Tête de la Cula

de fr

The hike is not too difficult and ends at over 3,000 metres. There is a magnificent view from the summit. There are many marmots.

Details

n°154877
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 14.76 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,160 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,161 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,108 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,020 m
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Photos

View stretching as far as the eye can see...
return to the black woods
The valley
Marmot on the path

Description of the walk

Take the road that crosses Ceillac towards the Cristillan valley. Follow this road to the Claux car park.

(S/E) Head south-east towards Coste Belle and cross the wooded area known as Bois Noirs. Follow the signs to Col de la Cula.

(1) Cross the stream via a wooden footbridge and continue along the clearly marked path.

(2) At the junction with a path coming from the right, not far from an old building that is a former customs post, continue left towards Col de la Cula (you can get water near the post). The last part before the pass is quite steep.

(3) Take the path on the right that leads to the pass and leave the one that climbs to the left.

(4) When you reach the pass, climb to the summit via the path on the left, which zigzags between the rocky outcrops.

(5) From the summit, you will discover a magnificent landscape that is well worth the effort of the climb.

(4) Return via the same path to the Col de la Cula and follow the ridges towards the Cristillan passes. Follow the ridges to the Col Nord du Cristillan.

(6) Then continue towards the Col Sud du Cristillan.

(7) At the southern pass, take the path that descends through the scree to the north-west.

(2) You will come to the crossroads before the old customs post. Take the road back in the opposite direction to the one you came on, turning left, and follow this path to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 2,026 m - Les Claux car park
  2. 1 : km 3.05 - alt. 2,307 m - Footbridge over the - Cristillan (cours d'eau) - Affluent du Guil
  3. 2 : km 4.65 - alt. 2,588 m - Head towards the old customs post
  4. 3 : km 6.19 - alt. 2,870 m - Be sure to take the pass on the right
  5. 4 : km 6.87 - alt. 3,070 m - Col de la Cula
  6. 5 : km 7.09 - alt. 3,106 m - Tête de la Cula
  7. 6 : km 8 - alt. 3,014 m - Col Nord du Cristillan
  8. 7 : km 8.92 - alt. 2,958 m - Col sud du Cristillan
  9. S/E : km 14.76 - alt. 2,026 m - Les Claux car park

Notes

You can refill your water bottles at the old customs post. A good pair of hiking boots is essential.

Worth a visit

The view is well worth the 4-hour climb. The entire climb takes place in a wide valley overlooked by black mountains with green reflections. For the less experienced, it may be best to avoid the ridges and take the same path back down.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 13 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
Marc05290
Marc05290
• Edited:

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

  • Solo hike completed last Saturday (16 August 2025) in good weather.
  • No problem following the signs and the trail that leads to the Col de la Cula.
  • The climb to the Tête de la Cula is fairly quick (10 minutes) from the pass. Just follow the ridge to the left (north, then west) and a few turns or rough tracks (it's uphill almost everywhere anyway...) will take you to the summit, where there is a basic shelter made of stacked stones about 50 metres before the summit, then a cairn with a hole in it at the actual summit.
  • The return to the Col de la Cula is straightforward.
  • The rest of the route, following the Cristillan mountain ridge and passing through the Cristillan North Pass and then the Cristillan South Pass, is fairly easy to follow. The trail is clearly visible and the direction is obvious. However, there are a few changes in direction to pass to the right or left of the ridge line, depending on the time of day. Nothing difficult, the trail is visible, and there are two or three passages where the trail narrows a little and the slope next to the trail becomes a little steeper. You need to be sure-footed. To avoid slipping or sliding, a hiking stick (if you know how to use one) should be planted on the uphill side (the side of the mountain) and NEVER on the downhill side (the side of the drop) to help you navigate these 10 to 15 metres more safely. It can be a little daunting if you're not used to it, but it's not really difficult, except for keeping your balance and watching where you put your feet.

