Loop of the four Aussois refuges

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From the new car park at the Aussois dams, there is a fairly easy route around Lake Plan-d'Amont, which allows you to discover the four refuges in the southern part of the Vanoise National Park. You enter the heart of the park. In summer, there are many marmots and they are not shy. The landscapes are magnificent and varied, from the rhododendron bushes on the lake shore to the Labby glacier and the mineral deserts of La Fournache.

Details

n°290334
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.80 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,837 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,867 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,301 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 6,640 ft
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Photos

Sprinkled with white, near and far...
rest and relax with your feet up..
refuge du Fond d'Aussois
The Aussois valley

Description of the walk

Park in the newly developed car park (with numerous information boards, maps, toilets, etc.) overlooking Plan d’Aval.

(S/E) Head north towards the Plan d’Amont dam. At the northern end of the car park, leave the road that descends towards the foot of the dam and take the path on the right signposted “Lac du Génépy”. Join the path climbing up from the foot of the dam (former car park) and quickly reach the Plan Sec ski lift on the right.

(1) Follow the road, turning left twice, and pass under the ski lift. Further up, turn right and join theGR®®5. Leave it shortly afterwards to reach the Plan Sec refuge on the right.

(2) From the refuge, head north. A path leads back to theGR®®5. 500m past La Randolière, leave the wide track branching off to the right for a path that crosses the bridge over the Ruisseau de la Fournache. Head up to the right towards the Refuge de la Fournache.

(3) From the refuge, follow the signposted path towards the Refuge de la Dent Parrachée. Please note that before reaching the refuge, a fairly steep snowfield persists late in the season (at the end of June 2016 it was still there).

(4) From the refuge, pass in front of the PNV rangers’ chalet and head down towards the wide torrent flowing down from the Glacier du Labby (be careful, as some sections are quite steep). Cross the torrent via a bridge upon reaching the Fond d’Aussois valley.

(5) Turn right and head up the wide valley towards the Col d’Aussois, passing the Notre-Dame des Anges Chapel. Reach the Fond d’Aussois Refuge (a bridge allows you to cross the Saint-Benoit stream).

(6) Head back down the same path to the bridge.

(5) Continue straight ahead towards the south-east. After La Sétéria, turn right towards the bridge.

(7) From the Pont de la Sétériat, follow a wide path overlooking the lake which leads back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 6,683 ft - Aussois Dams car park.
  2. 1 : mi 0.62 - alt. 7,244 ft - Plan-Sec ski lift
  3. 2 : mi 1.39 - alt. 7,595 ft - Refuge de Plan Sec (2320m)
  4. 3 : mi 2.14 - alt. 7,740 ft - Refuge de la Fournache (2300m)
  5. 4 : mi 2.67 - alt. 8,258 ft - Refuge de la Dent Parrachée (2515m)
  6. 5 : mi 3.5 - alt. 7,589 ft - Labby Torrent Bridge
  7. 6 : mi 3.94 - alt. 7,651 ft - Refuge du Fond d'Aussois
  8. 7 : mi 5.29 - alt. 7,238 ft - Pont de la Sétéria
  9. S/E : mi 6.8 - alt. 6,683 ft - Aussois Dams car park.

Notes

- The newly built car park does not yet appear on the IGN map or on satellite images, but you cannot miss it; it is at the end of the road!

- You can significantly shorten the walk by going directly from (3) to (7), thus avoiding the trickiest sections, but you’ll miss out on the Fond d’Aussois valley, which is particularly popular with marmots.
- If you’re feeling fit, you can push on to Lac du Genepy from the Refuge de la Dent Parrachée. But be warned: this route, which climbs to 2,900m, can be very snowy late in the season (this was the case at the end of June 2016).
- The paths are in excellent condition and the signposting is adequate.
- Water is available everywhere. The four refuges offer the chance to stock up on supplies, enjoy a blueberry tart, or have a picnic on well-equipped terraces.
- Be aware of the very strict regulations in the heart of the Park (information available at the car park). Park rangers will not hesitate to issue fines for any breaches.

