The circular of the Praroussin

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A lovely viewpoint over Mount Viso, the Italian peaks and the Queyras, with the return journey made all the more enjoyable by an easy descent along a very beautiful ridge.
As navigation is not straightforward, I recommend supplementing the route description with the Visorando app.

Details

n°866988
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.10 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,196 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,186 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,730 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5,564 ft
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Photos

The Praroussin ridge
The Praroussin ridge
Descending the ridge
Summit of Praroussin

Description of the walk

From Abriès, take the D947 towards Ristolas. Drive past the village and continue on to L’Échalp.
Park in the car park on the right-hand side of the road as you leave the hamlet.

(S/E) From the car park, head up the road towards the hamlet.
After passing the fountain and at the foot of the church, turn 90° to the right to join theGR®® de Pays du Tour du Pain de Sucre, marked in red and yellow, towards Col Lacroix.
The path winds its way up a few bends before entering a larch forest.
(Caution: do not leave the main path. Small tracks not shown on the IGN map cross theGR®®.)
You’ll reach a small clearing just before the foot of the Crête de Praroussin.

(1) Continue left on theGRP®®, and after a steep climb, cross along the hillside through the rhododendron thickets on the left bank of the Combe Morelle. You’ll reach the ruins of the Refuge Napoléon, visible on the left.
Carry on until, at the end of the valley, you turn left, then head north-east towards the Col Lacroix.

(2) Pass the Cabane des Douaniers, then head up to the right along the cairn-marked path to the south-east.
Descend a few metres to the foot of the rocky spur leading down from the summit (see video), then cut across, ascending southwards beneath Pic Lacroix towards the ridge.
On the higher ground, join a cairn-marked path to reach the ridge quickly.

(3) Follow the ridge line west-south-west, then traverse the slope to the right until you join the Crête de Praroussin path.
Follow this path to the left for a few metres until you reach the summit, marked by a cairn.

(4) Take this path down the Crête de Praroussin to the north-west.
This path, which is very well marked with cairns, follows the undulating ridge line. It occasionally veers off to traverse the hillside beneath the schist outcrops.
When you reach a small pass marked by two cairns, leave the ridge and turn left.

(5) Head down, following the cairns, until you reach the edge of the forest.
Follow these cairns carefully, as they are sometimes hard to see; there is a risk of straying off the route.
Descend through the forest, veering slightly to the right, until you emerge near the sheepfold clearing.
Join the sheepfold path to the north, then follow it down to where it joins theGR®® de Pays.

(1) Follow the same route as on the way there back to the car park. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 5,564 ft - Car park - Gîte 7° Est
  2. 1 : mi 0.8 - alt. 6,601 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : mi 2.07 - alt. 7,546 ft - Col Lacroix (2299m)
  4. 3 : mi 2.79 - alt. 8,533 ft - Junction with the ridge line
  5. 4 : mi 2.9 - alt. 8,730 ft - Summit of - Praroussin (2675m)
  6. 5 : mi 3.59 - alt. 7,707 ft - Pass
  7. S/E : mi 5.1 - alt. 5,564 ft - Car park, near the - Guil (rivière)

Notes

I’d advise you to watch the video guide, which includes the names of the peaks and clearly shows the key waypoints.
What can I say about this route?
There are no technical difficulties or exposed sections. However, the off-trail ascent to the ridge from Col Lacroix, starting at the base of the rocky spur, is quite strenuous. You’ll need to zigzag your way up and take breaks. This is the most difficult section of the route.

The descent to the sheepfold isn’t signposted but it’s pleasant. It’s a descent that takes you quickly to the plateau by the sheepfold.

Navigation is tricky. Although it can be done with a map and compass, I recommend using GPS or a smartphone to save time, after downloading the map and the route track.

Following Yves Puget’s advice, I would point out that it is also possible, on the Italian side, from the Col Lacroix, to reach the ridge via a cairn-marked path. See the comment.

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Downloads
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Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 11 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Britanicus100
Britanicus100
• Edited:

Thank you for your feedback. It's good that you persevered.
Yes, GPS is really useful for this hike. I highly recommend using the Visorando app on your smartphone, which is very good.
After navigating for a long time with a map and compass, I switched to a GPS (Garmin 62S), which I later replaced with my iPhone.
I personally connected my iPhone to an external battery for autonomy, so that it always remains 100% charged. I also downloaded the Visorando app onto my wife's smartphone as a backup in case mine broke down.

