Plancol via the Vaunoire torrent valley

A hike that begins in the atmosphere of the undergrowth and ends in a high mountain setting.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.00 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 653 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 653 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,870 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,217 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Go to Moulin-Vieux in the commune of La Morte, either from La Mure via Lavaldens or from the Alpe du Grand Serre resort. From there, it is best to have a map as the road leading to the start of the hike is not signposted (nothing is signposted, in fact). Park in the car park at the end of the tarmac road

(S/E) Start the hike on the path that continues along this road.

(1) Continue straight ahead at this crossroads on this path, which is half track, half trail (signpost).

(2) First stream crossing, where it's not easy to find the right stones to cross! But you'll get there, even if it means getting your feet a little wet!
Then, the trail begins to climb a little more steeply over small pebbles covered with leaves.

(3) After the footbridge over the Vaunoire stream, continue on the path, which begins to climb again.

(4) As soon as the path reaches the edge of the stream, find a way to cross it and reach the grassy area on the other side. The route continues there, but unfortunately, there are no signs to indicate this! There is no point in continuing too far along the left bank, as you will have to turn back to rejoin the path.
Once you have crossed the stream, take the path, which is barely visible at first, and begin the winding ascent.

(5) Continue straight ahead on the now well-marked path, which climbs quite steeply towards the pass

(6) Arrival at Plancol (according to the IGN) or Plan Col (according to the signposts)!
Admire the view, then turn around and take the path downhill.

Return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,217 m - Parking at the end of the road. Close to the - Roizonne (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.14 - alt. 1,224 m - Go straight ahead at the crossroads.
  3. 2 : km 1.2 - alt. 1,325 m - First ford
  4. 3 : km 1.78 - alt. 1,459 m - Footbridge over the Torrent de Vaunoire
  5. 4 : km 2.97 - alt. 1,607 m - Second ford
  6. 5 : km 3.2 - alt. 1,644 m - Fork towards the Cabane du Col
  7. 6 : km 4.5 - alt. 1,869 m - Plancol or Plan Col!
  8. S/E : km 9 - alt. 1,217 m - Car park at the end of the road.

Notes

The entire first half of the climb is through woodland. The mountain pasture begins a few minutes before you reach the point (4).

There are no water sources along the route, except for a (broken) tap at the Cabane du Col.

The fords (2) and (4) can be a bit tricky at this time of year when the streams are running high. Wear waterproof shoes (or sandals!) and walking sticks to help you keep your balance on the wet rocks.

Worth a visit

At point (5), i.e. after fording the stream and passing two hairpin bends on the path, 4 or 5 metres before a copse of trees, a barely visible path branches off to the left and leads to the Cabane du Col 3 or 400 metres away. The latter was open, providing a makeshift shelter!

From the point (4), there is a magnificent view of the Grand Armet and its "Grand" glacier!

At the point (6), there is a panoramic view of Le Rochail (3022m) beyond the Chantelouve valley and the Col d'Ornon.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
bural
bural

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Route taken several times already without consulting the website.

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Sonse
Sonse

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 25, 2023
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 in a wild and idyllic landscape. We encountered marmots and 18 (!) beavers. No danger. Not very busy.
Continuing beyond Plan Col towards the Col d'Ornon, we turned back after 15 minutes: the paths were too narrow and vertiginous, even with the safety lines.

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Fampendeli
Fampendeli
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely hike, not too difficult, but a little long. Yellow markings, though infrequent, still help you follow the path.
The climb is not too strenuous because it is very gradual. An added bonus: the first half of the hike is in the forest, in the shade. This is welcome in summer when the sun is beating down.
On the trail, there is a picnic table at the start (near the car park), then another in the forest before the wooden footbridge over the stream.
The route starts in deciduous trees, then conifers take over, and finally you come to the mountain pastures, with a flock of sheep (eight Patou dogs are guarding them this summer 2023).
Upon arrival in Plancol, you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of Ornon. As the highest point of the hike is not very high, there are a few trees that provide pleasant shade for a picnic.
Another pleasant feature of this walk is that there are few other walkers, giving you the feeling of discovering unspoilt wilderness.

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gillestruchot@sfr.fr
gillestruchot@sfr.fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Tough on the knees on the way back for older people, but what a reward in terms of the scenery – a real joy.

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jeremie.franse
jeremie.franse

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike in a valley that is very wild at this time of year. The car park is closed from the first snowfall until 15 May. It is true that you cannot fully enjoy this route so early in the year. Best to come back in the summer.

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Anne CP
Anne CP

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Wonderful hike. No problem crossing the river in summer.

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mb300d85
mb300d85

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

No difficulty crossing the fords at the end of July, as the drought had dried them up... I extended the walk by starting from the "Pont des Mortes" (1.5 km before the car park on the map, just at the start of the section of road closed in winter) and going up the left bank of the stream, first through pretty clearings, then along a pleasant forest path that gets your legs going - at one point it seems to force you to take a footbridge: ignore it, walk along the bank and find the path that climbs steeply through the forest and leads to the Combe Oursière hut. From there, a short descent takes you back to the walk just above the car park. On the way back, it's a pleasure to return via the small road... with this option, the walk is 13.5 km long with an elevation gain of around 750 metres.

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afaurie
afaurie

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable

Thank you for the idea
The first torrent was impassable, even when climbing very high
so we changed our route to the Comboursoursière hut,
and the Col de Comboursière, which is difficult because the vegetation is very dense, there is no path, and there are few cairns above the Cabane.
I completely agree about the signposting.

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