Summit of Méale

A lovely loop walk, fairly well shaded, but still offering numerous views along most of the route. The view from the summit is remarkable.

Details

1502536
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.07 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,582 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,562 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 7,936 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5,456 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

Depart from the forest car park in the commune of Les Orres. From the village, head towards the church and continue towards Le Méale and the forest car park. The last two kilometres are unpaved.

(S/E) Head north on a path perpendicular to the car park, following the direction of Le Méale via Le Serre.

(1) Turn right onto the forest path heading south-east.

(2) Common fork for outward and return journeys. Follow the path again, which climbs to the left in wide hairpin bends.

(3) At a place called Le Serre, take a sharp right turn. Leave a path on your left.

(4) Common fork for outward and return journeys. At Croix de Pierre, turn left and follow a series of hairpin bends to reach the summit of Méale.

(5) From the summit, walk a little along the ridge before taking the path back up to the Croix de Pierre.

(4) Common fork for the outward and return journeys. Turn left towards La Platrière. This path is not shown on IGN maps but, again, there are signs at each junction. Continue along the winding path, which then turns west.

(6) At La Platrière, a short detour leads to a viewpoint. Cut across a track (1955m).

(7) Return to the wide forest track and follow it to the right in a north-westerly direction.

(2) Common fork for the outward and return journeys. Opposite, take the same route you took on the way up to return to the car park in the forest (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 5,456 ft - Forest car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.25 - alt. 5,650 ft - Forest track on the right
  3. 2 : mi 0.48 - alt. 5,823 ft - Path ascending to the left
  4. 3 : mi 1.95 - alt. 6,995 ft - Le Serre
  5. 4 : mi 2.32 - alt. 7,395 ft - Stone Cross
  6. 5 : mi 2.99 - alt. 7,936 ft - Summit of Méale
  7. 6 : mi 4.3 - alt. 6,919 ft - La Platrière
  8. 7 : mi 5.15 - alt. 6,188 ft - Wide forest track
  9. S/E : mi 6.07 - alt. 5,456 ft - Forest car park

Notes

There are a few old markers for the ascent (red circle on white background) and signs at each junction along the entire route.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 19 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Tiliviou
Tiliviou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, mostly through woodland
A gentle, steady climb with no difficulties and a lovely view from the summit
The return route via La Platrière is quite an interesting one

Machine-translated

Klodeko
Klodeko
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Even though it was a Saturday in the middle of the holidays, there was hardly anyone on the route when we set off at 8.30 am to the sound of the church bell.
With my three dogs, we set off from the church car park – an extra 2 × 2.5 km, but we quite like it 😊 The climb is gentle and very shaded. We soaked up the sun as we reached the base of the Méale summit
We pushed on along the eastern ridge to let the dogs stretch their legs at the Croix des Enfers ⛰️ and then at the summit of the Pic Haut ⛰️, which had been beckoning us.
Back to the Méale for the descent via La Platrière. We veered off the route to head towards Haut-Forest and return via the nature trail further down the hillside, as we weren’t aiming for the forest car park. Back to the church at Les Orres.
In total: 20 km, 1,330 m elevation gain in 4 hours 30 minutes, not including breaks
🐕🐕🐕🚶⛰️⛰️⛰️
The shaded climb is brilliant in the height of summer, and we had a nice cool breeze on the ridge behind Le Méale 👌

Machine-translated

User 23383305

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, with the gradient gradually increasing throughout the route.
There are a few sections where it’s quite a climb, but it’s manageable.
Magnificent 360° panoramic views.

Warning!!! The forest car park is difficult to reach over the last 2 km. Potholes, holes and lots of stones and scree on the path+++.
Virtually impossible for low-slung cars.

Machine-translated

OSSAMLAD
OSSAMLAD

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route is perfect with climbs that are not too challenging, but we chose a weekend when there were a lot of people on the trail.

Machine-translated

Fabrice 14
Fabrice 14

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with a steady climb through the woods, arriving at a beautiful viewpoint and a pleasant plateau for a picnic. The descent is also through the woods.
Be careful when returning to the car park: the last kilometre is on a well-marked path, so cars with low clearance should avoid it

Machine-translated

brageole
brageole

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with moderate elevation gain and slopes that are not too steep.
The route is mostly through forest, with only the last kilometre exposed, but this presents no particular difficulty.
The view from the summit is truly magnificent.
Thanks to whoever designed this hike.

Machine-translated

Roulman
Roulman

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk. The climb is mainly through woodland on a narrow path that winds through the forest.
At the top, there is a beautiful view of Lake Serre Ponçon. The descent is via another path similar to the ascent.
A fairly easy hike with not too many people.

Be careful at intersection 2: the path that branches off to the left no longer exists. You have to climb a little higher (about 200 metres) to find the path that branches off to the left

Machine-translated

Tiph
Tiph

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike with a pleasant climb through the forest.
There was still a lot of snow at this time of year, so we had to turn back before reaching the summit because of the ice on the path.
A superb view of Lake Serre Ponçon!
Done with a 5-year-old child without any difficulty apart from the ice.

Machine-translated

Miyckael
Miyckael

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb walk, mostly through woodland, with thousands of flowers and views all along the route, and a perfectly gentle slope
We had a wonderful time!!

Machine-translated

migar
migar

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk leading to a pleasant summit.
The view of Lake Serre-Ponson is superb, and to the north-east you can see lots of beautiful mountains in the distance.
The trail is pleasant, with a few steep sections, but it is shaded.
The heat returns as you descend.

Machine-translated

manapani51
manapani51

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike, gentle uphill and downhill slopes and beautiful views from the summit.

Machine-translated

patembrun
patembrun

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely little walk in the afternoon after work.

Machine-translated

ISAdu04!
ISAdu04!

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

hike partly through forest, so very pleasant in hot weather
very well-marked trail
magnificent panoramic view

Machine-translated

pierre@34
pierre@34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike offering stunning views and a circular route that avoids retracing your steps.

Machine-translated

Fazer13
Fazer13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very pretty hike, to be done in the direction indicated to make the climb in the shade

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.