Ristolas Mountains
Mount Viso (3841 m)
Mount Viso, a huge basalt pyramid in Italy, is the highest peak in the Southern Alps. It towers head and shoulders above the neighbouring mountains, which are 500 m lower than it. Its name, to be compared with Vesontio (Besançon) and Vesuvius, probably has a pre-Roman origin and refers to a high point.
Le Mont Viso domine les montagnes voisines de la tête et des épaules
Mount Aiguillette (3287 m)
Le mont Aiguillette (Ristolas)
Mont Aiguillette is one of the mountains that mark the border between France and Italy. It borders the upper Guil valley. It can be reached from Echalp (commune of Ristolas).
Foréant peak (3081 m)
The Foréant peak dominates the Bouchouse valley and its lakes, and can be reached from Col Agnel via Col Vieux and Col de l'Eychassier. The descent is via the Eychassier lakes and the Foréant torrent to the lake of the same name, where the GR 58, Tour du Queyras, leads back to the village of Ristolas.
Cairn au sommet du pic Foréant à Ristolas
La Taillante ridge (3197 m)
La crête de la Taillante à Ristolas. Cette montagne est décrite comme étant un mille-feuilles de marbre clair
The Crête de la Taillante is a great wave of stone that stretches for 4 km. More precisely, it's a thousand-leaf stack of light marble layers overlooking lakes Foréant and Egorgéou. Its ascent requires good mountain experience.
Pain de Sucre (3208 m)
The Pain de Sucre, like the Crête de la Taillante (3197 m), is a mountain formed of layers of light marble that dominate the lustrous schists of the Col Agnel. It is reached via the Col Vieux (2806 m). The panorama over Italy, except on nebbia days, and the view of Mont Viso (3841 m) and Pic d'Asti (2925 m), are incomparable. Beware of falling rocks on busy days.
Le Pain de sucre à Ristolas