The Brèche de Charance from Rabou

On the D994 road between Gap and Veynes, head towards Rabou via the D503. Before reaching the village of Rabou, take the road on the right towards La Chau.
Park at the start of the dirt track (only two or three spaces available), or else in the hamlet.

(S/E) Take the Route Forestière de Tavanet, which climbs gently north-east.

(1) Stay on the wide forest track straight ahead, and ignore the paths branching off to the left and then to the right. Pass a hairpin bend on the right.

(2) Immediately afterwards, ignore the track leading uphill to the left and continue straight ahead to the next hairpin bend.

(3) Go through the gate and follow the Route Forestière de l’Avalanche straight ahead. Cross the Torrent de la Combe, then ignore the path that crosses the track. Join another track.

(4) Turn left at the hairpin bend to climb up the Route Forestière de la Brèche (track D53). At the end of the track, continue along the path to the nearby Brèche de Charance.

(5) Turn left along the ridge, heading towards the Col de Guizière (Tour de l’Odysée). Pass a telecoms mast, then the highest point of the route, Côte Plaine (elevation 1735), and descend the ridge, heading north-east, until you reach the Col de Guizière.

(6) Then take the path on the left, heading north-west, to descend towards the Bois de Tavanet. After a good ten metres, ignore the path on the left and continue straight ahead.

(7) At the junction, ignore the path leading down to the right, carry on straight ahead and head into the forest.

(8) At the junction, ignore the path leading down to the right and continue by keeping to the left. Around the 1548 mark, you’ll reach a flat area with picnic tables and cattle grids, which you’ll need to cross. The path then becomes the Tavanet Forest Road. Follow it to the second hairpin bend (1449 mark).

(9) Ignore the path leading down to the right and continue along the track to the next hairpin bend, which you have already passed on the way up.

(3) Continue to the right, in the opposite direction, down the Tavanet Forest Road, until you reach (S/E).

There are no water sources along the route, but there is a fountain in the village of Rabou.
Picnic tables in the Bois de Tavanet.

You can avoid the ridge walk between points (5) and (6) by taking the small path heading north, which goes round Côte Plaine on the left and also leads to the Col de Guizière.

Shorter alternatives
- It is possible to shorten the route by driving up the Route Forestière de Tavanet for 2 km along a somewhat rough stretch, parking just after the hairpin bend at point (3), near the barrier blocking the Route Forestière de l’Avalanche (elevation gain 350 m, total time 3 hours 30 minutes).
- Starting from the waypoint (3) to the Brèche (5), then take the grassy valley via a small path heading north-west, which runs alongside the Torrent de la Combe (elevation gain 290 m, total time 2 hours 30 minutes).

A longer variant from La Brèche (5): you can make a round trip to the Pic de Charance by taking the path on the right (yellow markings), heading west.

The Charance ridges offer a beautiful panorama over Gap towards Céüse, the Dévoluy, the Pic de Gleize, the Vieux Chaillol, the Ubaye and the Montagne de la Blanche...