These days, this picturesque route linking Le Champsaur to Saint Étienne en Dévoluy is open for several months a year.

It was made in 1850 out of the mule path which was once one of the most well-used routes into Le Dévoluy. The Col du Noyer mountain shelter was inaugurated in 1858.

The Col owes its name to Napoléon who, to thank the population of the Hautes-Alpes for welcoming him on his return from the Isle of Elba,  left a tidy sum to the region which would later be used to build mountain shelters on difficult-to-access passes

The Col summit offers breath-taking panoramic views with, on one side, Le Dévoluy's arid ridges and, on the other, the ample Drac Valley inlaid with natural greenery.

On the 14th of July 2010, the Tour de France passed through Le Dévoluy, via the Col du Noyer, and the whole day was an enormous success!

Le Col du Noyer is closed in winter.