Reward: the arrival at the top of the Col Sud du Cristillan is through a pile of beautiful green rocks, which are everywhere, and you walk on them!

  • The descent from the Col Sud du Cristillan is straightforward as the trail is clearly visible.
  • I wore high-top walking shoes with Vibram soles because of the long stretch along the ridges, which I wasn't familiar with, so I wanted to be cautious and anticipate any potential problems. But it's not really 100% necessary if you're used to walking in the mountains; good low-cut shoes or good trail shoes will do the trick.
  • I recommend having a walking stick and knowing how to use it (to get through the two or three 10-metre sections, see above)
  • A very beautiful loop that I recommend: scenery, atmosphere, rocks.

Here are all my photos with captions from this beautiful hike:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/96064256@N...

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patembrun
patembrun

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that takes us to wonderful encounters.

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eric83
eric83

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 10/07/2023
We were alone (we just passed a group of eight trail runners who went by very quickly...)
Quite physically demanding (steep incline); set off early, in good weather, and take at least 1.5 litres of water per person
At the summit, superb 360° view and view of the Viso
I recommend it

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agen131
agen131
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike with breathtaking views at the end. We couldn't walk along the ridges on the way back (sheep and sheepdogs on the ridge path), so we returned by the same route.

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Jean-Marc Poux
Jean-Marc Poux

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike in a wonderful setting. Don't hesitate to climb up to Pas de la Cula, where the landscape is sublime: it requires very little extra effort. The descent along the ridges is both beautiful and surprising: there is just one slightly tricky section, but with a little care, it can be negotiated very easily.

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icathou
icathou

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I loved this solo hike. You have to be careful on the ridges (don't lose the path), but what a beautiful route! The view on the Ubaye side is particularly rocky... On the way back, descending from the southern pass of Cristillan, you walk through blocks of green marble.
There was no water at the old customs post – no sign on site recalls this past.

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didp45
didp45

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike in fine weather, with sublime landscapes and beautiful, sweeping views of all the surrounding mountains
However, after a few days of hiking in the Oisans and Queyras mountain ranges, as someone who is not used to this kind of activity, I must say that on this hike (it is clearly stated that it is not for the inexperienced...) i had a short section where I was far from comfortable on a scree slope near the northern pass of Cristallant, I think, where I wasn't sure how to negotiate it: hand, foot, turn around? Note that I am not prone to vertigo, so be careful on this section if, like me, you are a little borderline... A charming local woman confirmed that the passage could be a little tricky for those who are not used to it, although she had no trouble getting through it.
Otherwise, it was a magnificent hike with no other particular difficulties, either uphill or downhill.

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Didier P.
Didier P.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike, not too difficult, with breathtaking scenery...

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domvinter
domvinter

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

this hike is well worth the detour. It's not too difficult, and I found it very varied and dense, with a stunning view above the head of the cula...

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davidmesrandos
davidmesrandos

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a lovely walk, quite sporty if you like... Not at all disappointed with the route

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pouget yves
pouget yves

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

I did this long hike in the other direction, saving the summit for last, with a superb view of the St Véran valley. The weather was good, so there were no problems crossing the ridges. Thank you for the idea for this route.

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Britanicus100
Britanicus100
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 22, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful, relatively easy route with stunning views of the great peaks of Queyras.
I made a video showing the route and giving a good idea of the atmosphere along the way.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G73K37bg...

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bernardino
bernardino ★

Hugo, thank you for that precise measurement. Here's the explanation: the author of a hike describes it either on the IGN map or by plotting the route using GPS or a smartphone. In all cases, the points are marked with an accuracy of about ten metres. Here, at the summit of Tête de la Cula, the point marking it was calculated at 3092, hence the error.
But your trained eye is on the ball, and that's perfect.
Have a good evening

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HugoStark
HugoStark

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,
The only error in the description, in my opinion, is the altitude of Tête de la Cula, which is 3,121 metres and not what is indicated in the description

Best regards!

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