Tête de la Sestrière and the sources of the Verdon

Near the Sestrière hut, discover the sources of the Verdon. Once at the summit, enjoy magnificent views of the Grande Séolane, the Blanche du Laverq, Allos and Ubaye valleys.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.65 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 790 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 790 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,570 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,780 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park in front of the Tourist Office in La Foux d'Allos.

(S/E) With the Tourist Office entrance on your right, head towards the bend in the road where the ski lift ticket office is located.
Take the stairs next to the ticket office to reach the upper road. Cross it carefully and take the ski trail near the La Chaup cable car towards La Tête de la Sestrière.

(1) Go under the road via the bridge, then cross the footbridge over the Aiguille torrent. Keep left and follow the road, staying on the track until you have to go around a slope on the right.

(2) Continue climbing, using the Chauvets ski lift pylons as landmarks. Climb up to the chairlift cabin. Continue along the path behind the cabin. Pass the start of the Tardée ski lift at 1,860 metres.

(3) Continue straight ahead on the path that opens up in the bend. There is a fitness trail along the path.

(4) Go around the raised water reservoir on the right and continue along the path. Further on, cross a footbridge and join the dirt track, then first turn right then left.

(5) Continue left towards the sheepfold. Walk along the Verdon river below on your left. There is an orientation table on a mound and a view of the Cirque des Sources du Verdon a little further on. Continue by taking the path that cuts across the bend on the right.

(6) Just before the sheepfold and its ford, take the path on the right and go around the Sestrière hut. Begin the ascent towards the Col de la Sestrière.
Caution: during the climb, pay attention to the marker posts and trail markings (red and yellow lines) as well as the cairns so that you always stay on the path rather than the track, as you will cross it several times on the way to the pass.
Climb the winding path. Then take the wide path on the right for about 50 metres.

(7) On your right, be sure not to miss the path that continues the ascent so that you do not continue on this wide track. Further up, cross the track again to continue on the path opposite and make a wide circular loop that leads to the Verdon springs.

(8) Cross the track in several places and continue the climb. Make one last effort up a fairly steep slope to reach the Col de la Sestrière.

(9) Turn left towards the Crêtes de la Sestrière: view of the Ubaye valley.

(10) At the fork, keep left. View of the Grande Séolane.
Finish your climb at the Tête de la Sestrière. View of the Blanche du Laverq valley on one side and the Allos valley on the other.

(11) Begin your return journey along the same route back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,780 m - Parking at the Tourist Office
  2. 1 : km 0.14 - alt. 1,793 m - Bridge under the road
  3. 2 : km 0.43 - alt. 1,823 m - Embankment
  4. 3 : km 0.89 - alt. 1,860 m - Path with bends
  5. 4 : km 1.27 - alt. 1,875 m - Water reservoir
  6. 5 : km 1.9 - alt. 1,935 m - Track
  7. 6 : km 2.68 - alt. 2,044 m - Path before the sheepfold
  8. 7 : km 3.05 - alt. 2,134 m - Path on your right
  9. 8 : km 3.97 - alt. 2,305 m - Sources of > - Verdon (rivière)
  10. 9 : km 4.68 - alt. 2,455 m - Col de la Sestrière (2461m)
  11. 10 : km 4.88 - alt. 2,488 m - Crête de la Sestrière
  12. 11 : km 5.3 - alt. 2,570 m - Tête de la Sestrière (2575m)
  13. S/E : km 10.65 - alt. 1,780 m - Parking at the Tourist Office

Notes

Maximum sunshine.
No shelter available.
No drinking water available along the route.
Avoid in stormy and/or rainy weather.
High-top boots recommended.
Walking sticks recommended.

Worth a visit

The sources of the Verdon.
Col de la Sestrière: view of the Ubaye valley.
Crête de la Sestrière: view of the Grande Seolane.
Tête de la Sestrière: view of the Blanche du Laverq valley.
Marmots.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
bleu78
bleu78

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

As the access road to the Col d'Allos from Barcelonnette was closed, I set off from the P4 Les Blancs car park in Praloup. From the Fau viewpoint, I crossed over to Péguiéou via the ski slopes. After the Col de Thuiles, the trail runs alongside the Grande Soléane (there is a sign on a large rock indicating a chimney access for enthusiasts) and climbs gently to the head of the Sestrière (the GR continues on the other side). There are many sections in the forest before reaching the ski area. I saw a few walkers coming from Allos from the ridge, but otherwise there was hardly anyone on the trail. I saw two foxes, a ptarmigan and several young marmots: lovely morning encounters. A total of 8 hours and 33 minutes of walking for this long but easy hike.

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blandinem42
blandinem42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2024
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 stunning scenery, both on the way up and especially once you reach the top.
No difficulty in following the route, everything is well marked and the path is well laid out.

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reveil85
reveil85

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
A very beautiful hike, with the option of adding a few extra sections at La Tête by following the ridgelines on either side of La Tête.
Please note there is a small error in point 2: do not head towards the "Chauvets" lift, but rather the "Marin Pascal" lift. A few days later, we met some hikers who had gotten lost because they had followed the Chauvets lift. In fact, at point 1, you should go straight ahead after crossing the stream and follow the "children's" ski lift tunnels, then pass between the "Marin Pascal" and "Tardée" chairlifts. You will then arrive at the path with the fitness trail and the reservoirs (points 3 and 4).

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lazzerini
lazzerini

Hello JPC07,

There are definitely fewer hills
We stayed at La Foux d'Allos, which is why we didn't drive to the refuge that time.
And we wanted to see the source of the Verdon, which you didn't really get to see in the end.
You could suggest your version in the description.

Happy hiking!
Best regards

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JPC07
JPC07

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Staying at the Col d'Allos refuge, this pass became our starting point instead of leaving from La Joux: less elevation gain, a ridge route with much prettier views than starting from below, and the possibility, just before the SESTRIÈRES path, of going to the foot of the SÉOLANE, which we unfortunately couldn't do because the weather wasn't suitable. Besides, we already knew it.
Still, it was a beautiful round trip, with 500-600 metres of elevation gain and a wonderful evening meal at the refuge. Unfortunately, its keeper is leaving this year, after twenty-one years spent in this wonderful place.

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bernard951
bernard951

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A superb walk from La Foux d'Allos to the summit of La Sestrière, offering magnificent 360° panoramic views.

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Phasme91
Phasme91

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very beautiful hike, be sure to follow the description carefully at the beginning as there are few markings.

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