From Arles to the Col de Larche, the GR69 follows the old paths of the transhumant flocks, from the Crau plain to the summer pastures of the Ubaye, before continuing into Italy.
404 km21 stages9,800 m ascentHigh point 2,292 mArles → Col de Larche
0 m500 m1,000 m1,500 m2,000 m2,500 m0 km50 km100 km150 km200 km250 km300 km350 km400 km123456789101112131415161718192021High point 2,292 m
Elevation profile: from 3 m to 2,270 m over 403.6 km.
The GR69 at a glance
The GR69, named La Routo, follows the old drove roads (drailles and carraires) used for centuries by transhumant flocks moving between the plains of Provence and the summer pastures. Approved as a long-distance GR trail by the FFRandonnée in June 2020, it is run by the Maison de la Transhumance together with, on the Italian side, the Unione Montana Valle Stura. Transhumance was added to the French inventory of intangible cultural heritage in 2020, then to the UNESCO list in December 2023.
The trail starts in Arles, in front of the Chapelle du Méjan, crosses the Crau plain and the Alpilles Regional Nature Park via Maussane and Aureille, then reaches Salon-de-Provence and the Domaine du Merle, where shepherds are trained. It passes through Aix-en-Provence, reaches the foot of the Sainte-Victoire at Vauvenargues, crosses the Var via Rians and Vinon-sur-Verdon, then the Valensole plateau, in the Verdon Regional Nature Park, before Riez and Digne-les-Bains.
After Digne, the mountains take over: La Javie, Le Vernet and Seyne-les-Alpes, then the Col de Bernardez, on the longest stage of the route, to the Laverq valley. The GR69 then reaches the Ubaye valley via Méolans-Revel, Barcelonnette and La Condamine, before climbing towards Saint-Ours and the Col de Larche, where its French stages end. In places it uses existing paths, such as the Route Napoléon (GR406) or the GR de Pays de la Frontière fortifiée.
The rest of the route is in Italy. From the Col de Larche, it climbs to the Colle del Roburent, its highest point (2,500 m according to the FFRandonnée), crosses the border and descends the Stura valley via Bersezio, Pontebernardo, Vinadio and Demonte to Borgo San Dalmazzo, in Piedmont. TrekGR only covers the French section.
Highlights
A GR devoted to transhumance, on the old drove roads of the flocks between Provence and the summer pastures.
A start from Arles across the Crau plain and the Alpilles Regional Nature Park.
Aix-en-Provence, then the foot of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire at Vauvenargues.
The Valensole plateau, in the Verdon Regional Nature Park, then Digne-les-Bains.
The climb to the upper Ubaye via the Col de Bernardez, the Laverq valley and Barcelonnette.
Encounters with shepherds and flocks, and festivals such as the transhumance festival in Salon-de-Provence.
Practical information
Start
Arles
Arles station is served by Région Sud TER trains, from Marseille and Avignon in particular. The GR69 starts from the Chapelle du Méjan, in the historic centre, on the banks of the Rhône.
Finish
Col de Larche
The Col de Larche has no railway station. Barcelonnette is linked to Gap SNCF station by the Zou! LER 535 regional coach line; to get down from the pass to Barcelonnette, ask Ubaye Tourisme. On the Italian side, La Routo mentions bus 102 between Argentera and Vinadio.
When to go
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La Routo recommends April to June and September–October for the Provençal stages, which are hot in summer and subject to the massif access rules. Beyond La Javie, the recommended period is June to September: snow can make the Col de Bernardez and the paths of the upper Ubaye dangerous, or even impassable, until June.
Difficulty
Challenging
The Provençal section, through hills, remains accessible. The route gets harder after Digne: La Routo presents the stage from Seyne-les-Alpes to the Laverq valley, via the Col de Bernardez, as the longest and most demanding, and the upper Ubaye can stay under snow until June.
Accommodation
2 refuges, 4 gîtes, 1 unstaffed hut and 26 B&Bs
Gîtes, B&Bs, campsites and a few refuges line the route: each stage sheet on the La Routo website lists them, and according to the association it is more up to date than the topoguide. In the mountains, the choice narrows: the sheet for the Laverq stage only mentions the Laverq refuge, and at the Col de Larche the accommodation listed is the Rifugio della Pace, on the Italian side. Book before setting off.
Rules to know
From 1 June to 30 September, access to the forested massifs of the Bouches-du-Rhône is regulated by prefectoral order, and similar restrictions apply in the Var and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: the access map is published every day for the following day. Around Vauvenargues, the rules of the Grand Site Sainte-Victoire also apply. For the stage from Saint-Ours to the Col de Larche, La Routo refers to the regulations of the Mercantour National Park, whose core zone is closed to dogs, even on a lead.
Water and supplies
La Routo’s stage sheets list shops, accommodation and, on several Provençal stages, a bus line for getting back (line 57 from Maussane to Arles, line 140 from Vauvenargues to Aix-en-Provence). In Provence, carry the day’s water in fine weather. Near Saint-Ours, La Routo reports a municipal by-law banning passage over a bridge on the Ubayette, in Meyronnes (information updated in July 2025): check with the Val-d’Oronaye town hall before these stages.
The GR69 on the map
The 21 stages
TrekGR stage plan: each stage ends where you can sleep. Actual walking time excluding breaks (DIN 33466 standard).
No current alerts for this GR (checked on 12 November 2026). All live updates →
Our advice
Check each stage sheet on the La Routo website: accommodation, supplies and buses are kept up to date there.
Between June and September, check the massif access map the day before the stages in the Alpilles, the Sainte-Victoire and the Var.
When you come across a flock guarded by livestock guardian dogs, give it a wide berth, stop long enough for the dogs to identify you, stay calm and do not run.
Avoid bringing your dog: the flocks are on the summer pastures from June to October and dogs are banned from the core zone of the Mercantour National Park.
Early in the season, find out about snow cover on the Col de Bernardez and the upper Ubaye before leaving Seyne-les-Alpes.
Close fences behind you and respect the privacy of the shepherds’ huts.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the GR69 start and finish?
It starts in Arles, in front of the Chapelle du Méjan, and ends at Borgo San Dalmazzo, in Piedmont, Italy (MonGR). Its French stages end at the Col de Larche; La Routo also offers a final stage from Borgo San Dalmazzo to Cuneo.
Where does the GR69 go in Italy?
After the Col de Larche, the route climbs to the Colle del Roburent, its highest point at 2,500 m according to the FFRandonnée, then crosses the border and descends towards Bersezio and the Stura valley.
Which départements does the GR69 cross?
In France, three: the Bouches-du-Rhône, the Var and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The Italian section lies in the province of Cuneo, in Piedmont.
How should you react to livestock guardian dogs?
La Routo advises giving the flock a wide berth, stopping long enough for the dogs to identify you, staying calm, without shouting or running, and keeping your own dog on a lead (La Routo). From June to October, the flocks are on the summer pastures and encounters are frequent in the mountains.
Is there a topoguide for the GR69?
Yes, the FFRandonnée published the “GR69 La Routo” topoguide in June 2022. La Routo points out that some of the accommodation information in the topoguide may have changed and keeps updates on its stage sheets (La Routo).
Route: OpenStreetMap contributors. Elevation: IGN’s RGE ALTI®, one point every 50 m. Text checked on 12 November 2026.
