Glacier Noir to the Balmes de François Blanc

Date of walk : Sep 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Beautiful hike – in fact, my husband, who is prone to vertigo, took the path on the right going up – the arrival point offers a magnificent view of Pelvoux, Coolidge, etc. – stony path – apart from the ridge, no particular difficulty

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Date of walk : Aug 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A magnificent hiking trail that is less frequented than the one leading to the white glacier. The ridge path in the second part should be tackled with caution, but there is another route below that allows you to avoid it. On the day of our hike, we were glad to have brought our fleece jackets with us.

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Date of walk : Aug 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Hike completed in mid-August in fairly hot weather. With two children aged 6 and 9.
The hike itself is not difficult. It is a technical hike rather than a physical one. You start with the crowd climbing up to the Glacier Blanc refuge before turning left, leaving 90% of the hikers behind. The climb is very steady and you can easily cover the 600m of elevation gain.
The view is magnificent on the last part, immersing you in a high mountain landscape.
It widens at the top, where you can stop for a picnic. There is also a small stream (at least when we were there) where you can fill your water bottle.
The only difficulty (often mentioned here) is the last third of the climb, as you are on a fairly narrow ridge that is relatively steep on the left. This is easy for adults who are used to mountain hiking. Our children managed it, but they are used to the mountains. Despite this, you need to take basic safety precautions.
However, there is an alternative route that we took on the way back: a path on the left (when descending) that avoids the exposed ridge.
In my opinion, this hike is just as remarkable as the one to the Refuge du Glacier Blanc, with the added advantage of being quiet.

A quick aside:
When I say that the hike is "easy", this is subjective. The hike may seem a little more demanding for some.
I say this because you see a lot of "tourists" at the start, in other words people who start the hike in the middle of the afternoon, with a bottle of water in their hand and wearing light shoes. This isn't a criticism, everyone has every right to enjoy the mountains, but many turn back at the first switchbacks when they see how steep the climb is.

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Date of walk : Jul 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

The car park at Madame Carle's field was free and five chamois appeared there early in the morning.
There were few people on the trail early in the morning, but on the way back, we encountered everyone who was heading up to the refuges!
There were few people on the ridge trail, which was indeed deteriorating. You had to stay focused. It was impossible to pass each other: you had to move over a little into the grass where a parallel trail sometimes formed.
But the view at the end is superb. Definitely worth doing!

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Date of walk : Jul 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The hike is very pleasant and not very busy

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Date of walk : Oct 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Caution, caution... Initially, the footbridge over the Black Glacier torrent was torn away during storms last June. As a result, you have to cross two branches of the torrent on a narrow plank, which may cause some people to give up. You need to have good balance, otherwise...
Higher up, the moraine is crumbling, leaving only a narrow path with a drop on the left as you climb... Again, those prone to vertigo may find it difficult to continue.
Otherwise, once you reach the top... It's beautiful!!!

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Date of walk : Jul 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Following the storms at the end of June 2024, the footbridge over the torrent has been replaced by a temporary footbridge and the start of the trail has been changed.
On the upper third of the ridge on the morraine, the trail is frequently narrowed with an impressive black glacier face. However, it is always possible to bypass these rockfalls by taking the slope on the mountain side.
At the top, the marmots are not at all shy, allowing you to observe them closely.

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Yes, of course, as with many mountain hikes, there are sections where you need to be careful and, above all, take it slowly.
However, the path along the ridge is almost horizontal, and to see what it's like, there's nothing better than watching the video, which you can find herehttps://youtu.be/ZkCX_SzoEXI?si=0tUe2vWc...
as I film all my routes before creating the guides.

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Date of walk : Aug 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Requires real caution

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Date of walk : Jul 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Hello
In my opinion, this hike is not suitable for everyone, it has to be said. We were a group of 25, and some sections of the ridges are really very narrow, with not even enough room to put both feet down, and with the drop below, this impressed many people. Three people turned back. I think there is a real risk of falling. The high number of visitors and erosion of this ridge are undoubtedly the cause of this risk.
Otherwise, you are sure to see a glacier, which is simply sublime and magnificent. Several chamois were frolicking happily on the glacier, but they were quite far away and you need binoculars to see them.
Thanks to the author for this hike
roger

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Date of walk : Sep 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

After the Glacier Blanc, here comes the Glacier Noir!
🎬 Discover this stunning sight here ✔️ https://youtu.be/KwYEkLsTybY

1. toutelafrance is going to be there 🥰

A gradual climb of 15 to 20% on the moraine :-o It's quite a climb!
Indeed, if you're afraid of heights, there's a lower path, but you'd have to be really scared to take it!
A surprising hike, even if the view stays pretty much the same (I went all the way to the end). There's a beautiful waterfall at the end.

⛰ 8.5 km 661 m elevation gain/loss
⚡️ Highlights of the hike:
- Chamois and marmots!
- Ecrins National Park
- Glacier Blanc and Glacier Noir
- Pré de Madame Carle
- Mont Pelvoux and Barre des Ecrins

🌍 All my HD and 4K hikes 🎬 ALL OF FRANCE 💥 #toutelafrance
https://www.youtube.com/c/JeuxVoyagesIns...
🚀 To be continued...
🔔️ Subscribe #followme: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzC7NNb...

1. hike #let'shike

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Date of walk : Jul 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A fairly easy circuit, the supposedly vertiginous passages are not difficult but may impress those prone to vertigo.
Breathtaking views of some of the most beautiful peaks in the Écrins National Park in an impressive cirque

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Date of walk : Aug 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

This hike complements the White Glacier hike and is a little less crowded. It offers beautiful views that you don't get when hiking the White Glacier. The trail is easier than the White Glacier trail (much less difficult on the legs) but more dangerous because of the drop.
(The drop is comparable to that on the crevasse trail that starts at the Col du Lautaret). You can avoid many of the tricky sections by taking small detours close to the ridge. In some places, there is even a path below on the right as you climb, which avoids the ridge (not shown on the IGN map). I didn't see if this path is present throughout the entire climb. Along this parallel path, there is a very basic monument dedicated to the memory of a mountaineer. There are also some very basic shelters made of stones piled up on the edge of a rocky overhang.

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Date of walk : Jun 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Busy trail : No

Trail on moraine that is more than degraded and of limited visual interest
The trail is so limited that there is a sign advising against using it in bad weather after about 20 minutes of walking

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Date of walk : Jun 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A beautiful walk along the ridge of the Black Glacier moraine, bringing you close to the high mountains without having to walk on a glacier. However, the path is narrow and eroded in places, so you may need to cut down to lower ground.
This walk is not recommended for those who suffer from vertigo

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