This first stage is a warm-up for the rest. It's a medium mountain trek starting through larch trees before reaching alpine pastures surrounding the pass. A beautiful view over Pellice valley during the hike down.
This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Trek around Monte Viso in 5 days
(S) Start from the car park in Echalpe hamlet in the Abriès commune heading up the valley towards Monte Viso.
Take the uphill trail next to the Echalp chapel (1).
A relaxing climb through larch trees.
(2) Junction with the GR58 alternative
(3) Col Lacroix passage.
Then a steep descent towards the Italian valley.
You'll reach the delightful "Refuge de Jervis", the end of this first stage (E).
Superb hike. Climb through the larches to reach the pass with a beautiful view of Italy. I recommend spending a night at the refuge to enjoy the Italian cuisine. On the way back, take the path on the right at the pass to make a loop. Beautiful descents
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No
The welcome at the Jervis hut is really very pleasant: sheet, duvet, pillowcase provided, very copious à la carte menu, varied and of high quality. Half-board price €50. Lovely hike, with a sustained ascent and descent.
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
Very nice hike. Don't miss the night at the refuge for an excellent meal, something you've never had before in a refuge.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Sep 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
A short, restful stage between 2 more intense ones... A pleasant climb through the beautiful larch forest and a panoramic descent to the Jervis hut.
A welcoming hut with plenty of food:
...
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No
Very useful Gpx track for this tour of the Viso
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Overall rating : 5 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No
Climb through a magnificent forest of multi-centenary larches. A very warm welcome from the Italian refuge...
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 19, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes
We got off to a great start with a series of hikes over several days.
We set off around noon, my wife, who wasn't very fit because of the confinement, gave up and I continued on my own.
The weather was very fine in France, overcast in Italy (I hear it's that way every afternoon in this valley), and we arrived at the refuge at 4pm (with a picnic break).
At 6pm, it rained.
Very good meal, but very copious at the refuge (I wasn't able to finish it all), with very good compliance with the barrier measures.
A comment on the description: at the Col Lacroix, there are two paths that go down on the Italian side. You have to take the one on the right.
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 02, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
As it was a short stage, I climbed to the top of Praroussin. It's well worth it: a beautiful 360° view that gives you a foretaste of the high mountains. For those chilled by the icy wind at the Col de la Croix, don't worry, there's very little wind at the top. You can picnic here, sheltered from the wind, on one of the large flat terraced stones. At the pass, take the path that starts off to the right, just after the small border building. Round trip from pass to pass: one hour.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Aug 14, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Nice climb up to the Col Lacroix... and we're in Italy!
Marmots on the descent.
The Jervis hut, the objective of this 1st stage, is quickly reached: the food is excellent! A wonderful crème caramel !!!! The refuge can be reached in 1? hours on the Italian side, so there are lots of people there for meals. It's a very friendly place.
This first stage is a warm-up for the 5-day tour.
You can easily set off in the early afternoon and plan to arrive in the late afternoon. The valley is very pretty (lots of bivouacs) and we cross it the next day for the 2nd stage.
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Overall rating : 3.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 27, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
[Carried out as part of the 5-day Tour of Mont Viso.
For the record, we are a fairly sedentary couple and not very sporty, and we decided to do this itinerary in bivouac + food autonomy for 5 days].
First stage, completed on 27/07/2017
Departure from l'Echalp (car park) at around 10:30 am
Break after the pass (windy): 12:30 to 13:30
Arrive at the Refuge du Jarvis around 3:30pm for refreshments.
Shortly after the Jarvis, staying on the itinerary, on the plain slightly below, there is a stream, numerous drinking troughs and fountains... as you come across quite a few herds of cows.
It was here (between 2 Italian scout camps) that we bivouacked for our first night (a little noisy and smoky from the scouts' fires).
Apart from the scent of the cembro pines that accompany the start of this tour, the only attraction of this first stage is that it takes us out of the "civilised" valley and into the more natural and wilder mountain pastures. You won't see another road or hear another engine for another 6 days.
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Trek around Monte Viso in 5 days 
Association / Club / Walk leader
59.91 km
+4,484 m
-4,477 m
5 days
Difficult
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
The circular of the Praroussin 
Visorando Member 
8.21 km
+974 m
-971 m
5h 10
Difficult
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
Lakes Égorgéou and Baricle from Échalp Visorando Member 
11.47 km
+786 m
-787 m
5h 30
Moderate
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
Col Lacroix loop starting from Échalp Visorando Member 
8.58 km
+629 m
-636 m
4h 15
Moderate
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
Trak around Monte Viso day 1: L'Echalp - Refuge Granero Visorando Member 
11.55 km
+1,284 m
-608 m
7h 00
Difficult
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
L'Echalp - Abriés Visorando Member 
15.21 km
+986 m
-1,112 m
7h 10
Moderate
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
Lake Lestio from the large Viso viewpoint Visorando Member 
18.01 km
+776 m
-775 m
7h 20
Difficult
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
The Petit Belvédère du Mont Viso at the start of La Roche Écroulée Visorando Member 
2.74 km
+143 m
-144 m
1h 10
Easy
Departure from Ristolas (Hautes-Alpes)
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