Tête de Rame (or Tête des Chétives) via Lac de Labarre

The car park is on the right-hand side before you enter the hamlet of Valsenestre

(S/E) From the car park, head north towards the hamlet, walk through it, then just after the chapel, turn left onto the^GR®54B. The sign reads ‘4h00 Col de la Tomeïou’.
The path runs alongside the Béranger valley and climbs steeply very quickly, heading west.
It heads due north on the right into the Combe Guyon

(1) Ignore the small path branching off to the right and head slightly downhill towards the Fayolle stream
Cross it via a wooden footbridge; the path zigzags uphill through a mountain pasture and then continues along a ledge heading north.

(2) Continue climbing, leaving the shepherd’s hut (Cabane de Combe Guyon) on your left.
The^GR® route has been diverted from the route shown on the map to go round the sheep pen.
You’ll reach a small clearing and then arrive at the Ruisseau de la Fayolle.

(3) Walk along the left bank before quickly heading up to the right, skirting the Combe and finally reaching Lac Labarre.

(4) Head left along the switchbacks towards a small pass, then finally reach the Col de Romeïou.

(5) Descend back to the small pass, then take a path to the right, staying on a contour line to go round the hillock. There are no markings until the Tête de Rame, but simply follow the track that runs along the ridge to the summit.

(6) Head back down the same path, heading towards the lake. Follow the same route as on the way up to the vicinity of the shepherd’s hut near the footbridge.

(2) Below the sheepfold, leave the^GR® by turning right to follow the “Sentier de Martine” (1h 30min), skirting around the sheepfold. The path runs along a ridge with a beautiful view over the Combe Guyon and leads to another vantage point: the hamlet of Valsenestre, nestled in the upper Bérenger valley.
Continue southwards, crossing over to the other side of the valley along a grassy path, to begin the descent into the valley. Although not heavily used, the path is well maintained; there are no signposts, but they are not necessary.
Cross a beech forest, then a hazel grove where the descent becomes steeper. You’ll reach the upper Bérenger valley

(7) Cross the D117a road and follow it to the left for about 300 metres, until you reach the first bridge.

(8) Turn right onto a grassy, carriageable track.
Alternatively, you can take a shortcut by staying on the tarmac (a quiet little road) all the way to the car park.

(9) At a clearing, turn left onto the^{GR® path}, which crosses a forest to rejoin the road and reach the car park (S/E)

No water along the route

Grazing area (watch out for dogs)

You are hiking in the heart of the Écrins National Park.

The Écrins massif is an exceptional area, open to all, with a natural, cultural and scenic heritage of rare beauty. To protect these treasures, the heart of the park is marked by blue-white-red flags, and regulations must be observed within this area. Please familiarise yourself with these regulations when planning your hike to help preserve this shared heritage, at https://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr.

A tip: stop off at Le Gragnolet – there’s a bakery there, and their bread is excellent.
Bread and tartlets baked in a wood-fired oven, using natural sourdough, hand-kneaded, made with local and organic flour, etc.
In season: open Tuesday, Friday and Sunday from 10am.

Valsenestre is an ideal starting point for several hikes.

Our thanks to the staff at the Écrins National Park for maintaining the trails, including the less-frequented ones such as the Martine trail.

Extract from the Écrins National Park brochure:
In the 19th century, the hamlet of Valsenestre was home to around a hundred inhabitants. The main industry was livestock farming. In 1851, the opening of a marble quarry at the bottom of the valley, on the way up to the Col de la Muzelle, proved a boon for the village, which welcomed the quarry workers and benefited from the improved
to the road. Marble production ceased in 1905. Until 1926, the laughter and shouts of children could still be heard throughout the village: the school had around thirty pupils at that time!

Restored village:
Valsenestre is a beautifully restored, flower-filled hamlet now consisting mainly of holiday homes. The road is not cleared of snow in winter. The village, with a population of around a hundred, once had its own school (now converted into a stopover lodge), which remained open until 1936. It was completely buried
by an avalanche in the 19th century. The main industry
remained livestock farming, but the opening of a marble quarry in 1840 provided an additional source of income for the workers living in the village. The last permanent resident left Valsenestre in 1959.