Col de la Rousse and Pic de Charance from the Grande Cabane

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A very varied hike. Larch woods, a circular path with views over the Embrunais region, Lake Serre-Ponçon; the Bragousse cirque and its Demoiselles, not forgetting the Col de la Rousse and its mountain pastures, and the Pic de Charance with its view of the Morgon cirque.
An alternative to the very busy ascent of the Grand Morgon. Here you may spot marmots and chamois (for the keen-eyed).

Details

n°760693
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.99 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,743 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,743 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 7,579 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5,279 ft
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Photos

Sheepfolds seen from the Col de la Rousse
Demoiselle non coiffée
Red rock
The Cirque de Bragousse

Description of the walk

To return to the starting point, continue along the D90 road up from Crots where it becomes stony for about 3km to the Grande Cabane, at the bridge over the Infernet.

(S/E) Take the path on the left. About 50 metres further on, let a path branch off to the left and continue to the right. Pass a hairpin bend and carry on straight ahead to the “Col de la Rousse” sign, about 2 km after the start.

(1) Take the path on the right (south), which winds through a series of tight bends (raspberry bushes) and then climbs steeply to reach the junction with the Chemin de Ceinture.

(2) Turn right (west) and follow this path to the Col de la Rousse.

(3) Take the path on the right, which winds its way up to the Pic de Charance.

(4) Follow the same route back to the starting point (out and back).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 5,279 ft - Grande Cabane, bridge over the Infernet
  2. 1 : mi 1.13 - alt. 5,951 ft - Head towards Col de la Rousse on the right
  3. 2 : mi 1.7 - alt. 6,680 ft - Ceinture path on the right
  4. 3 : mi 3.01 - alt. 7,037 ft - Col de la Rousse
  5. 4 : mi 4 - alt. 7,572 ft - Pic de Charance (Massif du Parpaillon)
  6. S/E : mi 7.99 - alt. 5,279 ft - Large hut, bridge over the Infernet

Notes

There is a drinking trough after the Cirque de Bragousse. However, the water flowing from the pipe is sometimes very weak.
Caution: herd of cows below and sheep with Patou dogs at the Col de la Rousse. If you have a dog, keep it on a lead.
Take your binoculars: at the Pic de Charance, when looking towards the Carattes (the cliffs on the left, south-east side), there are very often chamois under the few trees. Watch them from the peak, but do not disturb them.

Worth a visit

Throughout the hike, the landscape changes constantly.
On the way, you’ll pass through the Cirque de Bragousse. One can imagine that the torrent carving through these rocks can become colossal and can carry up to “400,000 tonnes of scree and mud per hour during periods of very heavy flooding”, if one is to believe the interesting document *The Bragousse-Boscodon Torrent System *. One can see impressive spires (without their ‘caps’) which less poetic geologists call dolomitic pinnacles.
We pass through scree slopes with a striking red rock that must feel rather lonely.

The Col de la Rousse was a much-used crossing point on the way to Ubaye, so much so that during the Wars of Religion, the King’s troops were stationed there to arrest heretical pastors and Protestants.
At the Pic de Charance, there is a beautiful view of the Morgon cirque and its various rock colours (including reds).

If you look carefully, facing due west at the scree slopes with their few trees on the northern slope of the pass (below the Tête de la Vieille), you’ll spot chamois settling into their summer quarters, undisturbed by the tourists hiking the Morgon.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 7 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
daubram05
daubram05
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

As enjoyable as ever.
See here
https://youtu.be/77lXfiASkW8?feature=sha...

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LAVALL Louisette
LAVALL Louisette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike with no other hikers, only one couple encountered.

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dom tuo
dom tuo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent and very varied hike: climb through the forest, scree passages, cirques and magnificent 360° views at the top.
Highly recommended.

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jeanmariedegap
jeanmariedegap

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with few people on a Sunday. We encountered seven people along the way and no one at the summit of Pic de Charance, compared to the summit of Morgon, where there were about twenty people!
In addition, the hike provided excellent information on the Bragousse-Boscodon torrential system and historical data in the hike description.
Beautiful views of
We recommend it!

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PatrickB7
PatrickB7

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, first through the forest and then across some interesting scree slopes with a variety of rock types. Very beautiful scenery. You can see chamois and vultures...

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Odette84240
Odette84240

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful view at the summit. The climb is never very steep, with many sections through the forest.
We were lucky enough to meet a very friendly shepherd who lives on this estate with his own sheepfold and flock. He explained to us that many shepherds are seasonal workers, which sometimes causes problems with the Patou dogs, as they are not their real owners. Our conversation was very constructive and really added something extra to this hike. We were also lucky enough to see his two border collies at work, which was impressive!

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JACMAN
JACMAN

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very nice hike, I recommend it!

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