Tour De Pravouta

Hiking -> Routes -> Chartreuse -> Tour De Pravouta

Description

Dome de Pravouta, south side

Park your car at the col de coq and walk down the road towards the old ski station. Continue straight on at the left hair pin at 1434m on a well made gravel track. There is a sign post which says Pravouta 1 hour 15mn. Climb up through some woodland (foret de l'Ocèpé). At around 1500m you come out of the forest into a clearing. Follow the track up to the right but keeping on the left of the clearing looking up the mountain, the Pravouta is to the right. The main track curves to the right but you should continue straight ahead on a small path (there ate blue markings on the rocks). This straight track eventually leads to the Habert de Pravouta. Just before the refuge there is a spring with cattle troughs. Turn towards the south east (yellow markings). The path goes up a steepish slope before traversing north west to a col under the roc d'Arguille. There is a sign post at this point.

Roc d'Arguille from the dome de Pravouta

At the col you can either continue to the south west to the col des Ayes or turn directly south to climb to the Dome de Pravouta marked as point 1760m on the IGN map. From the summit of the Dome continue southwards on a less clearly defined track with one or two bits of scrambling. At around 1550m this re-enters the forest. The only complicated point is where it crosses through a small notch (N 45.3045° E 05.8363°, 1499 meters) which is marked by a cairn. The path arrives back at the col de coq parking.

Habert de Pravouta

Comments

Lovely walk but I must admit I preferred going up to the top than going down, not only because of the slightly tricky descent through the forest but also because the view on the way up is breathtaking. The refuge (Habert de Pravouta) is currently undergoing some renovation works (roof done and new chimney it seems). There are some nice flat areas where you can have a picnic and find shelter under some trees. Quite a few flies at the moment as sheep had just gone through the area. Weather was warm (20C at 1450 meters) with some clouds on the tops.

Contributed by Gigi on the 30th June 2006

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