Le Grand Colon

de fr

A fairly short hike starting from the Baraque des Carriers car park, but very interesting and moderately difficult, with a beautiful view from the summit. A lovely moment shared at the summit with a ibex.

Details

n°34736505
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.67 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 965 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 965 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,387 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,448 m
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Description of the walk

Head to the Baraque des Carriers car park: please note, the access is uneven and caution is required.

(S/E) Head towards the hut and walk on for about 150 m.

(1) Take the path on the left which winds its way up through the forest and then across alpine meadows. Reach the Baraque du Colon.

(2) Continue south through the mountain pasture.

(3) Ignore a path branching off to the right, keep left and continue to Bitou (elevation 1952 m).

(4) Turn left and continue the climb to reach a large cairn.

(5) Continue climbing without leaving the path, which is clearly marked with stones in some bends. Reach the summit of the Grand Colon.

(6) The return journey follows the same route as the outward journey back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,448 m - Baraque des Carriers car park
  2. 1 : km 0.15 - alt. 1,459 m - A/R junction
  3. 2 : km 1.79 - alt. 1,745 m - Colon Hut
  4. 3 : km 2.26 - alt. 1,831 m - A/R junction
  5. 4 : km 2.62 - alt. 1,937 m - Bitou
  6. 5 : km 3.28 - alt. 2,120 m - Cairn
  7. 6 : km 4.34 - alt. 2,387 m - Le Grand Colon
  8. S/E : km 8.67 - alt. 1,448 m - Baraque des Carriers car park

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Mehdi Rando
Mehdi Rando
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed on 17 November, with snow and black ice on some sections.
The real highlight of the route is the magnificent view from the summit, with six lakes and the peaks and crosses of Belledonne.
We set off from the first car park (lower down) rather than the one suggested here, covering a total of 12.43 km with 1,080 m of elevation gain.
Walking at a brisk pace, we reached the summit in 1 hour 35 minutes, and the descent took about the same time.

Machine-translated

Anibac
Anibac
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The walk was exactly as described. I chose it for a solo hike, so the route is well-marked and safe, which explains why it’s so popular. I set off early, at 7.30 am, so there was hardly anyone there. On the way back, however, it was absolutely heaving.
I recommend parking exactly where the description says to avoid a tedious walk along a forest track.
The view is splendid, overlooking a sea of clouds.
I chose to continue on to Lake Merlat. The sign says 30 mins; I think it took me a bit longer as the descent is steep, but it’s well worth it. WARNING: add 300m of elevation gain.
Well done for completing this route in 6 hours, all things considered.

Machine-translated

User 16781192

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with an easy path all the way
A southerly wind strong enough to knock the horns off a ibex!!!
but unobstructed views from the summit over the massif and all the lakes

Machine-translated

flogonza09
flogonza09

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A hike for experienced climbers.
Lake Merlat, accessible from the Col du Colon, can be reached in 45 minutes. A green gem set in a rocky landscape.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking Depuis les Quatre Chemins, Le Grand Colon, son couloir Est et le Lac Crozet

Visorando member
↔13.97 km ↗+1,135 m ↘-1,135 m ◔7h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Revel (Isère) (Isère)
Assez fréquentée, la randonnée au Grand Colon se prolonge habituellement par la descente sur le charmant Lac Merlat, pour rejoindre le refuge et le Col de la Pra, puis par le Vallon Mercier, le Lac Crozet. Le parcours, ici proposé, est une alternative moins belle, mais plus secrète, présentant un raccourci à cette descente classique. Du Grand Colon un sentier longe une éminence rocheuse, légèrement plus haute (cote 2402), située au Nord-Est, puis passe un col pour descendre un pierrier encaissé, entre La Roche Fendue et le Galeteau, avant de retrouver le Vallon Mercier et le Lac Crozet.

