Clot la Cime via the Col d'Izoard

A low-altitude hike offering a 360° panorama of Queyras, Cerces and Briançonnais. This well-ventilated high-altitude route is ideal in hot weather.

Details

282690
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.88 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 377 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 377 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,728 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,361 m

Photos

Description of the walk

From Briançon, take the D902 towards the Col d'Izoard. Drive up to the pass and park after the memorial on the car park on the left-hand side of the road.

The Col d'Izoard is located on the valley floor bordered on the left by the Pic Ouest de Cote Belle and on the right by the summit of Clot la Cime when coming from Cervières.

(S/E) From the car park, cross the pass road and climb above the old museum until you come to a wooden sign indicating the direction to follow.

(1) At the sign, turn left (the path on the right leads to an orientation table).
The path crosses the eastern side, then climbs steeply across the pastures on the south-eastern side to reach the secondary summit (a secondary peak on a route that is lower than the actual summit) by taking the path on the ridge a few metres to the right (elevation 2729).

(2) The secondary summit is marked by a cairn and an enclosure with a plaque commemorating the Alpine hunters.
Retrace your steps and continue along the ridge towards the west to its highest point, where there is a cairn.

(3) Continue to the end of the horizontal section for a good view of Pic de Beaudouis and Crête de Buguet.

(4) Return along the same route to the Izoard car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 2,362 m - Izoard car park - Col d'Izoard
  2. 1 : km 0.1 - alt. 2,367 m - Trail junction
  3. 2 : km 2.11 - alt. 2,723 m - Clot la Cime - Antécime Ouest (2732m)
  4. 3 : km 2.35 - alt. 2,727 m - Summit of Clot la Cime
  5. 4 : km 2.44 - alt. 2,716 m - End of the summit ridge
  6. S/E : km 4.88 - alt. 2,362 m - Izoard car park - Col d'Izoard

Notes

The traverse along the mountainside, although on a well-marked path, may be daunting for those prone to vertigo. The path is good, but it does cross a few steep sections.

(4) Do not be tempted to descend towards the Col des Ourdéis. We did this in July 2013, see the video. But we realised that it was dangerous.

Here is the link to this video with the names of the peaks, which shows the route and the atmosphere of the trail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ryHR8Ys...

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 2193251

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

For a magnificent 2,700-metre panoramic view overlooking the Col d'Izoard.

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cigalelc
cigalelc

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Well-marked trail but still exposed with steep slopes. I would also advise against this trail for people who are afraid of heights, children, and in wet weather. The first part climbs gently, then the slope becomes a little steeper towards the end. The summit, which is not particularly impressive, is mainly interesting for the view it offers.

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bb66
bb66

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Panoramic view of the valley, the brown rock peak and the Izoard Pass.
We were lucky enough to see vultures, along with dozens of marmots.
No difficulty except for those who fear the steep slopes bordering the trail.
We completed the route with the summit to the left of the lost pass and therefore opposite the closed peak.

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daubram05
daubram05

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Here is the same hike via the Col des Ourdeis. Confirmation that this hike should only be undertaken by experienced hikers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0d1ivSb...
And you will find landscapes from the filming of Belle and Sebastian 3.

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Régis H.
Régis H.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Magnificent 360° view from the summit!
Be careful on the exposed slopes when it rains.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100

By hiking often, you will find that you can overcome your fear of heights.

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Level william
Level william

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Indeed, during the ascent, people prone to vertigo feel queasy. On the descent, it gets better.

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Level william
Level william

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike to be completed. Beautiful panorama. If you are prone to vertigo, the climb is more impressive than the descent.

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patsyl01
patsyl01

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 04, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike along the mountainside above the deserted quarry. The views from the ridge are magnificent and are a wonderful reward after the climb.
Be careful on the section on the hillside above the deserted quarry, which is on a slightly slippery sloping path. We did it in good weather, so there were no problems, but this section is probably quite dangerous if the path is wet.

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Robert B2.
Robert B2.

It is my pleasure to revisit these magnificent places and all the memories associated with them, my friends in this valley, those to whom I introduced them, including my Chilean wife, who had never been to the mountains before and has wonderful memories, including a superb snowshoe hike to the Col de la Rousse, alone in the magnificent setting of Clapeyto in winter for five or six hours.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100

Thank you for your compliments, I appreciate it.

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Robert B2.
Robert B2.

Real professional work on the videos, filming, editing, super... Well done!

Is the descent via Les Ourdeis worse than the one at Rochebrune, which, in my opinion, is well exposed, hence your very wise use of helmets?

As for hiking, that's over! I live in Chile, and here, it's nothing like the easy access and hikes in Queyras, for all levels in summer and winter (snowshoes). It's long, very long, very high, a whole other dimension, and with age, I've given up and miss Queyras even more!
Only the bottom of the Cajon de Maipo (Monumental del Morado, Engirda, Valle de las Arenas, Valle del Rio Colina) offers nice walks accessible via Baños Morales.
Except that they are in the process of destroying the area for a colossal hydroelectric project (Google: Alto Maipo, No Alto Maipo). A disaster!
Around Santiago, it's barren, very crowded, with unpleasant paid access, sometimes even dangerous with assaults and thefts. Not my thing.
The rest: it's far away, accessible only by 4x4 and/or horse, takes several days, is exorbitantly priced... Too complicated.

Jean-Pierre

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100

Yes, a very experienced hiker who is used to hiking off-trail can climb via Les Ourdéis in dry weather. At 40, you're in great shape and you have to make the most of it. At 60, it's a little more difficult.
The Briançon CAF (Alpine Club) completed this circular via Les Ourdéis.

However, on the Visorando website, for safety reasons, I recommend the return trip via the normal route. It's easy to slip on a 35-40° slope, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for such an incident.

I edit with Apple's Final Cut and film with a Panasonic HCV700 camera.
Happy hiking!

Jean-Yves

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Robert B2.
Robert B2.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2006
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Are you sure that this side is in the municipality of Cervières?
You're going to make enemies in Arvieux!
OK, let's say that, coming from Briançon, the starting point is in Cervières.

Indeed, the trail, which is excellent but still narrow, has slopes that may discourage those who are sensitive to vertigo, especially on the descent in the area marked orange on your map.

Col des Ourdeis: I climbed up and down Clot la Cime via this route.
It's a bit steep between Ourdeis and the Clot la Cime ridge, but doable if you're not afraid of scree.

The ascent was from the Planet campsite, Les Ourdeis via a trail used by the Brunissard hunters, well hidden on the eastern side of the valley, Clot la Cime and descent straight down to the Planet.
The descent was a bit steep, but with the legs of 40-year-olds and young teenagers who couldn't be stopped... Only Mum had a bit of trouble!
Question: what equipment do you use to make your excellent videos?

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