Le Grand Coyer, Mountain summit in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France

Le Grand Coyer is a mountain summit in the Pelat range, positioned between Thorame-Haute and Colmars-les-Alpes. The peak overlooks rolling alpine pastures and connects with surrounding ridge systems typical of this section of the Alps.

Shepherds have used Grand Coyer for generations as a landmark when moving their flocks through alpine meadows. Pastoral activity shaped this landscape over centuries and remains embedded in the mountain routes.

Shepherds graze their flocks on the high pastures around Grand Coyer, maintaining a way of life that shapes the landscape. This pastoral practice remains visible in the mountain corridors and trails worn by centuries of movement.

Access to the summit comes through hiking routes across pastoral terrain that demand sustained effort due to the steep altitude gain. Best visit during the warmer months when snow has melted and paths are fully clear.

After Algeria's independence in 1962 closed the Sahara to French nuclear tests, Grand Coyer was considered as an alternative test site. The plan was dropped, and the mountain instead became a Natura 2000 site of 6,233 hectares protecting 27 habitats, including Bertolon's columbine and the meadow viper.