Pic du Mas de la Grave from the Col Saint-Georges

Access:
Once past the Chambon Dam, turn left towards Mizoën, then Besse.
In Besse, drive through the village and continue to the hamlet known as “Le Gay”. Opposite the campsite, take the track to Col Saint-Georges (caution! Avoid vehicles with low ground clearance, as they will struggle on the bends).

(S) From the Col Saint-Georges car park, turn left towards the ruins of the Chalet Josserand, then continue right onto the road.

(1) At the first junction, leave the track leading to the Refuge du Rif Tort on your left and continue down the track on the right. The road ends and gives way to a path that follows the Rif Tort; leave it just before you see the spring.

(2) At the junction, head down to the right to the Ruisseau de Rachat. Once past the stream, quickly turn left heading due north towards the Pic du Mas. A little further up, the path joins the track coming up from the Refuge de la Grande Buffe and Le Chazelet, the last junction before the summit.
Be careful on the return journey not to descend via this path, as this will force you to climb another 150 m of elevation gain further on.

(3) From this junction, the physically demanding part of the route begins; there is approximately 630 m of elevation gain over 2.2 km before reaching the Pic du Mas de la Grave.

(4) After taking full advantage of the summit, begin the return journey by climbing up to the secondary summit, which is located just a few metres from the main path and offers a second panorama, complemented by a particularly jagged ridge and a beautiful view of the Vallon de la Buffe and the Torrent du Gâ.

(5) From the secondary summit (2,979 m), retrace your steps back to the Col Saint-Gorges (E).

There are no water points or designated picnic areas, not even at the car park at the start, but a chemical toilet has recently been installed there.
Hiking boots are essential, as the slope is steep and the rocky ground on the peak can be unstable.
Depending on your preferences, walking poles will take the strain off your legs on the ascent and provide better footing on the descent.

On the descent, on the way back, it is possible to turn right to follow the Rachas stream from its source and then below the Col des Trente Combes, but as the path is rarely used, it is not marked (see IGN map for orientation) and begins with a steeper slope than the outward route.

Things to look out for: marmots to start with, and edelweiss here and there between 2,450 and 2,600 metres, both of which are very common.