Le Grand Armet

A wild hike around the Vaunoire waterfalls and along the exposed ridge leading to the Grand Armet (2,792m), a viewpoint offering a unique panorama of the Dévoluy, the entire eastern barrier of the Vercors, the Taillefer, Belledonne, Mont Blanc, the Grandes Rousses, and the whole of the Oisans.

Much of the route is off-trail and requires a (very) good sense of direction or the use of a GPS. The ridge, almost 2 km long, presents no technical difficulty but is exposed.

Details

1459248
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.25 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 8 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,594 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,588 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,789 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,218 m

Photos

Description of the walk

In Lavaldens, head towards Moulin Vieux and follow the road to the large car park at La Vaunoire.

(S/E) At the car park, follow the track (closed to traffic) for 150 m, which continues the road eastwards. A signpost (altitude 1222 m) points to the right (south) towards the footbridge crossing the Vaunoire, leading to the Combe Oursière hut. Follow this well-marked yellow trail.

Ignore a path coming from the right and continue left (south-east) towards the Combe Oursière hut (signpost).

(1) From the hut, the path becomes faint, overgrown with tall grass (as well as raspberry and blueberry bushes), but strategically placed cairns regularly help you find your way. Note that the valley is divided in the middle by a scarp and that the stream flows down to the left (east) of this ridge. The route involves climbing up the other half of the valley (the right-hand side – west) to go round the escarpment from above.
From the hut, therefore, climb for about 200 m south-southeast along the stream, then cross it due south to ascend the slope and the western part of the valley. On a flat area, follow the path which veers left (east) and passes over the central escarpment of the valley. The vegetation thins out and cairns help you follow the path, which heads generally eastwards over an old moraine covered in blueberry bushes, zigzagging over small rocky outcrops along the half-grass, half-rock ledges.

You will then reach a large cairn (see photo) on a flat area below the Col de Combe Oursière

(2) From the cairn, head towards the pass (the path is barely visible) over steep but easy terrain.

(3) From the pass, the route involves following the ridge which runs south at first, then turns south-southeast to reach the summit. This ridge is almost 2 km long but presents no climbing difficulties; at most, you may need to place your hands on the rock from time to time to steady yourself. The western side of the ridge is steeper than the eastern side, but the rock is also more solid there.

From the pass, therefore, follow the ridge southwards, never straying more than 5 to 6 m from it, to bypass the few obstacles either to the left or to the right (the steepest sections are easily crossed on the left – east – but it is entirely possible to remain on the ridge almost the entire way).

(4) Proceed in this way to the summit of La Grissonière (via the left – east – if you wish to take the easiest route).

(5) From the next “summit” (La Ligne), you can see the summit plateau. Stay on the ridge to reach the summit.

(6) From the summit, return to the pass via the same route taken on the way up.

Warning: the path between the pass (point 3) and the ford (point 8) is particularly easy to lose. Under no circumstances should you attempt to cross the torrents before the ford; numerous rocky outcrops, invisible from above, prevent any descent on this side of the valley.

(3) At the pass, look downwards to the south-southeast for a cairn that is difficult to spot. Head towards it, then follow the poorly marked path leading due east to descend the slope towards the first torrent beneath what remains of the Grand Glacier du Grand Armet. Reach the torrent, but under no circumstances cross it.

(7) At the stream, head due west then north-west along the slope (level ground), following a faint track where cairns are scarce. Look out for the next cairn at each one. Once you reach the base of the rocky outcrops, the route heads north before veering right (east) down slightly less steep slopes towards the bottom of the valley (with the Col de Plancol directly opposite, in your line of sight).

Follow the cairn-marked path, which winds in wide loops down towards the flat area at the IGN 1711m elevation. Occasionally, a yellow mark may give the impression that you are on a marked trail.

(8) Ford the Vaunoire at this point and follow a clearly visible path which climbs northwards towards the wide path descending from Plancol.

(9) Turn left (north-west) onto this easy path (yellow markings) and follow it downhill to the car park (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,218 m - Car park at the Vaunoire stream or - Roizonne (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 2.38 - alt. 1,737 m - Combe Oursière Hut
  3. 2 : km 4.21 - alt. 2,343 m - Cairn below the pass
  4. 3 : km 4.46 - alt. 2,445 m - Col de Combe Oursière (2446m)
  5. 4 : km 5.37 - alt. 2,726 m - La Grissonière
  6. 5 : km 5.58 - alt. 2,727 m - The Line
  7. 6 : km 6.25 - alt. 2,789 m - Le Grand Armet (2792m)
  8. 7 : km 9.02 - alt. 2,031 m - Western branch of the Vaunoire stream
  9. 8 : km 10.33 - alt. 1,712 m - Ford on the Vaunoire or - Roizonne (rivière)
  10. 9 : km 10.68 - alt. 1,714 m - Junction with the path from Plancol
  11. S/E : km 14.25 - alt. 1,219 m - Vaunoire car park

Notes

Difficulty:
The main difficulty lies in finding the route between the hut (1) and the cairn (2), and then on the descent, between the pass and the ford (8). The walk along the ridge poses no technical or navigational problems unless you suffer from vertigo.

