Hiking with a baby towards Col des Cibière (Walk 34)
Your rucksack should have well padded shoulder straps and waist band. Much of the weight of the pack should sit on your hips rather than your shoulders. A waterproof liner to go into your pack can be a good investment.
Poles will transfer some of the weight from your legs onto your arms keeping your legs a little fresher. On descents they can save your knees and can reduce the likelihood of falling or twisting an ankle.
Carry a basic first aid kit at all times. A small torch with spare batteries and a whistle are sensible additions – many rucksacks have whistles incorporated into the sternum strap. A space blanket or emergency bag is very light and could save someone’s life.
Always carry a map and compass and know how to use them. A GPS can be a useful addition but it is no substitute for a map and compass – after all, batteries can run out and electronics can fail.
The sun at altitude can be brutal so wear sunscreen and lip salve. Sunglasses and a sun hat are also recommended
Carry at least 1.5 litres of water per person
Maps
IGN is the French public geographical service, producing a range of maps covering French territory in various scales and formats. Each walk description in this book contains information on the appropriate 1:25,000 scale map(s).
Using this guide
The walks in this book are only a taste of the hundreds of possibilities available in this amazing region. Six geographical areas are covered and you could easily spend a week or more in each area. Routes could be shortened or lengthened to meet your needs. A route summary table is provided in Appendix A as a useful aid for choosing a walk.
Walk grading: walks have been graded easy, medium, hard or very hard. Walk grading is subjective: one person’s hill is another person’s mountain. The grades in this book take account of distance, ascent, gradient, terrain and navigational challenge. If there is difficult terrain or significant exposure on a walk then this can impact its categorisation. In general, a walk graded easy could be undertaken by most people. A walk graded very hard is only suitable for fit and experienced walkers.
Timings: these indicate the time for a reasonably fit walker to complete the walk. They do not include any resting time.
Distances: distance is measured in kilometres, to match maps and signposts in France. One mile equates to 1.6km.
Total ascent and descent: the total ascent is the aggregate of all the altitude gain on the uphill sections of the walk. Total descent is the aggregate of the height losses on the downhill sections. Ascent and descent are measured in metres. As a rule of thumb, a fit walker climbs 300–400m in an hour.
Maps: each walk contains a sketch map: these are indicative only and are no substitute for the detail on the full 1:25,000 scale sheet maps. The correct map for each walk is highlighted in the walk description. You are less likely to get lost or take a wrong turning if you use the recommended maps (see ‘Maps’).
Signposting: yellow signposts giving time or distance to a specific destination are common and tend to be quite reliable. Painted red and white stripes on rocks and trees are sometimes used as waymarks. If you see a cross painted on a rock or a tree then this generally means that you are going in the wrong direction. Plastic ‘VTT’ signs nailed to trees are for mountain biking routes – take care as mountain bikes move quickly and any collision between walkers and a mountain bike is likely to have serious consequences. The VTT (Vélo Tout Terrain) route may or may not be along the same route as you need to follow so don’t rely these signs as your own waymarks.
GPS coordinates: each walk description includes coordinates for the starting point. Occasionally, within the route description, coordinates are also provided for junctions which are tricky to locate. These coordinates are given in the UTM-WGS84 format used by the IGN maps. For Suunto watches set your position format to ‘UTM’.
Signposts at Col de l’Oule (Walk 34)
CLARÉE VALLEY
Larch trees resplendent with autumn colours in the Clarée Valley (Walk 2)
WALK 1
Col de Dormillouse
| Start/finish | La Draye near Val-des-Prés (1400m, UTM 32T 316871 4980684) |
| Distance | 14km |
| Ascent/descent | 1100m |
| Grade | Hard |
| Time | 5hr 30min |
| Maximum altitude | 2445m |
| Map | IGN 3536OT Briançon (1:25,000) |
| Refreshments | None |
| Access | From Briançon take the N94 towards Montgenèvre. After a few kms take the D994 left (N) up the Clarée Valley towards Névache. N of Val-des-Prés, after the bridge at the hamlet of la Draye, there is a large car park on the left. |
A beautiful foray into the high alpine pastures of the Clarée Valley, where sheep have grazed for centuries. The walk climbs through pristine forest to a classic hanging valley before reaching the lovely Col de Dormillouse, where the views are spectacular. Route finding can be tricky for the first hour as there are a number of interconnecting paths. At the time of writing, recent landslides in the Ravin de la Lauze have buried some small sections of path and a little scrambling over rocks was required to locate the path again. Helpfully, a few cairns had been placed to assist with navigation in these areas. Care should be taken approaching the Ravin des Fournéous as the path is a little unstable in places.
The descent passes historical alpine farmers’ huts and cabins. These huts provide a fascinating insight into the conditions endured by the shepherds of times gone by, whose pastures were made famous by Emilie Carles’ autobiography, A Wild Herb Soup (1977), describing the plight of local farming communities in the 19th and early 20th centuries (see box below).
From the NE side of the car park, follow the signposts to ‘Grotte de Cinquante Anes’ and ‘Dormillouse’. Cross the road and follow a track on the other side, heading E towards a yellow signpost. At the signpost turn left (‘Grotte de Cinquante Anes’) and follow a small path to the N which runs parallel to the road. After 10min, the path meets a faint track – turn right. There are some yellow waymarks to guide you.
Eventually, the path starts to head away from the road – continue N to arrive at the Ravin de la Pinatelle (35min). Cross the ravine in a NE direction and continue on a path on the other side. Shortly after the ravine, at a track, turn right, uphill (E). Where the track bears back around to the N, ignore a faint track on the right. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on the left and continue to climb up the track.
When the track