Worth a visit

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 50 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
GCous
GCous

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Not very busy at the beginning of September. Busier at the end of August, including families touring La Randolière from the top of the chairlift
A very beautiful hike, with a slightly steep descent from the Dent Parrachée refuge
Superb views of the Plan d'Amont and Plan d'Aval lakes
Excellent blueberry tarts at the Fond d'Aussois refuge, and lots of marmots in the area

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Garricou
Garricou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 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 without any major difficulties, easy to follow with the GPS track. I didn't go to the refuge at the bottom of Aussois, as I didn't see the point in going there and back. The descent between 4 and 5 is magnificent and the return above the lake offers beautiful views

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Patrice Rhône
Patrice Rhône

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike in the direction indicated by Visorando to keep things interesting and enjoy the beautiful views.
Be careful at one or two tricky junctions, as some paths continue in the wrong direction. Follow the map carefully.
Quick and relaxing return trip

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Jerombb
Jerombb

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Top circuit, the view is magnificent! Marmots welcome us on arrival at the Dent refuge.
We did it with our children aged 9 and 11, who were delighted!
NB: I parked in the first car park downhill, which made the return journey a little long, so don't hesitate to take the chairlift, it's much quicker.

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gillesmo
gillesmo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We also visited Lake Génépy from the Dent Parrachée refuge. The sign indicates a 1.5-hour climb to the lake. For those who are feeling fit! We had lunch at the Fond d'Aussois refuge, which was very good and we received a warm welcome. The return trip from the Fond d'Aussois refuge seems a bit long.
Thanks for the information and the route description

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User 4834787

Perfect

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pierre huraux
pierre huraux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

No parking problems. However, arrive early during the summer months.
We missed the start and went straight up to point 7 via the track that overlooks the lake on the left, which meant a long, steady climb to warm up. As a result, we missed the Plan Sec refuge.
From point 7, it's easy to reach point 3, the Fournache refuge, then follow the route described. When you reach point 5, the Fond d'Aussois refuge still seems quite far away, but the prospect of a blueberry tart gives you a boost.
The return journey is straightforward, at the bottom of the valley and then along the track taken at the start.

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Vané01
Vané01

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We did the route in reverse to what Visorando suggests, which allowed us to enjoy the beautiful colours of the lakes in the morning. The steep section going uphill is easier in this direction, in my opinion (I'm prone to vertigo). Otherwise, there were no particular difficulties.
This hike is simply magnificent: the landscapes, the wildlife, the flora, everything is perfect. It's a real feast for the eyes.
It was a bit crowded until the Fond d'Aussois refuge, then it was just real hikers.
Only the end of the trail is a bit monotonous

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DahuDahu73
DahuDahu73

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Magnificent landscapes, especially from point 7 once you have climbed up from the lake. We did the hike clockwise, as recommended in previous reviews, and therefore in the opposite direction to that suggested by VisoRando. Ideal.
For the more athletic, it is possible to leave your bags at the refuge at the bottom of Aussois (point 6) and continue on another route to the summit of the observatory. At the end, after point 3, it is possible to cut across to return directly to the car park; the path through the woods is easy to find.

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lahourcade
lahourcade

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

To get off to a great start, we opted for a warm, dry meal at the Dent Parrachee refuge, where the locals and the welcome are top notch
We had to get out the map before reaching the Dent Parrachee refuge because the signs were confusing

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vuagnoux
vuagnoux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A steep climb up the path known as "dangerous"... but it's not. A lovely loop, wide views, a variety of refuges, water rushing down... very pleasant. There were other walkers, of course, at this time of year, but just for a chat if you felt like it...
We returned via a lift and along the opposite slope. The path was less well marked and a little exposed at times, but more interesting than the wide track below.

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jo41
jo41

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike, but finding the starting point isn't easy! No sign for "Lac du Génépy"???
We set off along the path described as "dangerous"
Otherwise, it was a magnificent hike, with four very different refuges where you can sample Savoyard specialities.
Reasonable number of visitors for a beautiful day in August.

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JAROSZ
JAROSZ

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Circuit suitable for children

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Charlene
Charlene

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike!

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RandoSTF
RandoSTF

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2022
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, which we did in reverse as recommended.
The return trip isn't really interesting beyond the last refuge (very busy trail, carved path, view of the ski lifts), and the climb is much nicer on the other side. No particular difficulty, an average hike in my opinion given the elevation gain on the round trip.

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