The Grand Glaiza

Located at the bottom of the Fonts de Cervières valley, this 3,293-metre peak marks the border with Italy. It is very easy to access and offers remarkable views of the peaks of Queyras and Ubaye and, when not hidden by the nebia, the nearby Mont Viso.

Details

n°154098

Creation:
14 Sep 2015

Last update:
24 Jan 2024

Last review:
28 Sep 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 15.17 km
Average duration: 8h 00
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 1,287 m
Descent: - 1,279 m
Highest point: 3,265 m
Lowest point: 2,043 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Queyras, Dauphiné
City: Cervières (05100)
Start/End: N 44.844595° / E 6.815759°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3536OT, 3536OTR, 3637OT, 3637OTR
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Description of the walk

Take the now tarmac road to the large car park at Fonts de Cervières.

(S/E) Cross the hamlet via the track and the bridge over the Pierre Rouge torrent.

(1) Leave the^GR®58(Tour du Queyras) trail climbing up to the Col de Péas on your right and take the same^{GR® trail} on your left towards the Col de Malrif. Continue along this well-marked red and white trail until you reach a large plateau.

(2) Then begin the steep climb, first through alpine pastures and then schist, which joins the ridge above the Lacs de Malrif lakes and then the Col du Petit Malrif pass.

(3) Continue left on the^GR® variant, passing successively by Pic and Col du Malrif.

(4) Leave the^GR® on the right and take a good path up the ridge known as Eaux Pendantes. This single path leads easily to the summit of Grand Glaiza.

(5) To return, follow the same route you took on the way up to get back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 2,043 m - Fonts de Cervières car park - Refuge des Fonts de Cervières
1 : km 0.23 - alt. 2,051 m - Footbridge over the Torrent de Pierre Rouge
2 : km 3.78 - alt. 2,498 m - Flat area at 2,504 metres
3 : km 4.96 - alt. 2,822 m - Malrif ridge - Petit col du Malrif
4 : km 5.48 - alt. 2,867 m - Col du Malrif
5 : km 7.52 - alt. 3,261 m - Grand Glaiza (le)
S/E : km 15.17 - alt. 2,043 m - Fonts de Cervières car park

Notes

Hiking equipment is essential.
This easily accessible summit nevertheless requires a minimum level of fitness as you have to climb to an altitude of around 3,300 metres.

Worth a visit

The hamlet of Fonts de Cervières with a stop at the unmissable stopover lodge.
Etymological note: on the IGN map, Les Fonts is spelled Fonds. This could apply here because this hamlet of chalets is deep in the valley. Well, it's a spelling mistake because Fonds is actually spelled Fonts. This is due to the word fountain, of which there are many here at the confluence of the streams descending from Péas and Malrif.
^GR®58is the Tour du Queyras, which allows you to discover this particularly pleasant region in 8 days.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5

Route interest
4.7 / 5

rabinovitch

28 Sep 2025 at 19:01 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice route. Can be done quickly.

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corriolanne

02 Sep 2025 at 22:37 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful 3,000-metre peak, fairly easy to access, with a lovely round trip route. Done in beautiful summer conditions.

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Meijouille

31 Aug 2023 at 18:24 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant outing in winter conditions on the last day of August, with snow underfoot as soon as we left the mountain pastures, but the path along the ridge was passable and the terrain on the descent allowed us to cut straight across the slope off-trail (the GR was covered in snow).
A magnificent view from the summit of Glaiza. There was a small mystery box hidden in the cairn at the summit of Glaiza, typical of the summits in this region.
Views of the Viso and the Tête des Toillies, the Grand Rochebrune on the Queyras side, the Pelvoux, Pic Gaspard, Meije, Aiguilles d'Arves... on the Écrins side.
A magnificent outing.

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bernardgemenos

24 Jul 2022 at 10:17 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Finally, we left Abries to pass by the beautiful Grand Laus lake, then on to Malrif peak and pass. This adds a few hundred metres of elevation gain and kilometres to the described walk. We also decided not to complete the hike to Grand Glaizat.
A magnificent hike.

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randonnee 2015

24 Aug 2020 at 15:21 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The best hike of the week, an easy 3,000-metre climb, well-marked trails except for the last 50 metres, but it's easy to find a path. The approach to the foot of the pass is a bit long. On the way back, at the shepherd's hut, we crossed the stream to reach the refuge by following a path through the meadow (cooler than the path we took on the way up). At the summit, a view of "Perpet", Viso, Mont Blanc...

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Alibegoud

20 Jul 2020 at 09:32 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

At the Petit Malrif pass, there is a superb view towards Lake Grand Laus, and at the top of Glaiza, you can see the Italian valley that starts at Clavière. Unfortunately, the Viso was shrouded in clouds.

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JPC07

13 Jul 2019 at 09:38 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Point 3: magnificent view of Lake MALRIF. From 3 to 5, easy climb over pebbles and rocks, unfortunately interrupted at an altitude of 3,000 metres by a violent storm of rain and hail, accompanied by relatively dense fog.

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