Pas De Montbrun

Hiking > Routes > Chartreuse > Pas De Montbrun

Route from the Petites Roches trail

Description

The first couloir as you exit the forest

Follow the same route as the Pas de Rocheplane as far as the Source de Sanglier but continue northwards along the contour in the direction of the Bois de Playères. After a few hundred meters the path climbs a litte with a couple of hairpins. You then reach some small concrete buildings. This is the source of the Bruyant stream and these presumably form part of the water supply for the village of le Prayer directly below. Cross a clearing staying at the same level and continue through the woods until you reach a cross-roads. There is signpost here. Down the hill is the village of les Pelloux. Turn up the slope, the path is quite steep, sometimes following zig-zags, sometimes climbing directly up the slope. It then turns south-westwards before leaving the forest at 1575 meters. Here you can see a large couloir directly in front. This is not the Pas de Montbrun, don't be fooled.

Couloir de Montbrun

The path doubles back northwards and crosses a couple of scree slopes. You will start to see some blue markings on the rocks. Looking to the left the view of the cliff faces is slightly obscured by a small cliff band some 100 meters above the trail. At the very highest point of the trail (1615 meters - N 45.3339° E 05.8796°), before it descends back into the forest you should see a blue arrow on the rocks and looking left a notch in the small cliff band. Start climbing here with the aim of passing the cliff band on the right hand side. The path is hard to make out initially but as the cliff band becomes much more evident with clear blue markings on the rocks.

The path is visible below

The Pas de Montbrun is now obvious as a couloir descending through the cliff face. The climbing gets a bit steeper and you will need to use both hands in places but it is not particuarly technical. As you clear this couloir at 1790 meters you turn right to loop around a small rock stack before climbing into a large bowl. The exit from the bowl is directly in front, slightly to the south.

Climbing the couloir de Montbrun

Variants

You can either descend by the same route and/or climb to the Dome de Bellefont to descend by the Aup de Seuil (in this case park at la Batie and approach the Pas de Montbrun from the North). Otherwise you can do a loop by descending via the Pas de Rocheplane with a shorter descent to the car park.

Entrance to the couloir Montbrun from the Pas

Comments

Le Mont Blanc from the Couloir de Montbrun

A pleasant and warm autumn day autumn day with virtually no wind. Ideal walking weather with clear air for views over the surrounding peaks and golden brown forest. The pas de Montbrun is quite steep, particuarly on the slopes before you reach the couloir which can be a bit slippery.

Grand Charnier and Casse (with snow)

Contributed by davidof on the 11 Oct 2006

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