the mountain ridge. And finally, at the tip of the tail, there is a panoramic viewpoint to look back over the hiked route.
Back down it is a short diversion along the Rocher du Midi viewpoint. After the walk on Dentelles de Montmirail you might be a bit satiated and inclined to skip Rocher du Midi. But the top of this rock rewards you with another gorgeous view on dragon’s back, with Mont Ventoux in the background.
Hiking map
The first map shows the route as I walked it in August 2020. This is the recommended route for those who cannot or do not want to climb a vertical rock face. The short walking route takes you to the most spectacular part of Dentelles de Montmirail.
The following map is the complete route across Dentelles de Montmirail and Rocher du Midi, which I walked in June 2024.
Both routes start just past Hôtel Les Florets, east of Gigondas. Do not use the private car park of the hotel, but take the large public car park a little further down the road to the right. At the back of the car park are some nice picnic tables for after the walk.
