Col de Sarenne – La Croix de Cassini

Hike n°11 on the Hiking in Oisans map.
The superb panorama includes glaciers of all types: dome-shaped, icefalls or hanging glaciers. It is a unique opportunity to discover crevasses, rimayes, ice tongues, seracs and moraines.

TECHNICAL INFORMATIONS
Starting point: Col de Sarenne
Elevation gain: 374 m
Duration There/Back: 2h
Distance: 3,6 km
Level: Medium

ITINERARY
From the Col de Sarenne, or for walkers from La Croix de Cassini, the glacial landscape is very varied with the La Muzelle glacier and, notably, the complex which includes the Mont de Lans, Muretouse, Girose, Enfetchores, La Meije and Tabuchet glaciers which reach a height of almost 4,000 m.

TO SEE ON THIS ROAD
-The sheepfold at the Col de Sarenne
-Mountain pastures at Grange Pellorce

TO SEE NEARBY
-The village of Clavans in Haut Oisans, with its fountains, small squares, church and old houses
In Alpe d’Huez :
-The Musée d’Huez et de l’Oisans
-Notre Dame des Neiges Church with its striking architecture, its unusual organ shaped like a hand reaching up to the heavens and its 13 stained glass windows depicting scenes from the gospels.

TO KNOW :
The Ecrins range is the most extensive range of glaciers in France.
From the summit of La Croix, it is easy to see why, in the 17th century, the geographer Cassini, had good reason to choose to map this part of the Écrins range from this peak.