Lac Sainte-Anne and Tête de Girardin via the Col Girardin

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From La Barge, this walk offers a lovely climb up to the Col Girardin, with marmots and incredible views. A short descent allows you to enjoy a lunch break above Lac Sainte-Anne. Then a climb back up to the pass to reach the Tête de Girardin, which offers a magnificent panorama of both valleys.

Details

n°3743634
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.07 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,927 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,930 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 9,400 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,181 ft
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Photos

Photos
Marmotte
Start

Description of the walk

Park in a small lay-by on the side of the D25, near an electricity substation.

(S/E) Return to the transformer, where a sign on the right marks the start ofthe GR® trail leading to the Col Girardin. The path climbs very steeply through a forest, then opens out to offer a beautiful view of the valley. Continue to the Ravin des Séchoirs.

(1) Continue along the path towards Col Girardin, leaving the path leading down to Maljasset on your right. The path then takes you to a small, green plateau, at the far end of which you will find the Cabane de Girardin.

(2) Leave the hut on your left and resume your ascent, following theGR® markings. The path leads you onto a second plateau teeming with unafraid marmots, before continuing with a steep climb up to the Col Girardin.

(3) At the pass, take the path towards Ceillac, which descends towards Lac Sainte-Anne. Once you’ve completed the long descent, continue along the path, then leave it to reach, slightly to the left, a promontory overlooking the lake, offering a magnificent view of it. This is the ideal spot for a lunch break, sheltered from the wind. For the more adventurous, it’s possible to continue down the path to the lake for a quick dip.

(4) Return along the path in the opposite direction towards Col Girardin. Leave the main path just before you reach the pass by taking a small track on your left which cuts across towards the Tête de Favière and a small hut. On the ridge, the steep path offers magnificent views in both directions. Continue to the hut.

(5) From the hut, continue your ascent. An easy path leads you to the Tête de Girardin.

(6) You have reached the highest point of this walk. Once you’ve taken in the view, head back down the same way. After passing the hut, don’t head straight back down; carry on along the ridge until you reach a magnificent viewpoint overlooking Lac Sainte-Anne.

(7) After a stop at this viewpoint, head back to the hut.

(5) Find the path leading down towards the pass and turn right.

(3) Once you reach the pass, take the path down towards Maljasset and La Barge to reach the electricity substation and the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 6,191 ft - Car park alongside the D25
  2. 1 : mi 1.16 - alt. 7,812 ft - Ravin des Séchoirs
  3. 2 : mi 1.52 - alt. 8,087 ft - Girardin Hut
  4. 3 : mi 2.25 - alt. 8,852 ft - Col Girardin
  5. 4 : mi 3.08 - alt. 8,209 ft - Panorama - Lac Sainte-Anne
  6. 5 : mi 4.25 - alt. 9,364 ft - Cabin - Tête de Favière
  7. 6 : mi 4.62 - alt. 9,318 ft - Tête de Girardin
  8. 7 : mi 5.12 - alt. 9,341 ft - View of Lac Sainte-Anne from above
  9. S/E : mi 8.07 - alt. 6,194 ft - Car park alongside the D25

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.

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Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
rinaudo
rinaudo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Starting point: Maljasset instead of La Barge. The trail climbs very steeply until it joins the route described. On the way back, we took the GR and La Barge (route described), which was much easier going downhill, but involved a 15-minute walk along a road with very little traffic to get back to Maljasset.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It’s a brilliant idea to have chosen this route via Maljasset, a charming little village.
On this side of the mountain, the route to the summit is quicker.
I climbed it in 2014 from the Pied du Mélézet, near Ceillac.
I made a video, labelling the peaks, which shows the section of the route shared by both trails along the Girardin ridge.
At the far end, you can see the short, optional climb – which is slightly exposed – to the small summit bastion.

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Thierryb26
Thierryb26
• Edited:

To be more precise, the start of the hike is in the 04 department; the Col Girardin and the ridge leading up to the summit lie on the border between the 04 and 05 departments; and the lake is in the 05 department

Machine-translated

momo du05
momo du05

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Lake Saint Anne and the Girardin Pass are not in the 04 department, but in the Queyras region (05) in the Hautes-Alpes

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