Pic Bayle
3,465 m
France
- Elevation
- 3,465 m
- Prominence
- 1,175 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jun–Jul
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The most direct glacier route to the highest point of the Grandes Rousses: about 1,600 m from the Col de Sarenne (1,999 m) above Alpe d'Huez, up grassy slopes and the Grand Sablat glacier (35°, a few crevasses) past the Pic de la Pyramide, then a 40° snow slope on the summit pyramid. At least 5½ hours up, 4 down; best early season.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 11.6 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,797 m
- −320 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 3,465 m
- Time Up
- 8h 05m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 6h 07m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From the Col de Sarenne (1,999 m), reached by the small road east from Alpe d'Huez past the altiport, take the path north towards the Pisserote stream. At about 2,150 m turn left and climb grassy slopes west around the Dents du Cerisier, following the ski-touring line on the IGN map, then cross a wide, wet flat fed by meltwater from the Grand Sablat glacier. Rope up on the glacier and climb north-west up its centre past point 2,521 m. The glacier is a logical line at about 35° with a few crevasses; the Pic de la Pyramide comes into view higher up. At about 3,050 m bear firmly north, keeping the Pic de la Pyramide on your right, towards the summit pyramid of the Pic Bayle. Pass below the first rock step at its western base and climb the snow slope (about 40°) in wide zigzags to the ridge just west of the summit, then follow it easily to the top (3,465 m). Late in the season this face is steep, unstable scree. Descend the same way, about 4 hours in good snow; the Pic de la Pyramide (3,382 m) can be added if time and weather allow. Start before dawn and go early in the season: the glacier has retreated markedly and a bergschrund has been reported below the ridge between the Col de la Pyramide and the summit in recent summers. The Pic Blanc cable car top station (3,330 m) above Alpe d'Huez gives a shorter, lift-assisted approach to the upper Grand Sablat glacier when it is running.
Start
Col de Sarenne1,987 m
- Pic Blanc cable car above Alpe d'Huez gives lift-assisted access to the upper Grand Sablat glacier when running in summer (free descent in summer reported in 2024)
- T75 bus from Grenoble to Bourg-d'Oisans; no public transport to the Col de Sarenne.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Col de Sarenne → Pic Bayle | 11.6 | 1,797 | 320 | 8h 05m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Col de Sarenne1,987 m
- Feature: Glacier du Grand Sablat2,923 m
Rope up; about 35° with a few crevasses
- Summit: Pic Bayle3,465 m
Key Passages
- Glacier du Grand Sablat (35°, crevasses)
- 40° snow slope on the summit pyramid
- Easy summit ridge
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 70%Overview
The highest summit of the Grandes Rousses (3,465 m), one metre higher than its neighbour the Pic de l'Étendard, rising above Alpe d'Huez in the Oisans. An easy glacier ascent (F) by the shrinking Grand Sablat glacier, with views over the Écrins, Belledonne and the Aiguilles d'Arves.
Pic Bayle crowns the Grandes Rousses, a crystalline massif in Isère between the Romanche, Eau d'Olle and Arvan valleys, directly north-east of the Alpe d'Huez ski area. It is only a metre higher than the Pic de l'Étendard to the north, and the two are linked by a classic ridge traverse. Its eastern side carries the Glacier des Malatres, which feeds the Glacier des Quirlies; to the south and west lie the Grand Sablat and Rousses glaciers, all in rapid retreat.
The peak is a straightforward but genuine glacier outing: about 1,600 m of ascent on foot from the Col de Sarenne or Lac Besson, with 35–45° snow slopes, a few crevasses, a bergschrund in recent summers and loose rock on the summit pyramid. The Pic Blanc cable car above Alpe d'Huez can shorten the approach to the upper Grand Sablat glacier when it is running. The summit view takes in Belledonne to the north, the Écrins to the south and the Aiguilles d'Arves to the east.
In winter and spring the Grandes Rousses are a major ski-touring area, and Pic Bayle is a classic objective by several faces, often combined with the Alpe d'Huez lifts.
Climbing Notes
Basic glacier skills are needed: roped glacier travel, crevasse rescue, and confident cramponing on 35–45° slopes. Fit parties do the climb in a long day (9–11 hours round trip from the Col de Sarenne), starting before dawn; early season (June to mid-July) gives the best snow cover. Later in summer the glacier is icier, the bergschrund under the summit ridge opens and the summit pyramid turns to loose scree, so a helmet is essential. The Refuge de la Fare (11–12 places, staffed in July–August) splits the western route over two days. Guides are available in Alpe d'Huez and Bourg-d'Oisans.
History
The first ascent was made on 17 August 1874 by Abbé Joseph Ferdinand Auguste Bayle (1841–1880), a parish priest and mountaineer from Cornillon-en-Trièves who later died at Oz; the peak bears his name. The Refuge de la Fare, used on the western approach, was built in 1887 by the Société des Touristes du Dauphiné and is the oldest refuge in the Oisans.
Season
Best Jun–Jul- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Good
- April: Good
- May: Possible
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Good
- September: Possible
- October: Not advisable
- November: Not advisable
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Ski-touring for experienced parties
- Feb
- Ski-touring for experienced parties
- Mar
- Ski-touring season
- Apr
- Spring ski-touring
- May
- Spring snow; late ski tours
- Jun
- Best snow cover for the summer routes; start before dawn
- Jul
- Refuge de la Fare staffed; snow softens early
- Aug
- Glacier icier, bergschrund open, loose summit scree
- Sep
- Dry, icy glacier and loose rock
- Oct
- Early winter conditions
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Early ski-touring if snow allows
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Refuge de la Fare: half board on reservation, by WhatsApp, SMS or phone (patchy signal); cash or cheque only.
- Getting There
Alpe d'Huez; Bourg-d'Oisans
Grenoble Alpes-Isère (GNB); Lyon-Saint-Exupéry (LYS)
- Car: D211 from Bourg-d'Oisans up to Alpe d'Huez; for the Col de Sarenne continue past the altiport on the small road east; for Lac Besson follow the D211F and the 'Chemin des Lacs' signs to the road end
- Bus: T75 from Grenoble to Bourg-d'Oisans; a free shuttle runs to Oz-en-Oisans for the Alpette gondola
- Lifts: Alpette gondola (Oz) or Vaujany cable car for the Refuge de la Fare; Pic Blanc cable car above Alpe d'Huez for the upper Grand Sablat glacier when running
Hazards
- Glacier
- Crevasses
- Rockfall
- Altitude
- Weather
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
1- 2,280 m
Refuge de la FareRefugeStaffedBooking required
11 beds · Staffed July–August; unstaffed dormitory open the rest of the year (very hard to reach early December to late April)