COL LACROIX
Contributed by David Sellars
FACTS
Country: France
Location: Cottian Alps
Round trip: 7 km
Start elevation: 1790 m
Final Elevation: 2300 m
Map: Map IGN 1:25,000 Mont Viso 3637 OT
GETTING THERE
From Guillestre drive NE on D947 through Aiguille. There is a good parking lot at the end of the road just past l’Echalp.
PARTIAL PLANT LIST
Saxifraga valdensis
Primula farinosa
Viola calcarea
Gymnadenia rhellicani
Anemone baldensis
Androsace obtusifolia
Gentiana verna
Pinguicula alpina
Silene acaulis
Vitaliana primuliflora
Petrocallis pyrenaica
Campanula alpestris
This hike is within the beautiful and unspoilt Parc Naturel Regional du Queyras. In addition to the 1:25,000 map it is worth having the 1:60,000 Libris Edition map #06 of the park which has excellent cartography.
The path ascends to the east up an open field and then climbs through a larch forest. A small rock step over the Crete de Praroussin leads to an open valley and an easy climb up to the Col Lacroix.
Flowers in the valley include Primula farinosa and Pinguicula alpina. A large flowered form of Silene acaulis is quite common. On a long cliff (just above the col to the NW) are a number of fine plants including the rare Saxifraga valdensis which is endemic to this area of the Alps. On the other side of the col a steep path leads up to some meadows and cliffs where we found Androsace obtusifolia, Gymnadenia rhellicani and Anemone baldensis.
Some excellent photos and information can be found at these links:
COL LACROIX GALLERY
Photos taken June 26, 2011
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