The Sentier des Belvédères aux Guibertes trail

Hiking trail above the village of Les Guibertes, offering views of a beautiful forest bordering the ski slopes of Monetier-les-Bains and Villeneuve-la-Salle.

Details

147764
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.02 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 538 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 543 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,930 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,429 m

Description of the walk

Park at the top of the village of Les Guibertes, in the unpaved car park next to a cast iron fountain.
(S/E) Head south-west along the wide track, pass under the high-voltage power line and arrive at the entrance to the forest, then at the track blocked by a barrier where an ONF sign indicates Forêt Domaniale des Guibertes.

(1) Go through the barrier and immediately turn left onto the path climbing into the woods, markedPR® (yellow). Take the time to catch your breath as the climb is very steep, with numerous hairpin bends followed by a flatter section. You will then reach the crossroads of the Belvédères trail.

(2) Take the right path (signposted Sentier Belvédère), first following the contour line, then descending very gently to reach another crossroads.

(3) Take the small path on the left which ends at the Belvédère viewpoint, where the view of the valley is breathtaking, as it is an eagle's nest view. Return to the crossroads and take the short climb opposite, still following the yellow markings. Then begin a steep descent to reach another crossroads.

(4) Leave thePR® and take a poorly marked but still clearly visible path on the left, which joins the Botanical Trail, also markedPR® (yellow), about 50 metres below. Take this path on the left, which runs along the hillside for a few hundred metres before plunging down to the track leading to the Adventure Park.

(5) Take the path on the right that joins the track. A barrier blocks a second track, which you will need to take on the left. Walk along the right-hand side of the water source (small building) and you will reach the edge of the forest at the fields of Barbières.

(6) Cut across the fields if they are not in use, otherwise join theGR®50on your right and return leisurely to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,437 m - Les Guibertes car park.
  2. 1 : km 0.88 - alt. 1,540 m - Barrière Forêt des Guibertes
  3. 2 : km 1.88 - alt. 1,899 m - Belvédère trail junction
  4. 3 : km 3.64 - alt. 1,755 m - Belvédère crossroads
  5. 4 : km 4.04 - alt. 1,705 m - Botanical trail crossroads
  6. 5 : km 4.8 - alt. 1,540 m - Forest boundary
  7. 6 : km 5.46 - alt. 1,447 m - Les Barbières
  8. S/E : km 6.02 - alt. 1,430 m - Les Guibertes car park.

Notes

Good equipment.
Sufficient water.
No shelters but a rustic bench at the Belvédère and others along the route.
Botanical trail with many signs about the flora and trees of this forest.

Worth a visit

Monetier-les-Bains and its water park.
The ski resorts of the Serre-Chevalier Vallée area (some spell it Serre Chevalier Valley).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

3.8 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
3.4 / 5
Nanou 83
Nanou 83

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

Quite a disappointing walk, a long climb through the forest but with the noise of the road all the way. The viewpoint overlooks the valley but is not particularly interesting.

Machine-translated

VCANET
VCANET

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This walk is particularly pleasant in hot weather, as it is shaded.
It is not possible to park near the cast iron fountain. It is best to park in the car park behind the church (around fifteen spaces).
We did not see the barriers marked (S/E) and (5).
During the summer months, road noise is almost incessant.

Machine-translated

duge44
duge44

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As indicated, the climb is steep but pleasant as it is under the trees.
The path leading to the botanical trail is visible after the mini cliffs.

Machine-translated

Jose Germain
Jose Germain

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Machine-translated

pilat
pilat

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Very busy route : No

No view of the forest along the entire length of the course. Just a lookout point. Tough, steep incline at the start.

Machine-translated

Garrigoux
Garrigoux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route is very pleasant, with all the elevation gain at the beginning on a narrow path that climbs steeply in switchbacks. Good physical condition and sturdy footwear are required. The viewpoint is unremarkable. The hike is very shaded in summer.

Machine-translated

pierrek13
pierrek13

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Pleasant walk in the forest when it's very hot, but the view from the Belvédère is disappointing and not really worth seeing.

Machine-translated

bernardino
bernardino ★

Hello, and I'm sorry that this route didn't suit you.
It is mainly through the forest, but the view from the lookout point is still pleasant.
As for the stones, there are often stones on our trails.
As for the difficulty, it's such a subjective matter, but the "medium" rating I gave takes into account the average elevation gain in the mountains (600 m) and the relatively short length (6 km).
Enjoy your future hikes in the Briançon area.

Machine-translated

scyclo
scyclo

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 05, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

Difficult hike, very rocky trail, few views

Machine-translated

TROTIN
TROTIN

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Hello
I find the difficulty level to be more difficult than average, particularly between markers 1 and 2.

Thank you for sharing this hike.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

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.