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The departure point is after Névache. Continue along the road (D301T) that branches off to the right at the entrance to the upper town. Go through the two hairpin bends and arrive at the flat section in a right-hand bend where there is a chapel. Pass the other chapel a little further on, then take the dirt track that branches off to the left on the descent. Park at the bottom of the car park.
(S). Set off along the small path (GR®57) heading west, cross the Rately bridge over the Clarée river, then continue to a Y-junction.
(1) Leave the path that branches off to the right and continue along the small path that turns left a few metres further on and begins to climb. Follow this path to the Chalets de Buffère, ignoring the start of the return path on the left just before them.
(2) Continue up the valley, heading south, along a well-marked path that joins a track at the Col de Buffère.
(3) Take the less well-marked path that branches off to the left towards the south-southeast. This path climbs up the mountainside and becomes clearly visible. It continues to climb up the north face of the Grand Aréa, winding its way up a series of climbs and flat sections, to reach almost the summit on a ridge on the left.
(4) Continue climbing to the right for a few metres, ignoring the path that descends to the right, and reach the summit (2869m).
(5) From the summit, descend to the start of the ridge that heads north-west.
(4) Leave the path taken on the way up and continue a few metres along the ridge, heading north-west. Turn right, heading north-east, down the path that starts with a few small hairpin bends and then descends below the north-west face of the Grand Aréa until you reach a small pass with grass.
(6) Continue to the right towards the east, along a clearly visible path that winds its way around the foot of the Cristol ridge to the bottom of the descent.
(7) Ignore the path on the right that continues to the bottom of the valley and take the path that climbs slightly up the hillside towards the south-southeast for about 200 metres until you reach another fork.
(8) Take the path uphill to the left, heading north, to the Col de la Porte de Cristol, ignoring the paths on the right, where you will join theGR®5C.
(9) Descend north-east to the next fork at the bottom of the slope.
(10) Leave theGR®5C, which continues to the right, and take the smaller path on the left, which joins Lac Rond on the right-hand side.
(11) Continue downhill to Lac de Cristol, which you can walk around on either side, and rejoin theGR®5C.
(12) Head north-northeast along the path that follows the small Cristol stream on the right bank. After entering the wooded area, continue to the next crossroads (Cristol footbridge) at point 2092.
(13) Leave theGR®5Cand turn left. Cross the Cristol stream via the footbridge and continue north-west, ignoring the path on the right immediately after the footbridge.
The trail begins with a short climb, then descends behind you, before continuing westwards along the side of the Côte Rouge mountain.
After crossing the Buffère stream, rejoin the trail you started on, below the Chalets de Buffère.
Turn right at the descent to return to the car park via the same route as on the way up (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
