Perquelin - Aulp du Seuil

Date of your route : May 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello, The idea for the route is very good. For my part, I shortened this first stage to compensate for the lengthening of the second stage. Indeed, in stage 2, the "step of death" is strongly discouraged (several hikers have died there, the town and the PNR no longer communicate about this trail, and the signposts have been removed). Hikers who have done it told me that it was dangerous. So, I went around the Cirque de St Même, which adds a few hours to the second stage. As a result, for this first stage, I skipped the Dent de Crolles and took the Pas de Prayet. The markings are correct and the description in the guidebook is accurate. I also took the GR rather than the ridges because of concerns about crossing private property.

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Date of your route : May 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

No problems at the start, I reach point 1 without any issues, then I come across a group turning back, not daring to go any further. But in the end they set off again in front of me because they didn't dare walk along the cliff. We made relatively good progress, but they pulled ahead of me because I was carrying a heavy bag for the bivouac. At one point, if you don't see the rocks on the ground that 'block' the path, you end up facing a drop... In fact, you have to use your hands to scramble a little and climb up the cliff.
After that, the path is no longer too much of a problem, even if we sometimes lose the trail because of the winter that has passed through!
We rejoin the Grenoble hikers' motorway.
To take the Barrère path, make sure you take all the cables; the first path after the 'chimney' is not the right one. The Barrère path is well marked and really worth the trip!
On the snowy plateau... It's difficult to follow the ridge line... I get lost in the snow when I descend too low and finally find the path back to the chimney... which I don't dare cross with my heavy rucksack! I can't see how to get across and it's slippery. I go around in the snow to find the GR9 and, given the conditions, I'm going to follow it to the bivouac without trying to take any snow-covered paths as my feet are already soaked! Too bad.
There's still a lot of snow on the Aulp du Seuil plain... I follow various tracks in the snow, sometimes finding the GR again.
Finally, the closed sheepfold... I pitch my tent behind the woods. Where I spot another bivouac. In the end, in the morning, there are four tents scattered around!
Despite everything, it's a beautiful hike with a few scares, a mixture of following GPS technology and letting yourself be carried away by instinct. (The next day, I do the Lance de Mallissart Sud and the Dôme before returning via the yellow marked path that leads back to Perquelin because I don't dare to do the second part).

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Date of your route : Sep 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Let's start with the tricky part of this hike: the description.
We had to check our location on the map several times to make sure we were on the right track, but luckily the GPS was reliable.
We made a mistake and had to retrace our steps two or three times.

Nothing serious in our opinion, given that the route on the map was very good.

After the first cave, the climb is quite long. Continuing along the path, at the end, you come to a rough road. We almost turned back, as we couldn't see any accessible road. Fortunately, a local resident was coming down the cliff: he knew the way (we are still grateful to him today). So you have to turn left and climb directly up using your hands, and you come to the Glas hole, or at least a fairly well-known road, because although we were alone at the start of the hike, here it was like a motorway, much to our regret.

The second sensitive point of this hike: the crowds. As soon as you get back on the GR, it's really full of people: families, trail runners, walkers...

This did not detract from the magnificent landscape.

After a day of walking and climbing, we pitched our tent in the area indicated in the hike. We checked with the shepherd who was there first. He asked us to set up lower down to avoid disturbing the sheepdogs guarding the flock.

We were the only ones camping there, so I can't say whether the area is very busy now.

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Date of your route : May 25, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We left Perquelin following the guidebook, then climbed up through the Trou du Glaz and descended via the Pas de l'Oeille. The guidebook suggests that the Trou du Glaz is near the first waterfall, which is not the case. The GR trail passes 50 metres before it, but you have to look up to see it and climb a few metres using your hands. After that, it's great fun!..

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