At the foot of the Aiguilles d'Arves - Basse du Gerbier

A superb hike in a magnificent setting at the foot of the Aiguilles d'Arves. The coolness of the torrent, the landscape ravaged by erosion, flower-filled mountain pastures, the whistling of marmots and shy chamois complete the picture.
A comfortable walk has been created passing through (1) and (2).

Details

632026
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.61 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 681 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 682 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,590 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,908 m

Photos

Description of the walk

(S/E) From the car park (1900m), take the beautiful track that continues along the road (vehicle access restricted on the track) and walk for about 20 minutes until you reach a junction.

(1) Continue along the track on the right-hand side. Shortly afterwards, ignore a path on the right leading to a chalet below, then reach a fork with a trail.

(2) Ignore the path on the left and stay on the track, which gradually approaches the stream. Pass a path on the left leading to a chalet, a path on the right leading to another route, then another path on the left leading to another chalet.
In fact, you just need to follow the stream. You will reach a rudimentary footbridge.

(3) Cross the footbridge and, immediately after, a secure footbridge over the main stream. Continue climbing until you reach an intersection.

(4) At the La Motte sign, leave a path to the left leading to a chalet and take a trail that climbs more steeply. This will take you to Basse du Gerbier, marked by a stake.

(5) Continue left along the ridge for about 500 metres until you reach another stake, where you can enjoy a wider view.

(6) Return by the same route.

(2) Take the path on the right, which leads to a track. Turn left.

(1) Continue on the right to reach the car park (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,909 m - Parking at the pylon
  2. 1 : km 0.56 - alt. 1,956 m - Intersection
  3. 2 : km 1.06 - alt. 1,970 m - Fork
  4. 3 : km 2.59 - alt. 2,115 m - Basic footbridge
  5. 4 : km 2.88 - alt. 2,166 m - La Motte
  6. 5 : km 4.7 - alt. 2,554 m - Basse du Gerbier
  7. 6 : km 5.23 - alt. 2,590 m - Picket
  8. S/E : km 10.61 - alt. 1,908 m - Parking

Notes

To reach the car park, cross the hamlet of Chalmieu and continue for 3 km with the pylon in sight.
Two orientation tables near the pylon.

Along the leisurely walk, there are facilities depicting the life of the region's inhabitants.
The leisure trail is accessible to people with reduced mobility, and access to the car park via the track near (1) is therefore permitted for those concerned.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 24 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 11362528

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, even though the peaks were shrouded in mist. We set off at 8 a.m., so the trail was still fairly quiet, but we encountered more people on the way down. No technical difficulties.

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Pégourié
Pégourié

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, not too crowded despite the date, perhaps because there were a few clouds in the morning playing hide-and-seek with the peaks. What a pleasure to be at the foot of these peaks that we are so used to seeing from afar in the Alpine landscape.
I was hesitant to go via Plan Pradin despite the many reviews below because the path is not marked on the IGN map. In fact, it is very well signposted all the way (signs and yellow markings). We took it on the way up, which is a little longer but less steep on this side.
Note that there was a large rockfall in the afternoon on the southern slope of the Tête de Chat, which remained in the scree, far from the mountain pasture.
We enjoyed a pleasant break on our return to the Chalet d'la Croë.

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User 6883586

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A somewhat challenging hike, but so beautiful. Quiet at this time of year (late June), allowing you to encounter marmots and stop whenever and wherever you wish. I fear that there will be many more hikers in July.

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bapmab
bapmab

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk, perfectly described. Nothing to add, except to thank the author and express our eagerness to bring our children and grandchildren there!

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DD 42
DD 42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

some snow at the end of the hike, but great scenery

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Danielb30
Danielb30

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike on the Aiguilles d'Arves, but ruined, in my opinion, at the start and finish by a trail that was at least 2 km long before reaching the path.
Very busy route.

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fleur62250
fleur62250

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike could have been enjoyable if it hadn't been so hot and sunny
The entire trail is in direct sunlight, with no shade and no water to cool off, so we had to stop

What's more, we turned off when we saw the first footbridge, which looked rather rudimentary... but we never saw a second footbridge, and the second river was just there. So we turned back and continued a little further along the main path

The view of the Aiguilles is still magnificent. To find the car park, just cross the hamlet and follow the only road signposted "route des Aiguilles". You will automatically arrive at the car park at the end of the road

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Lire7lynx3
Lire7lynx3

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We were truly amazed throughout this hike: the trail started off very welcoming with harmonious colours and flowers all around... we were very impressed to be so close to the Aiguilles d'Arves, which we usually only see in the distance.
On the advice of other Visorandonneurs, we continued the route to the point called "sous la Tête de Chat" at an altitude of 2,581 metres, then descended via Plan Pradin, which allows you to see another side of the Tête de Chat and complete a nice loop, without any difficulty and for the same walking time (about 5 hours in total).
There were no crowds on this route that day.
We hardly used the map or the GPX file; there were signposts.

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Delisa
Delisa

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

This hike, which is a round trip, can be greatly enhanced (by extending it by just 1 km) by returning via Plan Pradin. Simply continue along the path after point (6) and descend through the mountain streams and alpine pastures. The views are wilder on this side and the meadows are gentler than on the climb up to Basse Gerbier. There are also marmots galore.

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annasteeljo
annasteeljo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Stunning scenery. Mont Blanc visible. No difficulty. Flowers galore.

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sonot
sonot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike with our feet in the snow under a glorious sun! We completed the loop via the Pradin map, then returned to the late afternoon sunshine by following the 2,200 m contour line that crosses various streams until descending the ridge between the 2,167 m point and the end of the trail leading to the two chalets at Pré Valloire.

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VCANET
VCANET

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

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JARDEL Jean-Marc
JARDEL Jean-Marc

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful walk. Option to make a loop without extending the duration by going through Plan Pradin.

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chirat dominique
chirat dominique

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike in the sunshine at the foot of the Aiguilles d'Arves. You can make a loop by passing under the Tête de Chat, which joins the trail before the footbridge.

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valygo
valygo

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

it's more interesting to make a loop via Plan Pradin

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