Tête de Rissace

After leaving a car at the Mélezet car park, make your way to the Bois Noir car park. To do this, return to Ceillac and turn right onto the road that follows the Cristillan upstream along its left bank.

(S) Take the path on the left, which climbs gently, passing above the Bergerie du Bois Noir. Continue, keeping the Cristillan in sight in the distance, until you reach the Y-junction where two paths meet.

(1) Leave the path leading to the Col de la Cula on your left and take the one on the right. Cross the track at the Étable des Génisses or Cabane de la Lavine. Reach the edge of the woodland and begin the steep climb with numerous hairpin bends. Follow the Torrent de Clausis, cross it to emerge at Lac de Clausis.

(2) Continue the ascent due south; it ends after a few hairpin bends at the Col de Clausis.

(3) Take care here: follow the path heading due west, which may be daunting for those prone to vertigo. Continue along the path to reach the summit of the Tête de Rissace.

(4) Begin the descent and reach the Col Albert.

(5) Turn right into the Vallon Souchier, where a hairpin bend to the left takes you onto the path at the foot of the Montagne de la Riche. Turn right onto this path, enter the Vallon d’Albert and reach the edge of the forest.

(6) Enter the forest and continue down a fairly steep slope. Arrive at the hamlet of La Riaille.

(7) Follow the road on to the hamlet of La Cime du Mélezet.

(8) Stay on the road. At the hamlet of Pied du Mélezet, turn left to reach the ski resort car park (E).

There are water sources in the streams, but it is advisable to purify the water.
Between (3) and (5): Caution is advised for those prone to vertigo, as the terrain here may cause concern. In that case, it would be safer to head back to the Bois Noir car park.

A local resident of Ceillac has taken the trouble to place some unusual cairns along the road leading to Bois Noir. It’s well worth taking a few minutes to admire them.
A sneak preview here