|
(2865 m)
Click on the map
|
|
Wide open spaces for the walker, but not many paths. A classic ski-mountaineering route, the summit of Les Ratissières (2865m) is often left alone in summer. It is located at the meeting point of three separate ridges, the Adrets, Borne Noire and Le Puy ridges, all climbable without any particular difficulty. The least interesting is Le Puy, the winter route. The route described below is a loop starting from les Choseaux-Verneys. It uses some of the anti-avalanche works protecting la Rivine and Les Verneys. From Les Verneys or la Rivine to the summit, 1300m and about 3h30. Updated 25.06.2004.
At Les Verneys, 3 km after Valloire towards col du Galibier, turn right and up towards Choseaux-Verneys. Leave the car in front of three large wooden chalets. The path starts at the top end of the parking lot (1639m, signpost).
Route
The path traverses left and up the grassy slopes above Les Verneys and in about 45mn reaches the top of the old Plan des Clos skilift (hut, signpost), where it meets the trail that leads down to La Rivine (alternate start). Take the wide trail above and at the third hairpin, take a shortcut path (arrow) that leads up to a gorge and stream above. From this point, the loop begins and the routes can be done either way.
Once again on the trail, do not cross the stream, but turn right, then left about 250m further on, to start up a system of anti-avalanche trails that leads at 2250m out of the steep face (visible from below) onto a grassy coomb between the Adrets and Borne Noire ridges. Walk up the beautiful pastures, trend left, cross the stream (2400m) and then up the Borne Noire ridge. It is easy up to 2650m, then gets steeper as it turns left. The summit (cairn, 2865m) is easily reached. See panorama below.
180° panorama from the top of Les Ratissières
Alternate route : On reaching point 2250m, turn right to go up the grassy slopes that lead to the Adrets ridge. Walk up the ridge until, after a much steeper bit, the route joins the previous route at about 2650m.
Descent
Go down the Puy ridge. At 2500m, a path (very visible from the ascent route and the top) descends left into the coomb between the Puy and Borne Noire ridges. Go down on the beautiful grass slopes (photo below) to reach Le Vallon (chalets, 2174m). Go down the wide trail below, cross the gorge and the stream and find the ascent route again (top of the shortcut path).
Descending into the Commandraut valley offers little interest. Walk down to Les Aiguilles, then turn left towards La Rivine and Les Verneys.
The grassy coomb between the Puy (left) and Borne Noire ridges