Col des Cerises, starting from Boréon

de fr

A lovely summit hike, as you’ll be climbing over 1,000 metres. Initially sheltered by a forest, you’ll then move through a more alpine landscape before finishing with a pleasant climb over scree. You’ll pass by the little Lac de Cerise. On the way down, the easier going will surely allow you to spot the chamois and marmots you may have missed on the way up.

Details

n°3801397
Creation:
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Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.13 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,353 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,353 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,330 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4,977 ft
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Photos

French-Italian border
The forest gives way to rocky terrain
Chamois as companions
Col Cerise

Description of the walk

Park a few metres past the start of the Salèse road in the village of Boréon.

(S/E) Turn right onto theGR®52towards the Boréon stopover lodge and you’ll soon reach the junction marked with signpost 371.

(1) Leave theGR® here and take the path on the left. Make a wide turn to the right to reach the junction marked with signpost 373.

(2) Continue due north until you reach marker 374. Carry on uphill along the path on the right. Further on, you’ll come to Lac de Cerise.

(3) Continue the ascent until you reach the Col frontière de Cerise, where marker 376 is located.

(4) Begin the descent via the same route to return to the Boréon car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 4,977 ft - Boréon car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.23 - alt. 5,226 ft - Marker 371
  3. 2 : mi 0.78 - alt. 5,938 ft - Marker 373
  4. 3 : mi 1.99 - alt. 7,346 ft - Lac de Cerise
  5. 4 : mi 2.57 - alt. 8,330 ft - Col de Cerise
  6. S/E : mi 5.13 - alt. 4,977 ft - Boréon car park

Notes

The lake is not a reliable water source as it may be dry. You’ll come across a stream a good hour into the walk (small wooden bridge). Above the lake, along the path, you may find a spring that flows as a small waterfall.
No extra equipment is required, and there are no sections where you need to use your hands. However, it’s an uphill climb.

Worth a visit

Between (1) and (2) There are dairy farms near waymarks 371, 373 and 374; make sure you have a few euros to treat yourself to a well-deserved snack.

(4) Col de Cerise: a bit of history and geography. The Col de Cerise marks the border between France and Italy, where Jews once attempted to cross to escape fascist oppression. Buildings and plaques commemorate this history. The view is spectacular.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Olivier06
Olivier06

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A lovely walk with beautiful scenery all the way. The first two stages take you through woodland. Halfway through the second stage, you emerge into rocky terrain. I was lucky enough to do this walk on a weekday and was on my own right up to the pass, which gave me a wonderful sense of tranquillity. Plenty of chamois to keep me company. The view at the top is well worth the effort (it’s an uphill climb all the way). It’s not difficult at all – I’d definitely recommend it.

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rinaldopanozzo
rinaldopanozzo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An interesting route: red, short in distance but with a good elevation gain.

Machine-translated

Jc-antibes
Jc-antibes

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Despite the steep climb, this walk is a lovely one.

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