From the Ambel Farm to Bouvante le Haut

(S/E) From the Ambel Farm, head south and join the^GR®93by descending the meadow on the right. Turn left. Daffodils and a beautiful, pleasant carpet of short grass welcome you on spring days.

(1) Continue along the^GR® 93 (red and white markings) towards the Refuge de Tubanet. You will pass through three closed gates designed to keep livestock within the enclosure. Please ensure you leave them closed after passing through.

(2) After the second gate, the^GR® markings are no longer visible. Follow the edge of the forest as you head up towards the Montagne d’Ambel. From there, you’ll have a superb view of the lower slopes of the Montagne d’Ambel and the start of the Combe de l’Aubasse.

(3) You arrive at the third gate, which leads onto a path heading into the forest. Turn left. You climb up to the forest road leading to the Tubanet refuge.

(4) Turn right to reach a crossroads. The road makes a hairpin bend to the left. Ignore the^GR®93opposite, and a track heading south which leads onto the Plateau d’Ambel towards the Tête de la Dame.
Follow the forest road to the left. The road winds gently through the Ambel Forest. Pass a barrier prohibiting motor vehicles from using the track. Continue straight on.

(5) At the fork at the Carrefour du Bout de Malatra, where a sign indicates the name of the forest, turn left to reach the Clairière de Malatra and see the rather unusual fountain.

(6) At the fork, turn right onto a wide path, though it is somewhat overgrown with vegetation and low-hanging branches. It climbs through the undergrowth to rejoin the forest road you left earlier. Continue straight on to the Carrefour de la Carrière.

(7) Continue along the road on the right, which runs alongside the Serre de Montué on your left, to reach the Col de la Rama.

(8) Take the path on the left marked in red and yellow (the central regional trail marked "Grande Randonnée de Pays" =^GRP®), which descends quite steeply towards the Col de Rioupeysson.
From this point onwards, the descent is quite steep and somewhat difficult. From the Col de la Rama until you reach a forest track, the ground is unstable. The markings lead to the D199.

(9) Turn right onto the road and shortly afterwards, turn left onto the Route du Pionnier.

(10) At the first right-hand bend, leave the road and follow the signposted^GRP® path down to the left.
Once at the Col de Rioupeysson Malatra, a superb view opens up before you, with the village of Bouvante le Haut below, which you will be heading for. A somewhat belated warning of the difficulty of this path is provided by a clear sign.

(11) A fairly technical descent then begins, sometimes along the mountainside, sometimes through the undergrowth, crossing in turn meadows and stony valleys with a steep gradient (600m elevation gain over 2km) that makes you want to take a break. Cross wide towpaths and a forest road, following the^GRP® markings to the Many farm.

(12) Cross a stream via a wooden plank that allows you to wade across, and follow the tarmac road to the right.

(13) Once at the junction with the D131, turn left to reach Bouvante le Haut (E).
From the tarmac road, you will be able to see, high up on your left, the two passes you crossed during this hike.

Arrange for a vehicle in Bouvante-le-Haut to return to the starting point.
Not recommended for horse riders or mountain bikers and can become dangerous in wet weather (scree, rocks, grassy areas and leafy undergrowth becoming slippery).
Not suitable for young children (narrow path, sometimes along a cliff edge).
Access to the Ambel plateau and forest is prohibited every year from 15 September to 15 October during the deer rutting season (also known as the rut).
Water supply: Ambel Farm at the start and the Malatra fountain.

La Tête de la Dame.
La Pierre de l'Ours, on the^GR®93near the Tubanet refuge.
Wildlife: livestock (cows and sheep) as well as sheepdogs. Stags, does and fawns, wolves, wild boar, roe deer, snowshoe hares...
Malatra fountain. Flanked by a very long basin, it still flows sufficiently to fill water bottles. However, this will be the last water source until Bouvante le Haut. Picnic tables provide a pleasant spot for a break.