The Tour de la Tête du Gaulent

The Tour de la Tête du Gaulent via the Col de Val Haute is a superb circular route. It crosses secret mountain pastures that gradually reveal themselves, unveiling the timelessness of pastoral life.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.76 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,029 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,021 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,516 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,631 m

Description of the walk

From Argentière la Bessée, head towards Pallon at the entrance to the Freissinières valley. Continue towards Le Chambon, turn left and follow the D538 to reach the hamlet of Les Faures.
Take the track to Col des Combes and park your car.

(S/E) From Col des Combes (altitude 1,620 m), follow the track (east).

(1) Cross the Torrent du Gourent (altitude 1,701 m). Immediately after this, take a vague ascending track and, cutting across the hairpin bends, rejoin the track at an altitude of 1,880 m.

(2) Continue along the track towards Cabane du Gourre (altitude 2,000 m) and reach a cross below the hamlet of Le Lauzet (altitude 2,060 m).

(3) Leave the track and take a path that passes under the Barres des Treuils, following the Torrent des Sebières (altitude 2,210 m).

(4) Continue through the Vallon de Font Cailla to reach the Col de Val Haute (altitude 2,517m) between the Tête de Gaulent (altitude 2,867m) and the Tête de Vautisse (altitude 3,156m).

(5) Descend west-northwest, passing under Clot de Pellegrin (altitude 2,240 m) to reach (altitude 2,200 m) the trail that climbs to Col de Tramouillon (altitude 2,288 m).

(6) Begin the descent towards the junction at an altitude of 2,233m.

(7) Continue the descent by taking the path on the left to head north towards the Cabane de Clot Lafont.

(8) Continue towards Montagne de Serre Piarâtre. Enter the forest. Reach Pra la Peyro.

(9) Turn left to return to your car at Col des Combes (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,631 m - Col des Combes (1650m)
  2. 1 : km 1.17 - alt. 1,702 m - Torrent du Gourenq
  3. 2 : km 2.37 - alt. 1,884 m - Track
  4. 3 : km 3.99 - alt. 2,063 m - Cross below Lauzet
  5. 4 : km 6.02 - alt. 2,268 m - Vallon de Font Cailla
  6. 5 : km 7.17 - alt. 2,516 m - Col de Val Haute (2517m)
  7. 6 : km 9.07 - alt. 2,286 m - Col de Tramouillon (2280m)
  8. 7 : km 9.36 - alt. 2,226 m - Junction
  9. 8 : km 10.66 - alt. 2,067 m - Clot Lafont hut
  10. 9 : km 13.23 - alt. 1,713 m - Pra la Peyro
  11. S/E : km 13.76 - alt. 1,632 m - Col des Combes

Worth a visit

Don't hesitate to turn around as you climb up the Vallon de Font Cailla. You will gradually see Pelvoux reveal itself behind the ridge.
At the Col de Val Haute, the landscape is magnificent. In the distance, you can see Mont Viso and, closer to us, the Queyras Regional Park.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
RAMAT Jean-Marie
RAMAT Jean-Marie

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Route completed on 22 September 2024, cloudy weather.
No one else on this hike; judging by the almost non-existent tracks, it is very rarely used. On arrival, my watch shows 17 km! Not 13.76 km as indicated on the map.
We went around the head of Gaulent, so a 1:25,000 map, a compass and an altimeter in case of fog are recommended.
The trail at the beginning can be dangerous in some places, so you should at least have good trail shoes with good grip and walking sticks, as it's easier to keep your balance on four points of support than on two.
The climb to the Col de Val Haute can be done either by instinct or by following the GPS, as there are no indications on the 1:25,000 map and practically no cairns. The same applies to the descent. The GPS is great, but it should be used as a means of control and not as something you depend on.
This is a very beautiful hike that deserves to be marked with cairns. If you don't have a GPS, it's a good way to develop your sense of direction.

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JgParis
JgParis

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route downhill after the climb to the Col de Val Haute and to the Tramouillon hut is very random and based on guesswork. Not a problem: you can't get lost because everything is visible and can be found on your smartphone screen, but the trail, if there ever was one, is not marked, or only very slightly.
Magnificent and varied landscapes and, above all, no one on the entire route, except... fortunately in the distance, some patous who were not too happy about our presence.
If the herds had been in our way, we would have had to make a big detour because their barking was not friendly at all!

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Christie23
Christie23

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike with a wide variety of landscapes: somewhat arid mountains, then a mountain pass and back into the forest. The trail is not very well marked after the pass, but the walk is magnificent, long but not difficult.

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Jhk
Jhk

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike without crowds, remarkable at this time of year. The only encounter was with a flock of sheep near Lauzet, with a dozen large dogs, which we handled by remaining very calm and taking a small detour to avoid crossing the flock.
Recommended for fairly experienced hikers.

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Papillon_13
Papillon_13

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A great choice of hike to round off my week in the Écrins. Thanks to Demol for the detailed description of the route, as this hike is wild and uncrowded, which is also very welcome!

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boedts
boedts

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A superb and exceptional hike. We are constantly dazzled by new landscapes. The panoramic views are magnificent.
A very little-used route. We only encountered a shepherd, his flock of 1,200 sheep and his five sheepdogs, which forced us to take a detour as we approached the Col de Val Haute.
Highly recommended for experienced hikers.

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TRESALLET
TRESALLET

As this hike was planned as part of an association, I had done the reconnaissance solo with the help of the description and the IGN map without encountering any problems. At the end of the Cailla valley, it is best to stay on the left to take the path that leads to the pass. Enjoy your hike.
Bernard

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Wonderach
Wonderach

Hello, I plan to do this hike solo this weekend. The description does not mention any sensitive or difficult points or the risk of getting lost in the off-trail sections. Particularly in the Caillat valley or after the pass in the passage under the Clot de Pellegrin.
Thank you for your feedback.
Wonderach

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TRESALLET
TRESALLET

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike on varied terrain, including forest tracks, trails and off-trail sections.
One correction to be made regarding car access: you have to turn right to reach the hamlet of Les Faures when coming from L'Argentière. However, there is no risk of not finding it...

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