Sestrière Plateau and the Braissa hut, returning via Gianto

The walk starts at the car park at Saint-Dalmas-le-Selvage, just before the bridge crossing the Sestrière torrent. If you can’t find a space in this small car park, head down to the second one.

(S/E) Follow the signs for the Sestrière Plateau and the Par Gazé circular loop, as indicated by marker 50.
You’ll cross the Sestriere torrent straight away before beginning the ascent along a path lined with stone walls.

(1) Join the Col de la Moutière road at marker 51 and follow it for 200m (continuing towards the Sestriere Plateau to the north-north-east), until you reach marker 52 where you join a footpath.

(2) Reach marker 53 and continue towards the Sestriere plateau; the path descends slightly towards the stream, which you cross via a footbridge to join the path on the orographic left bank.
From the footbridge, the path climbs steadily. Pass marker 49, continuing towards the Sestriere plateau; the path is well-marked and dotted with yellow markers.

(3) Reach the Sestriere mountain hut, then cross the stream via the footbridge to join the road to the Col de la Moutière and the Sestriere plateau, which you cross to reach the path climbing towards the Col de la Braissa.

(4) Join the Col de la Braissa path, which winds through the larch forest; follow it to the hut of the same name. The walk is relatively easy and very pleasant, but the path is not always very well marked, so you must keep an eye out for the yellow markers at intervals, as well as a few cairns.

(5) Braissa mountain hut. Head back down towards Sestriere via the same route.

(4) Continue to the right until you reach the Col de la Moutière road at marker 57.

(6) Walk down the Col de la Moutière road to marker 56.

(7) Leave the road and take the path that descends through the forest, rejoining the road at marker 55.

(8) Return to the road and follow it for 250 metres until you reach a hairpin bend.

(9) Take the Gianto forest track, at the start of which there is a barrier. It climbs gently through the forest until it reaches the Gianto shelter, from where it descends again.

(10) At the end of the track, take a quick round trip to the Pras viewpoint.

(11) From the viewpoint, turn back.

(10) Turn right and head for marker 63, where you follow the signs for Saint Dalmas le Selvage. A path takes you back to marker 51, which you passed on the way up.

(1) Return along the path you took on the way up and you’ll easily reach the starting point (S/E).

Crossing the Sestrière plateau between points (3) and (4) involves crossing a stream.
This is no problem at all in summer, but it can be trickier in autumn, especially after a spell of heavy rain. If you don’t feel up to crossing it, head for the road and follow it downhill to marker 57 (point (6)), then simply follow the path back up to the Braissa hut.

You don’t have to make the round trip to the Braissa hut, but it would be a shame not to enjoy the lovely view over the Sestrière valley, especially in autumn when the sight of the glowing larch trees is spectacular.