Rocher de Barrabas or Guglia Di Mezzodi

From Briançon, take the N94 towards Montgenèvre, then at La Vachette turn left onto the D994G towards Névache until you reach Plampinet.
Park in the car park at the village exit after crossing the Clarée.

(S/E) From the car park, cross the Clarée river and turn immediately left.
Walk past the Chapel of Notre-Dame des Grâces, then follow the tarmac road uphill, which turns into a track above the village (^GR®5) towards the Col des Acles.
The^GR®5climbs along the hillside and then diagonally across the slope before reaching the Saint-Roch Oratory (spelled Saint-Rock on the map).

(1) Just after passing the oratory and at the next junction, leave the^GR®5and turn left onto the^GR®5Bvariant towards the Col des Acles (signposted).

(2) At the next crossroads, turn left towards the Col des Acles (white wooden sign).
After a steep climb, the path emerges from the forest and winds its way up through the mountain pastures, where you can see the ruins of Fort des Acles high above. Do not climb up to the fort.

(3) Leave the^GR® trail, using the rock marked with red and white paint as a landmark; this is the trail’s starting point as shown on the map.

Warning! The trail is not visible, and you will first need to walk off-trail to find it. This is the main difficulty of the hike.

Head west, pass between two larch trees, then follow the slope through the grassy slopes where a tiny path seems to emerge.
This path will gradually become more distinct as you approach the Rocher de Barrabas, situated in front of you to the west, which you must first go round to the left before tackling the ascent up its opposite ridge.
The well-marked path crosses the left-hand side of the Rocher de Barrabas almost horizontally, passing through undergrowth and then over scree.
Then, after a series of switchbacks, it reaches the Pas des Rousses, the valley that separates the summit of Guiau from the Rocher de Barrabas.

(4) Take the ridge path to the north-east, then climb the west ridge of the peak towards the summit.
As you approach the summit, set down your rucksacks and poles.
Climb up the central couloir, which is not exposed, to reach the summit marked by a cairn.

(5) From the summit, head back along the same route you took on the way up until you reach your car park (S/E).

I’ve made a video with the names of the peaks, showing the route and the atmosphere of the hike.

What can I say about this route?

Near the summit, make sure you take the central gully and not the one branching off to the right.
This route is not recommended for those prone to vertigo.
The very narrow path cuts across some steep slopes where you may feel the vertigo.
These sections should be tackled slowly and with care.
Do not attempt this route in wet or stormy weather.

Finally, regarding navigation, you will need to walk off-trail for a distance of around 150 metres from the (3).
Although it is possible with a map and compass, I recommend using GPS or a smartphone to save time, after downloading the map and the route. The Visorando app is very well suited to this purpose.

It is a summit that has to be earned, away from the crowds, but up there your efforts will be rewarded with a spectacular panorama.

The summit is marked by a cairn topped with a wooden pole. At the foot of this, you will find a jar containing a guest book where you can leave a message to mark your visit.