Tourettes Mountain Pass
Châteauroux-les-Alpes

Tourettes Mountain Pass

Pass
Fauna
Geology
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This itinerary for the good walker enables morning hikers to make the most of the cool air in the Rabioux valley and to observe Champsaur, les Ecrins and their surroundings in the early morning. 

From the freshness of the larch forest to the heat of the sun on the final slope, the Tourettes mountain-pass links the Durance valley to that of the Drac. It offers a spectacular view of the Champsaur and the surrounding massifs. The watchful eye "armed with binoculars" will observe the chamois which populate the slopes of the Dent mountain or will stealthily observe the fluttering of  the Wall Creeper. 

6 points of interest

  • Fauna

    Marmot of the Alps

    The Alpine Marmot is naturally present on the grass land.. This big rodent is only visible from April to October, it takes refuge during the cold period in its burrow where it hibernates.. The marmot lives in a family, respecting a strict hierarchy. Games, grooming, fighting insure the dominance of the couple as well as the cohesion of the group.. Each animal participate in the delimitation of the territory by rubbing its cheeks on the rocks or by urinating or defecating there. When there is a danger, the marmot makes a piercing whistle to warn the others. 

  • Flora

    Giant Scabious

    The Giant Scabious is a plant from the pastures and the megaphorbiaies. It is recognizable by its large size and its blossom (the arrangement of its flowers along the stalk) with yellow flower heads. Its flowering time varies from between July and September.

  • Pastoralism

    Dent Pastoral Cabin

    Toward an altitude of 2 000 m, the Dent pastoral cabin Dent is situated at 100 metres above the track. It is equipped with a turning paravalanche behind the cabin consisting of a stone stem. The fact that it can turn enables it to deviate the avalanche or to make it pass over the cabin in order to avoid its destruction.

  • Flora

    Heathland on the sunny slope

    The heathland on the sunny slope puts up with the stress and dry conditions of summer but benefits from more clement conditions during the growing season.

  • Fauna

    Common Rock Thrush

    The common rock thrush does not only live in the mountains, more than anything it likes the stones and the sunshine at the edge of the forest. Apart from its displays and in spite of its bright colours it knows how to be very discreet. Right from its arrival at the end of April, it searches for a territory in which to reproduce and it makes its presence felt.  During May, it builds its nest on the soil or in a rock cavity. Finally, after the summer very discreetly, all the family leave for the South Sahara in order to pass the Winter.

  • Fauna

    Chamois

    An emblematic alpine animal, the chamois or « rock goat » has short, black, hooked horns. Like the ibex it is more easily observed through binoculars, especially in the morning. Les chèvres and esterlons (young one year old males) like to be part of big herds; however, the billy goats stay rather isolated and only rejoin the females at mating time. In winter the Chamois need plenty of tranquillity in order to preserve their reserves of fat which help them to survive in the cold season.

Description

Take the Rabioux pastoral path to the Muandes carpark. Follwo the forest path on foot which penetrates the heart of the Ecrins National Park, pass near to the Charançons gîte then the Serre chalets. Then the path crosses the larch groves, cross the Rabioux torrent and loop to the right, leading without difficulty to the Tourettes mountain pass. Return using the same itinerary. 

  • Departure : Les Charbonnières, Châteauroux-les-Alpes
  • Towns crossed : Châteauroux-les-Alpes

Altimetric profile

Recommandations

Since the slope is exposed to the sun, plan to leave for your hike early in the morning. 

Is in the midst of the park
The national park is an unrestricted natural area but subjected to regulations which must be known by all visitors.

Herd protection dogs

In mountain pastures, protection dogs are there to protect the herds from predators (wolves, etc.).

When I hike I adapt my behavior by going around the herd and pausing for the dog to identify me.

Find out more about the actions to adopt with the article "Protection dogs: a context and actions to adopt".
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Information desks

Maison du Parc de l'Embrunais

Place de l’Église, 05380 Châteauroux-les-Alpes

http://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr/embrunais@ecrins-parcnational.fr04 92 43 23 31

Information, documentation, exhibition, screenings, products and books of the Park. Accessible to people with reduced mobility. Free admission. All animations of the Park are free unless otherwise stated.

Find out more

Access and parking

Leave the N 94 to get to the centre of Châteauroux. Follow the signposts marked "Vallée du Rabioux" and "Cascade de la Pisse". 

More information

Source

Parc national des Ecrinshttps://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr

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