Discover France’s Cerces massif — A Tour of Mont Thabor

Nestled between the Vanoise, Queyras and Écrins mountains, the Cerces massif is incredibly wild. Just a step away from the Italian border, you’ll find a corner of paradise with crystal clear lakes, imposing scree slopes, flowery alpine pastures and myriad summits which culminate at more than 3,000 metres (9,840 ft). This is also a place full of history: smuggling, looting and fortifications have all left their marks in this cross-border region. The GRP Tour du Mont Thabor opens the doors to this unique universe. Are you ready for adventure?

This adventure isn’t technically difficult and is suitable for anyone in good physical condition. Here, I’ve divided the route into five stages to give you time to fully enjoy your days and all the mountain has to offer. Whether you want to enjoy a nice picnic break by a lake, admire the view from the top of a mountain or enjoy a cool drink on the terrace of a hut at the end of the day, this itinerary will give you the time.

If you wish to hike the GRP in more or fewer days, there are plenty of lodges and huts located along the route, so you can cut it up according to your needs. You’ll find the map of the overnight stops on the route here: refugesclareethabor.com/fr/il4-claree,thabor_p38-carte.aspx (in French)
I strongly advise you to book your nights in huts so you don’t miss out. If you prefer to camp, it’s tolerated along the whole route and you’ll find many beautiful (and flat!) spots to pitch a tent.

The GRP starts and ends in Névache, in the heart of the Clarée valley. You can get there by bus from Briançon train station with the RESALP shuttles. Be careful though, in summer the shuttle is only available with a 48-hour advance booking. For more information, visit the dedicated page on the Clarée tourist office website: claree-tourisme.fr/acces-rapide/acces (in French).

In order to avoid snow on the passes and summits, hiking between the beginning of June and the end of September is best.