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Parking and departure point at the Carrefour de la Carrière on the D199 (1280 m). Be careful, it's easy to miss by car!
Note 1: it is also possible to start from the Clairière de Malatra (advantage: rest area with wooden tables and a fountain: very pleasant). This is 400 m south of the Carrefour de la Carrière. Then follow the suggested route along a clear path through the forest, which heads north and arrives at the Carrefour de la Carrière.
Note 2: this route can also be done in reverse (reverse the route if you have a GPS). This means you do the steep section in the morning, at the start of the hike, i.e. the climb to the summit at 1,706 m, via the Source de Montué.
Note 3: Dogs are not allowed as you will be crossing an ENS (Sensitive Natural Area) at Pas de la Ferrière.
(S/E) Then take the only track that leaves the car park, heading south-east.
(1) Take the track on the right towards the Refuge de Tubanet (Route de Malatra, not Route de Montué). Follow it straight ahead for about 3.6 km. Pass through the Carrefour du Bout de Malatra. The entire route is in the forest. You will arrive at the edge of the forest. There is a magnificent view of the mountain pastures of the Plateau d'Ambel.
(2) Turn right (GR®93) for a quick visit to the Refuge de Tubanet (unmanned).
(3) Return to the edge of the forest.
(2) Then follow theGR®93eastwards, keeping to the edge of the forest or cutting across the mountain pastures above (see map). The view opens up and becomes magnificent.
(4) Pas de la Ferrière 1,456 m. Follow the ridge towards the north-west (or theGR®93), as close as possible to the cliff off the trail and with the best view. You will eventually reach the summit (magnificent view).
(5) Continue along the easy ridges: good tracks and mountain pastures, heading north to the highest point of the hike (1,706 m).
(6) Continue along the ridge line through the mountain pastures and grassy domes: easy going. Descend towards the tiny Source de Montué, surrounded by rocks, and the large flat meadow just below. There are a few rocks on this descent (off the trail), but nothing difficult. Walking sticks are recommended.
(7) Source de Montué, 1,495 m. Very thin trickle of water on 01/08/2019: don't count on drinking here! Head left and join a small hollow. After reaching the clearing (the small hollow) at the bottom of the last hill, follow the left edge of the clearing, along a low wall, to the north-west corner of the clearing. Pass through the barbed wire by opening it with the blue metal handles. Follow this path through the forest (10 minutes) until you reach a clear forest track on the left.
Note: this small path is not very visible. But if you continue downhill towards the north-west, you will inevitably come to this track, called "Route forestière du Serre de Montué" (marked as such on the IGN map), which goes around the mountain.
(8) Follow this track for 800 m to the left (west) until you reach a large bend to the left at an altitude of 1,450 m. Forestry work area.
(9) Look for an old, barely visible track (not really maintained, with beech shoots growing on it), a small path on the right about 30 m after the bend. (Or about 5 m after a tree marked with a white line. There are large tree stumps at the beginning of the path). Leave this track and head south, continuing to descend. Gradually, the path becomes a trail, then a track (former forestry work). You will eventually return to the crossroads you took on the way up.
Note 1: update June 2022: this small path has become a brand new forest track for logging, so it is very visible and clearly marked, and finally with quite nice regrowth (with a few steep sections). But you can't miss it. Ideal for a "quick and direct" return. Otherwise, for a quieter but longer route, follow the Route forestière du Serre de Montué (see Note 2).
Note 2: from (9), if you cannot find this old track (because trees are growing over it and/or you do not have GPS...), don't panic: just follow the "Route forestière du Serre de Montué" track (marked on the IGN map) south for 1.5 km until you reach an altitude of 1,392 m, then after a hairpin bend, head north for 1 km and you will reach (1). It's a longer route (about 2.5 km), but it will prevent you from getting lost in the woods, especially without GPS...
(1) Turn right for 150 m to return to your car.
Note 3: it is also possible to start from "La clairière de Malatra" (rest area with tables, but water supply is unreliable). This reduces the length of the trail at the start (but adds to it at the end). In this case, at the end of the descent, take the Malatra forest track south for 500 m, then a path on the right, which will take you back to the start (IGN elevation 1,276 m). Good map reading skills are recommended, as the tracks all look similar and there are no real signposts.
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