From Restefond to Sestrière via Cime de la Plate and Col de la Braïssa

A very beautiful high-mountain hike at the foot of Cime de la Bonette between the Alpes Maritimes and Alpes de Haute Provence. Very little traffic. Magnificent, rocky landscape. The upper Braissette lake is a very beautiful spot for bivouacking.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.72 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 630 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,036 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,759 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,971 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Access is from the Tinée valley. Reach the hamlet of Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage, then continue along the road that climbs to the Col de la Moutière. At the pass, there is a small car park on the left and a little further on, another car park at the end of the paved road.

(S) From the second car park, take the path that descends southwards along the torrent and joins the Moutière track.

(1) Follow it to the left and cross the stream. Ignore a path on the right and continue on the track at the foot of the Barre du Planton.

(2) Shortly before a right-hand bend in the track, leave it and take a path on the left (south-west), still below the Barre du Planton. Climb up the hillside and note the military shelters built in the 1930s.

(3) At a fork, bear right onto the main path heading southwest.

(4) Ford a stream and head south. Then climb a steep slope via a series of switchbacks. Pass an unnamed hill (elevation 2532) on your right.

(5) Shortly afterwards, there are two options:
- If visibility is poor, or if you do not wish to go via the Cime de la Plate, stay on the path, climb southwards in zigzags and rejoin the main route at (9).
- If visibility is good and you wish to climb Cime de la Plate, as shown on the map, leave the path to the right and head north-west towards a clearly visible lake (the upper lake of the Lacs de la Braissette). Walk along the left-hand side of the lake.

(6) Shortly before the end of the lake, turn left (south-southwest). Then turn right (west) to climb off-trail up the grassy slope that leads to Baisse de la Plate (elevation 2638).

(7) Follow the grassy ridge to the left. Climb the gentle slope, first south then south-east. This will take you to the Cime de la Plate (2770 metres). Large cairn; magnificent panorama. Beware of the steep drop to the south.

(8) Descend steeply on the north side. Carefully and visually rejoin the previously abandoned path to the lake, which climbs to the Col de Cime Plate.

(9) Follow the path to the right, uphill, and quickly reach the Col de Cime Plate (altitude 2728m).

(10) Descend the south slope via a zigzagging path on a steep slope. Continue across (south-southeast) and reach an intersection just before the Col de la Braïssa (marker 59).

(11) Turn right (south-west) onto a faint path that climbs towards the pass.

(12) Pass an old military shelter and continue climbing to reach the Col de Sanguinière (elevation 2601).

(13) Descend via the same route to marker 59.

(11) Turn right and you will soon reach the Col de la Braïssa (altitude 2589).

(14) Continue descending eastwards and you will soon pass a makeshift shelter. Further down, head north-east and descend the Vallon de la Braisse, initially through rocky terrain, then forest.

(15) Leave the pretty Cabane de la Braisse on your left and continue downhill towards the north-east through the forest. The path winds through the undergrowth on what was probably once a scree slope covered by vegetation, hence the presence of numerous stones, so you need to watch your step.

(16) Cross a stream via a wooden bridge. Shortly afterwards (marker 57), join the access road to Sestrière and follow it to the left until you reach the car park at the Refuge de Sestrière (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 2,405 m - Parking - Col de la Moutière (2438m)
  2. 1 : km 0.21 - alt. 2,365 m - Track
  3. 2 : km 0.7 - alt. 2,318 m - Trail start
  4. 3 : km 2.05 - alt. 2,425 m - Fork
  5. 4 : km 2.77 - alt. 2,415 m - Crossing a stream
  6. 5 : km 3.72 - alt. 2,528 m - Fork
  7. 6 : km 4.17 - alt. 2,496 m - Lacs de la Braissette (Alpes de Haute-Provence)
  8. 7 : km 4.7 - alt. 2,631 m - Baisse de la Plate (2638 m)
  9. 8 : km 5.83 - alt. 2,744 m - Cime Plate (2770 m)
  10. 9 : km 5.99 - alt. 2,703 m - Fork
  11. 10 : km 6.11 - alt. 2,723 m - Col de Cime Plate (2728 m)
  12. 11 : km 7.98 - alt. 2,583 m - Marker 59 - Fork
  13. 12 : km 8.46 - alt. 2,559 m - Casemate du Col de Sanguinière
  14. 13 : km 8.72 - alt. 2,598 m - Marker 289 - Col de Sanguinière (2601 m)
  15. 14 : km 9.55 - alt. 2,598 m - Col de la Braïssa (2589 m)
  16. 15 : km 11.88 - alt. 2,175 m - Cabanne de la Braisse
  17. 16 : km 13.41 - alt. 1,981 m - Wooden bridge
  18. E : km 13.72 - alt. 1,999 m - Parking - Refuge de Sestrière

Notes

Very few cairns on the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence side. Yellow markings are clearly visible on the Alpes Maritimes side from the Col de la Braïssa.

High mountain route. Even if it does not present any particular technical difficulties, be sure to equip yourself accordingly .

Organising your return journey:
- The simplest option is to organise at least one vehicle at each of the two car parks (S) and (E).
- It is also possible to walk back up to the Col de la Moutière. Allow for a 400 m climb and an extra hour's walk. This option is not recommended asthe route is entirely on tarmac and offers no particular interest.

Warning:
The route between (5) and (9), via the Baisse de la Plate and the Cime de la Plate, is mostly off-trail. Good visibility is therefore required. In case of poor visibility (fog, in particular), stay on the trail to connect directly between points (5) and (9) and then reach the Col de Cime Plate (10).

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

The pretty village of Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage is a good place to stop for food and drink.

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The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.