A round trip to the Pic des Ruines de Luvie from the Col de Gleize

On the Route Napoléon (N85), near the Gap Bayard golf course, take the small tourist road to the Col de Gleize, heading towards Col de Gleize – Les Lunels (wooden sign). Park at the Col de Gleize car park (about 13 km north of Gap).

(S/E) From the car park, take the Chaudun Forest Road, which starts next to the small forest ranger’s cottage, heading north-west. You’ll reach the Col du Milieu at a right-hand bend.

(1) Continue along the forest road and ignore the first path leading uphill to the right. You’ll reach the junction with the Chaudun patrol path.

(2) Carry on along the forest road to the left, ignoring the paths branching off to the right. You’ll reach the Col de Chabanottes.

(3) Take an old track to the left (between the track and the path coming from Rabou/La Rivière). Pass an old wooden sheepfold (in ruins). Reach the start of a path at a slight bend in the track.

(4) Head up to the left along a narrow track, heading west, and ignore the path that descends. Reach the Roc de la Petite Melette (a small pass). Below, the Bois du Chapitre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its ancient and remarkable beech forest.

(5) Continue along the path which skirts the Miauzes on the left, heading south-west. The path then runs along a ridge facing due south. It becomes less clearly marked and eventually disappears into the mountain pastures (use the ridges as a guide). Climb back up towards the ridge via the Combe de Lavanche. Then continue along the ridge to the right, heading west, as far as the Pic des Ruines de Luvie. Take in the panoramic views of the Pic de Bure, the Crête de la Plane, the Col de Rabou, the Rocher de la Palette and the Puy.

(6) Turn back and follow the same route as on the way out to return to the car park (S/E).

No real technical difficulty . Only the end of the route runs along a ridge that is sometimes narrow , featuring a short rocky section (6), with no significant exposure in dry weather .

The road over the Col de Gleize is narrow and passing other vehicles can be tricky during busy periods . Access is generally closed in winter due to snow.

There are no reliable water sources along the route. E spring, though not guaranteed to flow, is located below the Col de Gleize along the road.

At the Col de Gleize (S/E) : car park, picnic tables and a sheltered area . No known public toilets .

Accommodation, shops, restaurants and services are available in Gap and the Gap-Bayard area .

The area is frequented by livestock in summer. Pleaserespect the fences and keep dogs on a lead at all times .

Don’t forget your binoculars to spot mouflon and chamois , as well as to take in the sweeping panoramic views of the Dévoluy and the Écrins.

Recommendedperiod : May to October , depending on snow conditions. Some snowfields may persist late into the season in certain sections.

(6) The Pic des Ruines de Luvie is an unassuming yet remarkable peak: though not very high (1,865 m), it owes its fame to the wild beauty of its exposed ridge and its ruiniform limestone formations, which form vertical slabs and chimneys, in the heart of the Chaudun cirque, still home to mouflons and chamois.
It is worth noting that the name ‘Ruines’ refers to the appearance of a field of ruins created by the eroded limestone. It lies close to the Dévoluy massif, famous for its unique ruiniform landscapes within the French Alps.

Situated near the Petit Buëch and at the foot of the geological formations from which it takes its name, the hamlet of Luvie was, along with Bertaud and La Grangette, one of the hamlets of the Petit Buëch valley. Their inhabitants built and maintained the ‘Sentier des Bans’ (Passage des Bancs), a spectacular mule track some 4 km long that winds its way through the cliffs overlooking the Petit Buëch gorges. This route was once the only access to the valley, linking Rabou to Chaudun. Isolation, the harsh climate and agricultural difficultiesgradually led to the abandonment of these hamlets, in a process similar to that which led to the disappearance of the village of Chaudun (sold to the State in 1895).

(5) The Bois du Chapitre is one of the ancient beech forests inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in July 2021 as part of the property ‘Primary and Ancient Beech Forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe’. Protected for many decades, this forest is among the most remarkable beech forests in the French Alps.

(S/E) The Col de Gleize is a pass situated at an altitude of 1, 691 metres between the Gap basin and the former Chaudun valley . Its name derives from the Vivaro-Alpine Occitan word ‘glèisa’, which comes from the Latin ‘ecclesia’ (church). Once a major crossing point between the valleys, it now offers sweeping views of the Dévoluy massif to the west and the Écrins to the east.