Le Grand Charnier via the shortest route

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike, quite challenging towards the end... A few patches of snow in late July. Magnificent views. The return route involves numerous short climbs... I didn’t see a single hiker from the Col de Claran to the summit

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Date of your route : Sep 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike. Thanks for the guide.
It had snowed a few days earlier above 2100–2200 m... a scattered 2 cm of snow on the north-west face of the Grand Charnier ascent from point 7.
From point 8, where it does indeed become difficult (requiring you to ‘climb’ upwards), I had to turn back at 2,300 m because of the patches of ice that had formed exactly where you needed to place your hands and brace yourself to make progress; it was becoming quite dangerous and slippery.
I should point out, however, that someone ahead of me, who was perhaps better equipped and more experienced, clearly managed to get through… using his poles.
Return via the Petit Charnier from the Col du Gollet (as on the ‘Petit et Grand Charnier’ guidebook but in the opposite direction), difficult and steep once past the scree slope and then the pass, but without snow or ice it makes all the difference. The descent down the north-west face of the Petit Charnier is more gradual.
The Pierre du Carré refuge was open but unmanned. A water tap is available there.

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Date of your route : Jul 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike with our heads in the clouds (and yet, on the second day, the weather was glorious and clear!!) up to the Grand Charnier. We set off at around 2 pm from the Super Collet car park. Our aim: the Col de Claran and the Petit Charnier, before heading back down to the Claran Refuge for the night. No major difficulty finding the route; we left our rucksacks at the pass to climb the Petit Charnier before nightfall. The walking poles were of little use: you have to use your hands!!

We met a few cheerful souls on the Arête de l’Évêque; it’s always nice to come across other groups. Warning: sheepdogs on the horizon in this area!! We got to know the shepherds and their flock once we’d settled in at the Refuge de Claran. The dogs aren’t vicious and left us in peace.

Day two: we set off again from the refuge to the Col de Claran, then tackled the Grand Charnier. Up there, a few snowfields (enough to make a few snowballs… very refreshing) and a magnificent 360° view. Not a cloud in sight; we did, however, wave to the local paragliders!

I wouldn’t recommend this hike in foggy or rainy weather; some sections are steep. One regret… no wildlife, apart from a few jackdaws and a timid marmot whistle once we were up there!!

PS: there is a way to climb the ridge via an alternative path from the Super Collet car park. From there, take the path that runs alongside the ski lifts, straight ahead, then ignore the route that goes under the ski lifts and take a parallel path, much higher up, which leads directly onto a marked trail in the forest, which climbs up to the junction with the Arête de l’Eveque.

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Date of your route : Jun 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On the way there, we took the Bishop’s Ridge directly to rejoin the path at WPT 2.
It’s quite a difficult hike from WPT 6, but not dangerous.

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