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abeauville
abeauville
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This time I did the whole thing (see my review dated 13/07/21). Same comments for the section up to the summit. Plus: the descent along the ridge is superb. Don't be put off by the first few metres, which are a little steep; you'll soon find a well-marked path with no difficulties. However, the trail does get a little lost in the forest, so a GPS is very useful.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100

Thank you, FranckD, for posting beautiful photos on my guidebook.

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Franck D
Franck D
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent section on the ridge from (4) to (5). Thank you to the author for introducing us to this wild area.
As is often the case in this area, we played hide and seek with Mt Viso... la nebbia
With the app + GPS on your phone, it's easy to follow the trail, you just have to be careful from (5)
At this point, although it's not dangerous, the descent is steep... my knees will remember it.
Note that at the end of the descent, you arrive at an enclosure with a shepherd's hut: at (1). On the way up, it's a good idea to take a look in case there are sheep and, above all, sheepdogs, because on the way down you'll find yourself face to face with them.

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JP70
JP70

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The return route after the ridges is no longer marked
and descends directly into the forest. Without GPS, it is difficult to find your way back, and although the circular was advertised as 8.2 km, it is actually closer to 10 km. Otherwise, there is a beautiful view of Viso at the summit, with the climb after Col Lacroix being very accessible. A very nice alternative to the GR58.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100
• Edited:

Of course, it is not always possible to offer itineraries that are entirely on well-trodden
and well marked trails.
Part of the charm lies in these wilder routes, where the trails disappear in places among the grass or rocks. GPS navigation makes it easier to follow this type of route. The Visorando app on a smartphone connected to an external battery for autonomy
is perfect for this purpose.

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Pchretien
Pchretien

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant route to the Col de La Croix.
Luckily, I had downloaded the GPX track, otherwise it would have been really difficult to find the trail, which is virtually non-existent.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100

Thank you for this information. I will include this option of reaching the ridge more quickly on the Italian side in the practical information section.

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pouget yves
pouget yves

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful and wild hike. We didn't see anyone after Col Lacroix. We took the trail that starts behind the hut on the Italian side, which is well marked and cairned and leads to the ridge. You have to search a little on the descent into the forest as there are few cairns, but you'll get there if you don't stray too far from the ridge. Thank you for this hiking idea.

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abeauville
abeauville

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The climb to Col Lacroix is very classic and pleasant; the path along the ridge from Col Lacroix to Praroussin is spectacular with its rhododendrons in bloom (early July). Unfortunately, the fog began to roll in, and we only had a few minutes of visibility at Praroussin. So we decided to return to Col Lacroix and descend via the Monta trail, which is also very pretty.

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Claude-Meignen
Claude-Meignen
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We went on a hike in winds strong enough to knock chamois off their feet, which was a shame! The weather spoiled the show for us!
The climb between the Lacroix pass and Praroussin is a bit steep.
Sighted: ptarmigans, a black grouse, chamois and mouflons
The final descent was a nightmare, the trail had disappeared and was impossible to find. But we still managed to find our way back to the start!

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jalpin05
jalpin05

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike, but please note that after the Lacroix pass, to climb up to Praroussin, you must not descend down the ridge at the two distinctive cairns. Instead, climb back up a few metres to find a very good path that cuts across the ridge 50 metres higher and climbs up to the summit of Praroussin.

Jean

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dede53
dede53

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike, climbing in the shade during the tough part at the beginning. A detour to the "de plaine" refuge at the end of the descent makes for a pleasant break before continuing along the Guil.

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LISONLOUNA
LISONLOUNA
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello
A very beautiful hike!
GR markings up to the Lacroix pass
Cairn markings from point 2 to point 4, less obvious from point 4 to point 5;

From point 5 to the return to point 1, you have to look for the very few cairns, but a good sense of direction and the map are sufficient.
In terms of distance, I counted 10 km on the GPS, and almost 1,000 m of elevation gain.
We were unlucky with the weather as fog rolled in on the Italian side and we didn't get much sun.
Best regards

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gillesjeanpierre98
gillesjeanpierre98

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello
Excellent information about this superb, wild route. Except that on the descent, where you leave the ridges from the small pass marked by two small cairns, the path is very difficult to see and the cairns have collapsed (snow, rain?).
A compass is useful and you need to stay parallel to the Praroussin ridge, not straying to the left. You then rejoin the GR country trail used on the ascent.
Have a good day
J.Pierre GILLES

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