Equipment:
At the start of the season, crampons and ice axes are useful for crossing the mixed-terrain ridge. However, current weather conditions mean this equipment is quickly rendered unnecessary (from mid-July onwards).

Water:
Between (1) and (7) there are no usable water sources.

Dogs:
This hike is not particularly suitable for dogs.

Worth a visit

Flora:
The Combe Oursière valley is particularly rich in blueberry and raspberry bushes, so late summer is the ideal time to enjoy them.

Fauna:
Setting off early in the morning gives you the chance to spot chamois whilst enjoying raspberries and blueberries.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
Slonantes
Slonantes
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Completed in good late-summer conditions in just over 9½ hours (including a break) and not covering the entire route; stopped halfway along the ridge (point 4) as I’d lost time earlier because it’s off-trail, even though the descriptions are helpful – it’s not easy to find the cairns when climbing. I think the estimated total time of 8 hours to complete this route is too optimistic, but that’s probably down to the person who created the route. I didn’t find crossing the ridge easy, nor did I find the right passages to make good progress; I saw a few cairns here and there, but wasn’t always certain I could move from one ledge to the next with confidence, given that the rocks in this area come loose easily. Best done in the direction suggested by the author. As for the descent, it was fine compared to the impressions given in previous comments, provided you follow the route properly.

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Fred GRUFFAZ
Fred GRUFFAZ

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thanks for the description of a route that’s not exactly easy to find but is really lovely, even if it is quite a challenge. It’s a great way to get off the beaten track and tackle a ridge without any technical difficulties.

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thomdul
thomdul

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent route, but definitely challenging. There are quite a few (easy) climbing sections where you need to use your hands, with a drop-off beneath your feet; there’s no proper path along the entire traverse, just a few cairns to guide your way and, above all, a good dose of common sense in the mountains.
But the reward is well worth the effort!!!! It’s truly superb!
We did it the other way round, starting from the Col d’Ornon and climbing via Plancol, with a bivouac on an unexpected flat spot on the ascent to the Col de la Combe Oursière, directly above the glacier (not very wise in hindsight, as we heard it cracking), somewhere between points 7 and 3, just on the other side of the torrent (so there’s water round there).
From this direction, the climb to the Col de la Combe Oursière is straightforward; the sections over the slabs are clear, with a few cairns to guide the way.
The round trip from the Col de la Combe Oursière to the summit took us 4 hours.
We didn’t like the descent from the pass to the hut nearly as much. A nightmare! The path is crumbling, it’s extremely steep with slippery sections.
Perhaps it’s better to do it the recommended way.

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Meow
Meow
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Despite the GPS track, it’s easy to get lost on the way to the hut. Even with the description, the path is so faint that you can easily stray off course. The ascent before the pass is dangerous. I agree with a previous review regarding the difficulty. (I did the Rochail route, which had a bit more elevation gain but was actually less physically demanding.) The descent from the pass can be done partly by scrambling straight down the scree slope. It saves a bit of energy. Thanks anyway: thanks for the track, I don’t think I could have managed without it. Although there are plenty of cairns, they aren’t always very visible.

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Charlie 38
Charlie 38

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A hike undertaken in strong winds and sunshine.

The path is fairly well marked up to the Col de Combe Oursière (2,446m); from there, you’ll need to stow your poles, as the ridge is very steep.
You need to have sure-footedness and not be afraid of heights. (Not recommended for the faint-hearted)
The ridge is quite a long way to cross between points 3 and 6, so you really need to take your time.

The view is sublime on both the Dévoluy and Écrins sides.

For the descent, you really must head down towards the pass; I strayed a little to the left, but never mind, nothing serious – just follow the stream all the way down.
Stunning views of the waterfalls at point 8 – a lovely spot to take a break too.

A very beautiful hike, but very difficult; I’d classify it as extremely difficult, as it reminded me a lot of the ‘Pic de la Belle Étoile’ – the ridge is quite similar...

Recommended for experienced hikers who aren’t afraid of heights.

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gbenouville
gbenouville

I did the walk without checking this route description; I hadn’t realised it already existed…

I didn’t go all the way up to the Grand Armet, as picking blueberries cut into the time I had left for the walk! But I did take a slight detour: from the point (7), you can easily reach the glacier by following the slope that climbs southwards at the foot of the cliff.

Also, I did the circular loop in the opposite direction and I think it’s probably easier in terms of navigation. Indeed, when you arrive at (9), you can clearly see the route to (7). And similarly, between (2) and (1), the view from above allows you to spot the path in advance.

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bouvierjr
bouvierjr ★

Thank you, Jean-Claude,

Is there anything I can do to improve the description of the hike or the reliability of the route (since you gave a rating suggesting there is still room for improvement)?

I hope you were able to do this walk on a sunny day and see what remains of the glacier glistening in the sun!

Happy hiking in the future!

- jr

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martinet jclaude
martinet jclaude

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a lovely walk with splendid views

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