Col de Marinet from Maljasset

de fr

On the agenda: flowers, marmots, mountain lakes (those of Marinet), waterfalls, streams and rivers, snow and two passes (Marinet and Mary). There are some beautiful patches of snow on the trail leading from the last Marinet lake and the nearby bivouac to the Marinet pass (2,800 m) and then to the Mary pass. There are views of Italy from the trail between the two passes. There are quite a few marmots in the Mary valley, which can be seen in the early morning and late afternoon.

Details

n°28338
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.60 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,009 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,005 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 9,183 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,247 ft
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Photos

spring flowers
towards the refuge
Marinet bivouac interior view
Marinet bivouac interior view

Description of the walk

To reach the starting point, head towards Saint-Paul-sur-Ubaye via the D906 to join the D25.
Follow this small road to Maljasset. There is a compulsory (free) car park there.

(S/E) From the car park, head back down and turn left (east). Walk through the hamlet of Maljasset and turn right towards the church at Maurin.

(1) Just past the church (at the signpost with the map), take the path that descends to the right towards the bridge and the river. Cross over and follow theGRP®® trail (marked in red and yellow). The track climbs steeply towards the Mary valley, passing through a wood and then winding its way up.

(2) At the top, continue southwards with the Torrent de Mary valley below on your right. Pass the Bergerie Inférieure de Mary.

:3:: Continue along theGRP®® to easily reach the junction of the twoGRP®® trails at the Upper Mary Sheepfold.

(4) At the sign for the Marinet Lakes, turn right onto the path leading up to the lakes. Navigate a few switchbacks through the scree before passing between the two lakes. Reach the Marinet refuge-bivouac.

(5) Stay on the GRp, pass the southern tip of the large Lake Marinet, veer right and continue to the Col de Marinet.

(6) Take the path branching off to the left (east) towards the Col de Mary. Reach this pass.

(7) Return to theGRP®® on the left and continue the descent. Enter the Vallon de Mary heading towards the Vallon de Mary. Pass the Bergerie Supérieure de Mary then return to the junction of the circular route.

(4) Follow the route taken on the way out to return to the Maljasset car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 6,250 ft - Free car park at Maljasset - Refuge de Maljasset
  2. 1 : mi 0.47 - alt. 6,289 ft - Maurin Church
  3. 2 : mi 1.45 - alt. 6,709 ft - Top of the hairpin bends
  4. 3 : mi 2.53 - alt. 7,431 ft - Bergerie Inférieure de Mary
  5. 4 : mi 3.23 - alt. 7,779 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop, signpost
  6. 5 : mi 4.26 - alt. 8,392 ft - Bivouac du Marinet
  7. 6 : mi 5.25 - alt. 9,127 ft - Col de Marinet
  8. 7 : mi 5.87 - alt. 8,668 ft - Col de Mary
  9. S/E : mi 10.6 - alt. 6,247 ft - Free car park at Maljasset

Notes

The hike does not present any technical difficulties, but patches of snow, if present, make it quite challenging.
As with all mountain hikes, it is best to take:
- water and food.
- protection from the sun, as well as from the cold, wind and rain (the weather can change quickly).
The section between the Bergerie supérieure de Mary and the passes requires good walking boots.
At the Marinet lakes there is an unmanned refuge, the Marinet bivouac, for those wishing to camp.
The Mary valley also has its own refuge: the Upper Mary Sheepfold.

Worth a visit

The Pont du Châtelet is worth a look on the road leading to the car park at the start of the hike.
For hikers wishing to explore the long Maljasset valley, through which the Ubaye and its tributaries flow, there are two lodges in Maljasset:
La Cure
CAF Lodge

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 12 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
saacha007
saacha007

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

9 August, very busy until the lake, then it thinned out until it was very quiet between Col de Mary and the return trip.
One of the most beautiful hikes I've done so far.
It's long but wonderful.

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Marie-Colette
Marie-Colette
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2025
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 varied landscapes, rocky terrain between the passes, lots of flowers on the way up and down, and two beautiful lakes. The view between the passes is impressive! Despite a hailstorm after the Mary Pass, it was a wonderful day.

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cathy asoa
cathy asoa

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We had to give up because of heavy torrents and still a lot of snow and rain. The climb to the refuge was full of flowers. Beautiful panoramas. To be done again with more favourable weather

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olivier aix
olivier aix

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2023
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, easy route (just follow the GRP), beautiful lakes, magnificent surroundings and marmots galore! As for timing, I completed the route in about 6 hours, taking photos regularly, so without pushing myself too hard.

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Roubaud Eliane
Roubaud Eliane

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, but be aware that the lakes are never signposted. There are signs for Col de Mary and Col de Marinet, but never for the lakes, which is a shame.
at the sheepfold, turn right towards Col de Marinet; it's the shortest and most direct route.
Col du Marinet is not really worth seeing. The lakes are superb.

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céline1806
céline1806

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, two completely different lakes, magnificent.

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patembrun
patembrun

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely hike to see the progress of the renovation work at the Bivouac du Marinet, carried out by volunteers from the valley. Well, it's coming along nicely: it's watertight and we can say it's airtight, and the lower sides are in place for sleeping. It's not exactly luxurious, but it'll do for now. Of course, the work isn't finished yet.
Otherwise, as we approach the Col du Marinet (around 2,700 metres), we're walking in snow (10 cm)!

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Gazoulette
Gazoulette

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent route that was easy to follow thanks to the detailed description. It should be noted that to see the lower Mary sheepfold, you really have to turn your head as it is set back quite a way from the path. The colours along this route, at least at this time of year, are extraordinary, and the marmots are not shy at all – it's like watching a ballet! In short, pure bliss!

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jonathan04400
jonathan04400

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike, magnificent scenery, just watch out for the small patch of snow.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

I rounded off this beautiful route with a visit to the Roure lakes. In the video, I describe the route to these lakes. The route includes some off-trail sections and certain passages where you need to watch your step.

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mfm73
mfm73

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike for us in the opposite direction, first the Mary Pass, then the Marinet Pass, under sleet that day and a little fog, very changeable weather (but still very good visibility).
We saw chamois on the way down from the Marinet Pass to the large Marinet Lake, which offers superb views! There were marmots everywhere, of course. We had never seen so many marmots as we did during that week in Ubaye. They are more shy in Savoie!
It's a shame we didn't know about Guillaume's option with the wide needle as well, but that will be for another time!

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guillllaume
guillllaume

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Another magnificent hike in the Ubaye valley that is not to be missed if you are in the area!

We've added a little extra that's definitely worth it: the climb up Aiguille Large. When you reach the first Marinet lake, turn right to climb the small hill (there's no obvious path, it's a bit steep, but it's safe). Once at the top, you should see a clearly marked path that climbs up the valley, going around the peak on the left. The path eventually disappears: just continue along the gently ascending valley (marmots guaranteed). Once you're almost at the pass at the end of the valley, you'll see a path on your right that climbs to the summit. These two sections of path are not marked on IGN maps but appear on OpenStreetMap Randonnée.

This adds about 3km and 300m of elevation gain (allow about 1h30 round trip), but the view is breathtaking: the glacier, the Marinet lakes, the Roure lakes, and peaks galore!

For those who don't want to do this extra, I suggest doing the circular in the other direction: once you reach the Marinet pass, you'll have a breathtaking view of the large Marinet lake all the way down!

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