The Tête de Barbalon

Access to the start: see important information in the ‘Practical Information’ section

(S/E) Follow the wide path for about 200 metres, heading north-west, to the first Fork in the road.

(1) Turn right onto the path that climbs through the fields to a crossroads at the edge of a wood. Ignore the path on the right heading south and follow the one on the left, which enters the forest known as the Fer à Cheval. You will soon come to another crossroads.

(2) Stay on the path on the right. Emerge onto the mountain pasture and head north up through open heathland to reach Rocher Roux, beneath which the Cabane du Pay is nestled.

(3) Using the few paths that wind their way between blueberry bushes, rhododendrons and junipers, head up the grassy ridge towards the north-east, in the direction of the clearly visible pass that stretches between Roche Frette and the Tête de Barbalon.
After a steady climb, you’ll reach this wide, unnamed pass at an altitude of 2,202 m.

(4) Turn right, heading south-east, and follow a track through the scree that climbs up the broad ridge. You should then look out for and head towards a cairn on the right, perched on a rocky spur.

(5) Head up to the left, heading east, along a short couloir leading to a sort of small pass, which you reach after a few switchbacks. You will then emerge onto the short final slope that leads easily to the summit of the Tête de Barbalon, marked by a cairn.

(6) Return via the same route to get back to the car park (S/E).

Access to the start from Grenoble: at the roundabout before La Mure, coming from Laffrey, head towards Nantes-en-Ratier, then cross the Col de Malissol and follow the signs for Lavaldens.
Please note: the road leading from Lavaldens to the hamlet of Le Pay (the starting point for this hike) has, since summer 2020, been subject to traffic restrictions and is now open only to local residents. This is to ensure the smooth flow of traffic (the road is very narrow) and to provide sufficient parking space (in Le Pay, there is parking for a maximum of 4 to 5 cars).
It is therefore recommended that you park your car in the car park in front of the Lavaldens community hall, very close to the church, and walk along the small road to the hamlet of Le Pay (3 km and an additional 411 m elevation gain).
For any information regarding traffic conditions on this road on the day of the walk, it is advisable to contact either Lavaldens Town Hall or the Alpe du Grand Serre Tourist Office.

The Pay shepherd’s hut can be reached without any particular difficulty via well-defined paths, marked from time to time by yellow lines (which are a little faded).
The rest of the route follows off-trail terrain with no markings, apart from a few intermittent paths and some cairns.
From the Pay hut to the pass, you’ll be walking across bushy slopes, and from the pass to the summit, over scree.
It is therefore advisable to undertake this hike only in clear, dry weather.

From the summit, you can enjoy a sweeping panorama of the surrounding mountains:
- to the north, the impressive south face of the Taillefer massif,
- to the south, the imposing Grand Armet massif, which partly obscures the Obiou massif,
- to the west, the gentler massifs of the Tabor and the Grand-Serre.
You can also enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Roizonne valley.