Pointe de Deux Heures, Tete d'Auferrand and Pointe de la Botte
A lovely walk through great scenery which changes at different points of the walks. Good views and very quiet.
Note this is not marked with the usual yellow signposts so you will need to refer to your IGN map. There are some hand-painted signs and arrows to help guide you. This walk also passes through the upland pasture with grazing sheep and the livestock is protected by dogs. Make sure you have read the information and know-how to pass flocks in a safe manner. A photo re info is attached,
Technical sheet No. 2335237
















Description
(D) Park at the Col de la Colombiere. It can be busy and parking limited so get there early to secure your place. From the parking, walk to the road opposite the restaurant (1), this road leads to Aufferand.
(1) Walk along the quiet road to Aufferand, farm building and snack bar/meals.
(2) From Auferrand, take the track contouring around the pasture (cows) to where it has woodland on the left, descend and cross a stream and continue with the stream and woods on your left. The stream will curve away from you and the track will become more of a path. It crosses another stream (below 1611 on the IGN map) before becoming fainter and ascending the hillside in a series of long zig-zags through a meadow of wild alpine plants and beneath an outcrop of rock. Eventually bringing you out onto a grassy col at the Combe des Fours. Cairn and signpost. Note there are grazing sheep at Combe des Fours guarded by dogs, they may approach you and bark. Make sure you know how to respond.
(3) From the signpost, take the path heading up the grassy ridge to pass a wooden building. This is the shepherd's hut/home and again you might be challenged by dogs barking at you. Continue past the chalet and upwards to another col. Ahead is a depression (1910 on the IGN map), take the left-hand path around the depression and arrive at a wooden post and hand-painted sign to Pointe de Deux Heures. The sign might be lying on the ground.
(4) Follow the track on the left and keep to the north side of the ridge as you ascend via a narrow track. This will lead to the crest of the ridge and ascend to the top of Pointe de Deux Heures (5). Return to (4) and then, take the more obvious path ahead of you. This leads up and onto another grassy ridge which ascends to the Tete d'Auferrand.
(6) From the top of Tete d'Auferrand, descend slightly along the ridge to a signpost for Col de la Colombiere. Follow the signposted path steeply downhill at first and then more easily, cutting across the hillside to a broad ridge with trees. The path descends this broad ridge and then ascends again before descending steeply once more to the col before the Pointe de la Botte.
(7) From the col, ascend Pointe de la Botte by the obvious path (8). Instead of taking the direct descent to go back to (7) and take the path on your right which descends passing some scree and then down to join a stream on your left. The path then contours right, around the base of Pointe de la Botte to a meadow with two stone arrows laid out in the grass. One points the way you have come and the other shows the fainter track which is the direct ascent.
(9) From the arrows take the obvious path toward Col de la Colombiere and return to your car.
Waypoints :
D/A : km 0 - alt. 1,602 m - Car park
1 : km 0.13 - alt. 1,613 m - Col de la Colombiere - Col de la Colombière
2 : km 1.11 - alt. 1,597 m - Auferrand
3 : km 3.99 - alt. 1,782 m - Combe des Fours - Combe des Fours
4 : km 5.14 - alt. 1,945 m
5 : km 5.55 - alt. 2,006 m - Pointe de Deux Heures
6 : km 6.37 - alt. 1,975 m - Tete d'Auferrand
7 : km 7.38 - alt. 1,770 m
8 : km 7.55 - alt. 1,792 m - Pointe de la Botte
9 : km 8.45 - alt. 1,665 m
D/A : km 8.77 - alt. 1,608 m - Car park
Useful Information
Snackbar/meals at Auferrand, no other shelters along the way.
Remember that whilst this is a short walk, you do end up on some steep-sided summits, take appropriate clothing and footwear.
The walk does enter the land that is grazed and flocks/herds protected by guard dogs. Information is signposted near the start of the walk, read it so you know what to do if approached by one of the "patou".
Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
During the walk or to do/see around
Interesting and varied scenery throughout this walk.
After a few dry days, you could do this walk in reverse starting with the steep direct ascent of Pointe de la Botte. This would be best when not slippery and also in ascent rather than descent. It would also mean that refreshments at Aufferand would be near the end of the walk.
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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.