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)