Paturage and Barres de Chine

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The climb is along a rather uninteresting track, then you arrive at the sheepfold with beautiful meadows. The climb is not signposted and in the fog, it's not easy to find your way. Return via a hut that we couldn't find, so we took the same track back. Not great.

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Date of your route : Aug 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike. Very nice view at the summit. There is a neighbouring summit to climb when we return to the area. We only had some hesitations on the descent to the Chine chalet because we veered too far to the right. And after the chalet, the grass is very tall. Fortunately, there are a few paths because the markings are hard to see.

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Date of your route : Jun 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Lovely walk

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Date of your route : Aug 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful unspoilt landscapes, we saw a flock of sheep in the distance and two hikers during the day; peace and quiet, eagles flying overhead, and a few partridges.
We set off on foot from Barles, so it was quite a long hike with the entire trail (3 km there and 3 km back).

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Date of your route : Jul 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Alpine hike with a superb view at the pass

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Date of your route : Jun 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Much loved: typical landscape of the SOUTHERN ALPS. Bare mountains with short grass, desert landscape, beautiful blue sky without a single cloud. Very pleasant heat, despite the wind that sometimes blew quite strongly. Please note: do not take this track with a low-clearance vehicle. Furthermore, it is closed indefinitely on weekdays due to major electrification works up to the hamlet of VAUX.

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Date of your route : Oct 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Nice hike, beautiful scenery.
On the way to point 1, instead of going to the Seignas refuge and reaching the Clapouse pass via a zigzagging off-trail route, we simply followed the marked trail shown on the IGN map.
For the (steep!) descent to the Chine hut, thanks to motardes04 for their precise azimuth information.

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Date of your route : Aug 12, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Average description that becomes Very Good thanks to comments from motardes04 (many thanks); I would like to add:
At the end of the access road, just before the riverbed, there is a parking sign. There is no bridge. You can only cross on foot.
The route is marked almost all the way, with rectangular yellow markers or yellow or white and red dots from the GR6, to the foot of Rabanu or Sommet de Chine, as well as on the way back from the old Chine hut (cairns when the yellow markers disappear into the vegetation).
The path becomes a little unclear at the second hut above the Seignas refuge as you climb towards the Col de Clapouse, and passes over some fairly dangerous rocks, which can easily be bypassed from above to reach the Col de Clapouse.
Also note that at the foot of the Sommet de Chine, at the Col de la Croix de Veyre, there are signs for various directions, except for the summit on the left (see details from motardes04).

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Date of your route : Oct 04, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb itinerary idea.
The mountain in China offers a 360° panorama, which we really enjoyed.
Thank you!

A few details about the route
- Driving up: the track is in fairly poor condition in places, and even a slightly raised utility vehicle may scrape when crossing certain fords. Avoid if you have a low-clearance car!
- Avoid hiking in rainy weather, as the trail can easily turn into a stream in places. The descent off-trail is through a meadow, which can be slippery
- The markings on the ground (yellow markings) differ from the trail marked on the IGN map in the section that runs alongside the stream. After heavy thunderstorms, crossing the stream (and several times with these unusual markings) can sometimes be a little tricky.
- Instead of taking the trail, the ascent and return via the carriage track (closed by a chain at the bottom of the fork with the trail, just below Vaux) is a very easy alternative; you pass through fields, which offers a nice unobstructed view of the mountains.
- The climb up to Montagne de Chine is easy from Col de la Croix de Veyre, taking the ridge directly (go around the secondary summit on the right).
- On the descent off-trail towards the old Chine hut, be careful as there are a few small rocky outcrops if you stray too far to the left or right (azimuth of the hut: 14-15°); the terrain is a little marshy once you have crossed the track (the information on the IGN map is correct!!).
- The trail leading away from the hut is located above the hut, on the left-hand side as you descend (there is a marker). It can also be found by cutting diagonally to the left after the hut.
- The descent after the hut is quite steep but follows a good path, which can however become muddy and a little slippery after rain and when sheep have passed through.

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OK , thank you very much for the correction. And happy future hikes!

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Hello,
No, it was just a mistake, I clicked on the wrong line (I've corrected it). We just deviated from the route after meeting two people who told us about this alternative route.
Bernard

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Hello, what happened to the description? You don't seem to have lost your way...

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Date of your route : May 10, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful route. We went as far as the Col de Clapouse, but then decided to go to the summit of La Laupie (2,025 metres) and descend to Barles via the long, beautiful ridge that leads to the castle and then to Barles.

Bernard

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Date of your route : Nov 08, 2013
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I have not yet travelled this route and therefore cannot give my opinion.
Kind regards
G Laharotte

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