The Poët Morand chalets

This is a very interesting circular route for visiting the Poët Morand chalets, which offer remarkable views of two of the old Briançon forts: Infernet to the north and Grand Maye to the south.

Details

3766683
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.17 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 490 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 481 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,914 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,427 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Take the Col d'Izoard road to Briançon, reach the junction with the military road, which is closed to traffic, and park in the car park known as the Maison Crénelée car park.

(S/E) Take this road and continue along it, passing two successive hairpin bends, then continue and cross the Ravin du Randon on a bridge. Stay on this road and you will reach another hairpin bend.

(1) Leave the road here and take the wide track opposite, crossing the bed of a stream that is always dry except during storms. Continue slightly uphill. Atthe firsthairpinbend, turn left, then right atthe second. Stay on this track, which is beginning to be overgrown. After a virtually flat section, you will reach the junction with a footpath.

(2) Be careful here as the path is barely visible, marked only by a small cairn. Turn left at 180° and begin a steeper climb. Cross the woods to reach a new track.

(3) Turn right here, again at 180°, reach the meadows, turn left and begin the final climb to reach the Poët Morand chalets.

(4) Turn around and retrace your steps to the track junction.

(3) Keep right on the track, ignore the paths that start on the left and continue on to the junction with the military road.

(5) Turn left and follow the road, which is tarmac but has no traffic. Go through a small tunnel before reaching the hairpin bend at the Ancien Fort d'Anjou.

(6) Continue along the road, crossing the Ravin du Randon again via a bridge. Further on, you will come to the crossroads with the track you passed on the way there.

(1) Retrace your steps to easily return to the Maison Crénelée car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,427 m - Maison Crénelée car park
  2. 1 : km 1.79 - alt. 1,577 m - Track junction
  3. 2 : km 4.15 - alt. 1,774 m - Trail junction
  4. 3 : km 4.86 - alt. 1,872 m - Track junction
  5. 4 : km 5.26 - alt. 1,914 m - Poët Morand
  6. 5 : km 6.18 - alt. 1,860 m - Road junction
  7. 6 : km 7.81 - alt. 1,683 m - Ancient Fort d'Anjou
  8. S/E : km 11.17 - alt. 1,433 m - Parking at the crenellated house

Notes

There is no water on this route except at the Poët Morand chalets.
After (1), the Ravin de Randon torrent bed is an example of the force of water during violent storms on this slope. It presents no difficulty, except that you have to walk between the rocks for about twenty metres to get back on the trail.

Worth a visit

(4) The Poët Morand chalets, facing south towards the magnificent Crête des Granges, enjoy an exceptional location and a magnificent view of the Ceyverette valley with the beautiful Pic de Rochebrune,the second highest peak in Queyras, in the background.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Jeanlabat
Jeanlabat
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Hike completed under beautiful, warm sunshine. No major difficulties along the route. You just need to be careful when crossing the two dry streams at this time of year, after point 1. Also keep your eyes peeled as you approach point 2, so you don't miss the start of the path on your left, marked by a small cairn at the edge of the path (we easily missed it before receiving an alert from Visorando). The circuit is quite pleasant. The only slight downside is that the descent on the track from point 5 is a bit long and monotonous.

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Herbi
Herbi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike along the Romanche River and then up to the heights of Villar d'Arêne.

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Bougnat63
Bougnat63

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

After point 1, crossing the first stream is tricky because there is a lot of scree and it is very rugged.

Between points 1 and 2, at an altitude of 1,697 metres on the map, I opted for the small dotted path. Much more pleasant than the track but not signposted. There are a few cairns to guide you.

Beware of falling rocks along the military road that serves the forts, particularly between points 5, 6 and 1.

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margotd
margotd

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice, well-exposed route (sun all day long), between forest passages and balcony paths/trails. Views of several valleys, especially from the chalets. We walked in winter hiking boots, which were sufficient as the snow was compacted and not very deep.

However, the military signs warning of live fire from Monday to Friday between 1 December and 15 April (just before point 2 and between points 3 and 4) are not reassuring. You can avoid this area by taking the old GR trail (turn left before point 2), but the chalets seem to be there... We should ask the Tourist Office for more specific information. We were only told that no activity had been reported, but the signs are clearly there.

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Bartozzi
Bartozzi

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike ending at the Poet-Morand chalets, with beautiful views of all the surrounding mountains, including the snow-capped Pic de Rochebrune. The return trip along the old road is a bit long, which is a shame.

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JgParis
JgParis
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike done just after thefirst snowfall in November, beautiful scenery and ideal for making the journey on tarmac more bearable.
Be careful (it's best to use GPS) when climbing the small path at the point (2).
Otherwise, very easy.

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rendominique
rendominique

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Well-marked trail, gradual elevation gain. Beautiful forest. Stunning panoramic views of the valleys and Briançon.

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Helene102
Helene102

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy hike with a gradual climb.
Beautiful view of the surroundings of Briançon.

There were many uprooted trees across the path when we did it in August 2021.

A sign indicates that access to the trail is prohibited between 1 December and 15 April due to live firing.

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