Maljasset

High Valley Pastures, Stone Houses, and Mountain Trails in the Upper Ubaye

Maljasset is a small alpine hamlet at the head of the Ubaye Valley in the southern French Alps. Set at around 1,900 metres and surrounded by high mountains close to the Italian border, it is a remote base for walking and exploring the upper reaches of the valley.

The settlement is formed by a small cluster of traditional stone houses and farm buildings surrounded by open pasture. Beyond the hamlet, the broad valley floor gives way to steeper mountain slopes, rocky ridges and high passes, creating a landscape that feels increasingly remote as the road and settlements are left behind.

The GR5 passes through Maljasset as it crosses this part of the Alps, making the hamlet a natural stopping point for walkers travelling through the upper Ubaye. A wider network of mountain paths also leads from the settlement into the surrounding valleys and towards high passes on the French-Italian border.

There is no through road beyond Maljasset, reinforcing its position as a trailhead at the end of the inhabited valley. From here, walking routes range from paths through alpine pasture to longer mountain days involving sustained ascent, rocky terrain and high cols.

For walkers following the GR5, Maljasset provides an overnight stop within one of the more remote sections of the route. Chalet Maljasset provides a well-placed stay within the hamlet, while a longer stay gives walkers time to explore the high pastures, mountain trails and border landscapes of the upper Ubaye.