From the Col de Gleize to the Col de Guizière, avoiding the Pic de la Greysinière

On the Route Napoléon N85, near the Gap Bayard golf course, take the small tourist road to the Col de Gleize, heading towards the Col de Gleize – Les Lunels (wooden sign). Park at the Col de Gleize car park (around 13 km north of Gap).

(S/E) From the car park, head due south towards the start of the trails and take the one branching off to the left. Go through the gate and continue straight ahead on the main path, heading south-east towards Les Serrigues. Do not take the path on the far left down towards the Plateau de Folletière, nor the ridge path on the right up towards the Pic de la Greysinière.
Stay on this forest track along the slope of the Montagne de Charance, ignoring the paths branching off to the right and left.
After about 1.5 km, you will reach a crossroads of paths located on a bend.

(1) Take the small path opposite, heading south-east, and leave the track. The path continues through the forest towards the Col de Côte Gelée and the Col de Guizière, until the Côte Gelée junction.

(2) Turn right onto the path climbing to the Col de Côte Gelée, heading south-west. The path winds its way up through the trees and then out into the open to reach the ridges at the Col de Côte Gelée.

(3) Turn left to follow the ridge, heading south. Climb to the Tête de Guizière (cairn).

(4) Continue and descend to the Col de Guizière.

(5) Turn right onto the descending path, heading north-west, towards the Bois de Tavanet and La Chau. After about ten metres, ignore a path branching off to the left and continue straight ahead. About 400 m further on, you’ll reach a small junction.

(6) Continue straight ahead, ignoring the path leading down to the right, and head into the wooded valley. The path becomes less visible as it is rarely used (old Green Circle markings, difficult to make out). Keep the bottom of the valley on your right and reach a junction with several directions.

(7) Take the forest track to the right, which winds sharply, then continue north-eastwards, approaching the Torrent de Tavanet.

(8) Continue straight ahead and cross the stream. Then follow the dual markings: orange circles and Yellow Rectangles (PR®).
Go round a small hill to the right, following a small valley, and reach a low point.

(9) Start a new climb on the left. Cross several small streams to go round a hillock to the west.

(10) Continue straight ahead on the most visible path, staying on the hillside, then turn right, heading south-east.

(11) Continue slightly to the left, heading east then north-east, until you reach a Y-shaped junction at the edge of the woods.

(12) Continue straight ahead and walk along the hillside through the forest until you reach the Col de Gleize signpost (S/E).

The Col de Gleize road is narrow (passing can be tricky at times) and closed in winter (snow).

No water source on the route (there is a source below the Col de Gleize, along the road, but it is not guaranteed). Picnic tables and a designated fire pit at the Col de Gleize.
Don’t forget your binoculars to admire the views!

Recommended period: May to October, depending on snow conditions (snowfields may persist late into the season in some places).

Variations:
- Shorter: at Col de Côte Gelée (3), take the descending path, heading west, to join the forest path at the point (12).
- Longer route: at the Col de Guizière (5), it is possible to extend the route along the ridge as a round trip to the Brèche de Charance (elevation gain 700 m, total time 5 hours) or even as far as the Pic de Charance.

The Crête de Charance between points (3) and (5) offers a sweeping panorama of Gap, Céüse, the Dévoluy with the Bure massif, the Pic de Gleize, the Écrins massif with the Vieux Chaillol, and further south the peaks of the Ubaye and the Montagne de la Blanche.

At the Col de Gleize (S/E), the view opens up even further to the high peaks of the Écrins.

The Montagne de Charance forms the north-western edge of the subalpine trough at the latitude of Gap. Its ridge extends towards La Guizière and then La Greysinière as far as the Pic de Gleize area. This landscape has been heavily shaped by Quaternary glacial erosion, followed by more recent gully erosion, explaining the presence of numerous gaps, passes and changes in slope that are clearly visible on the ground. The area corresponds to a historic passageway between the Gapençais, the Champsaur and the former territory of Chaudun, which explains the abundance of names for passes, ridges and valleys.

The Col de Gleize is a pass at an altitude of 1,691 metres, a former route between the Champsaur and Chaudun valleys. Its name derives from the Vivaro-Alpine Occitan word glèisa, which comes from the Latin ecclesia (church).

The Côte Gelée is a slope exposed to the cold, which remains snow-covered for long periods or is subject to frost.

The Guizière ridge marks a significant change in the orientation of the Charance ridge line and forms a defining feature of the Charance mountain range.