Den de Vaulion via Vaulion
🗺️ Overview
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Starting point: Vaulion (parking at the west edge of the village)
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Highest point: Dent du Vaulion, 1,483 m
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Total elevation gain: ~550 m
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Total distance: ~11 km
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Total time: ~3 h
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Technical difficulty: Easy – well-marked paths, one short steep section near the summit
And the winner is… Dent du Vaulion!
It is the first peak to get two dedicated posts. I have already described it briefly in other hikes, but this time it deserves a full article about the route from Vaulion, the quiet village that gave the mountain its name.
You can reach Dent du Vaulion from all sides. From Petra Félix is the shortest and my usual route, described in this post. From Le Pont or Vallorbe there are also options. But here I describe the climb starting directly from Vaulion.
The climb from Vaulion
You can start at the large parking at the west edge of the village, where a panel indicates “the 7 hikes of Vaulion.” The one to the summit begins along the road before turning into the village. It is marked throughout with red dots. Before reaching the center, the panels point upwards between the houses.
The path leads to the small road to Le Plâne, the hamlet above Vaulion at 1,100 m. Crossing Le Plâne, you will be greeted by an intense perfume: this comes from the herb-growing farm above the village. Just after it, the trail turns left and climbs again. In five minutes you reach Sur Le Voué, the small col where the path from Vallorbe joins.
From here, both routes continue along the ridge: first on an asphalted road up to an alpage, then through pastures. The ridge rises gently and becomes gradually more forested.
Towards the end, it narrows to a path, with one short but steep section leading to the summit antenna.
At the top, 1483m, you are rewarded with the usual stunning panorama: the Alps to the south and the many lakes all around.
The descent
To descend, you can make a loop by continuing to the chalet just below the summit and then following the road. At the first bend, do not take the path leading to Petra Félix. Instead, stay on the road for five minutes.
At some point you will reach the crossroads (in the picture).
Continue on the gravel road towards Cabane d’Orny CAS. After 10 minutes, past a small side path to the Cabane, a panel makes you U-turn onto a smaller trail. Pay attention—it is easy to miss! From here, follow the signs until you reach the base of the ski lift visible from the summit.
The way back continues for a long stretch on the road. Close to the main road, it turns into a path and then crosses the road. On the other side, a gravel road leads downhill. With a short two-minute detour, you can also visit the Grotte du Gros Fort. In fact, there are several caves here—one of the other “7 paths of Vaulion”—but that will be for another day.
To finish, follow the main gravel road which will lead you directly back to the parking.
✅ Overall: about 11 km, 550 m elevation gain, and around 3 hours for the full loop.
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