Walking Loop via Lac du Crozet, Grande Sitre and the Refuge du Pré du Molard

Visorando member
↔15.76 km ↗+1,337 m ↘-1,338 m ◔8h 20 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Revel (Isère) (Isère)
This hike takes you on a loop around Lake Crozet, covering several types of terrain (scree, a mountain pass, forest, lakes). It does not present any significant technical difficulties (climbing, exposed passages), but there are some sections in full sun and a few steep slopes.

Walking Col de la Pra and Grand Colon from the Quatres Chemins car park

Visorando member
Col de la Pra et Grand Colon depuis le parking des Quatres Chemins
↔15.03 km ↗+1,293 m ↘-1,291 m ◔8h 00 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Revel (Isère) (Isère)
Hiking with lakes and streams in the Belledonne mountains, parking thirty minutes from Grenoble.Important note: please take into account the opinions of hikers on this outing. These opinions can be found at the bottom of the page in the Comments and Discussions section.

Walking Lakes of La Pra

Visorando member
Lacs de la Pra
↔17.36 km ↗+1,268 m ↘-1,267 m ◔8h 35 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Martin-d'Uriage (Isère)
This hike takes you to a series of lakes set like precious stones along the path from the Oursière waterfalls to the Col de la Pra, between wave-cut rocks and alpine flora. This route, which is partly off-trail, is particularly treacherous: there is no way to keep to a schedule, as the fascinating landscapes compel you to linger and contemplate. A small part of the route is off-trail but there are no difficulties with orientation.

Walking Lake Claret via the Oursière Waterfall

Visorando member
Lac Claret par la Cascade de l'Oursière
↔14.34 km ↗+995 m ↘-994 m ◔6h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Martin-d'Uriage (Isère)
A beautiful hike that climbs up to Lac Claret via the impressive Cascade de l'Ousrière waterfall and Lacs Bernard and Longet. It offers a beautiful overview of the Lacs de la Pra, accompanied by a superb view of a large part of the peaks of the Belledonne massif. However, it is quite a long hike.

Walking The David Lake circular route via the Oursière Waterfall

Visorando member
Le Lac David en boucle par la Cascade de l'Oursière
↔15.96 km ↗+1,278 m ↘-1,280 m ◔8h 15 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Martin-d'Uriage (Isère)
This very pretty circular loop up to Lac David via the Cascade de l'Oursière allows you to first enjoy the various Pra lakes (Bernard, Longet, Claret) and then make a beautiful traverse under the Jasse Bralard peaks. Throughout the traverse, you can enjoy a magnificent view overlooking the city of Grenoble below.

Walking Lacs Robert via L'Oursière

Visorando member
Lacs Robert par l'Oursière
↔12.10 km ↗+998 m ↘-992 m ◔6h 20 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Martin-d'Uriage (Isère)
This is a magnificent circuit in the Belledonne massif that will take you to the shores of the Robert lakes, a site well known to skiers who visit the Chamrousse resort. The difficulty is not technical, but should be taken into account due to the steep slopes in places and the particular nature of this mountain range, which is often shrouded in fog.

Walking Loop of the Cascade de l'Oursière and the Belledonne Sud lakes

Visorando member
Boucle de la Cascade de l'Oursière et des lacs de Belledonne Sud
↔18.95 km ↗+1,319 m ↘-1,320 m ◔9h 10 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-Martin-d'Uriage (Isère)
This magnificent loop trail starts at the Gâte car park and climbs through the woods to the viewpoint of the impressive and beautiful Cascade de l'Oursière waterfall, then follows the Ruisseau du Doménon stream through a welcoming grassy valley, ideal for a short rest before tackling the climb up a scree slope. At the top, you will find the stream again, which flows peacefully through an alpine meadow in a picture-postcard setting. Once you have crossed a valley, you will discover the charming Lac Merlat in a high mountain atmosphere. Take a short detour to the Refuge de la Pra before continuing on to admire the series of superb lakes: Claret, Longet, Bernard and Léama. After crossing a few rocky outcrops, you come to a cute little lake and then the three Robert Lakes at the foot of the Croix de Chamrousse. The descent from the Brèche Robert Nord leads to the Lac des Pourettes in a marshy basin and finally a passage through the forest brings you back to the car park.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.