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Font Sancte

  • Author: TrailExplorer

Font Sancte

This walk will introduce you to beautiful but rough Val d'Escreins. The route follows the banks of the Rif-Bel to the source called Font Sancte at the foot of the Pics Font Sancte. These two peaks of 3385 and 3371 meters respectively owe their name to the legend of the source. A young shepherdess led her goats in the Val d'Escreins where the best grass could be found on the highest meadows. However, the shepherdess saw no water anywhere and wanted to leave the valley again, but one white goat was not inclined to return. After dusk she followed the goat and the miracle occurred, the fountain of Font Sancte was 'born'.

Distance: 11 km.

Time: 4h00.

Grade: Moderate.

Type: Back and forth.

Gps Track: Yes.

Route description: Yes.

Wheelchair: Not suitable.

Dog: Allowed.

Height gain: 591 meters.

Trail: 100% unpaved.

Marking: PR - Yellow dash.

Hiking shoes recommended.

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The Oratoire Font Sancte.

The route starts at the Val d'Escreins car park. Cross the Rif-Bel and turn right to take the "Font-Sancte" direction. From the sign follow the right bank of the Rif-Bel. Cross the alpine meadows and the pine forest to connect to the path of the "Colette verte". The path continues into the forest along the river that you cross via the second wooden bridge. Go into the meadow, ignore the path to Houerts on the right. The path now climbs quite steeply until you reach a beautiful Cembro pine. After crossing the river, the route continues to the exit of the forest and ends at the Oratoire Font Sancte. Beyond the chapel, the path reaches a stony ridge and crosses the river again to continue to the edge of the limestone ridge from which the source of the Rif-Bel originates. The source itself is not really spectacular.

Font Sancte

Download PDF for route description.

The access to the valley is closed in the winter.

Edelweiss can be found at the oratory Font Sancte at 2300 meters. Take care of these rare and protected flowers.

Map & Poi's.

POI 1 - The legend of Font Sancte.

A young shepherdess let her sheep graze in Val d'Escreins, the highest meadows had the most beautiful grasslands, but there was no river or source to water the animals and the shepherdess. The shepherdess wanted to leave the valley but had noticed that a white goat escaped every day and climbed the mountain to a limestone rock. There the goat wriggled into the hollow of a rock and came out muttering. Intrigued, the shepherdess followed the animal at dusk and discovered that water seeped from the rock. She wanted to drink, went a step further and the miracle was accomplished: with a powerful bang the wall was pierced like a cannonball and the water rushed through the valley. Since then there has never been a lack of water in the area and the source was called "the holy fountain". The Oratoire Font Sancte became a place of pilgrimage where the locals went every year to summon the rain. Today there is still a pilgrimage to the chapel every year in August.

No additional information.

POI 2 - Ruins of Escreins.

Near the departure point you can see the ruins of the village of Escreins or Basse Rua. Originally, the first buildings were built on the initiative of a number of Vars residents who felt that the grounds of Val d'Escreins were beneficial for grain cultivation. Later they switched to breeding cattle. In the winter, the inhabitants returned to Vars or Guillestre. Due to the rural exodus of the 19th century there is a first depopulation but the village is permanently abandoned after the fire of 1916. In the absence of men mobilized during the war, it could not be saved.

No additional information.