Col des Thures and Lac Chavillon

Name: Col des Thures and Lac Chavillon
Address: Parking du Roubion Roubion, Névache, 05100
Telephone: 04 92 20 02 20
Price range: Free access.

Névache

Col des Thûres and Lac Chavillon - © Thibaut Blais

A hike accessible to all and ideal for lovers of wide open spaces. The reward is crossing the magnificent Thûres plateau, offering incredible views of the three imposing peaks of the Magi and Mont Thabor.

Description

This hike starts from the hamlet of Roubion. The Champ Bellet parking lot is the most suitable, but don't hesitate to park at the main Roubion parking lot if parking spaces are limited.

You'll need to take the forest track above Roubion, which runs alongside the torrent of the same name, to the forest chalet, well hidden among the trees. A pleasant first stop before tackling the first bends and the climb. A sign indicates "Col des Thûres", which you should follow. You then have 2 options: either the path above the chalet that climbs into the woods, or the track that follows the torrent, both of which join up a little further on.

You've already been walking for around 1h15 when the slope starts to seriously increase, but the arrival at the "fairy chimney" will make you forget that you're a little short of breath!

A fairy chimney (or "demoiselle coiffée") is a yellowish geological formation, a kind of large natural column made of friable rock, usually sedimentary, with a hard, erosion-resistant rock at the top.

The trail then winds through larch woodland to the Thûres plateau. The landscape is finally clear, and the view over the Clarée valley is breathtaking. From here, you can also see the Pic de Rochebrune, the highest peak between Izoard and Queyras at 3320 m altitude.

Crossing the plateau, the small stream you follow leads directly to Lac Chavillon. From here, you can see the Vallée Étroite and the famous Mont Thabor at 3178 m altitude.