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Park at the bottom of the track (altitude 1,324 m) of the hotel's ski lift.
Warning: the cables of the Arnaud breach have been unsealed in two places since summer 2018. The cable is still there, but it is detached from the rock. This makes the climb to the top quite challenging. Metal splinters on the cable make it advisable to wear mittens or gloves.
The Arch and the Squirrel Ramp
(S/E) Climb along the ski slope (east-southeast) keeping an eye on the edge of the forest on your left: at around 1360m, a yellow sign points to the path in the undergrowth leading to the Bachasson spring.
(1) Take this trail east, then northeast; it makes a wide loop back to the southeast and reaches the spring after a small switchback.
(2) At the Bachasson hut, take the path that runs almost level towards the south-west, in the direction of Habert de Chamechaude. Immediately after passing through a cattle gate, leave the path and turn left (south) onto an ascending trail (yellow cross). Look carefully at the foot of the cliff on the left to spot the small Arche de Chamechaude, which forms a dark hole (see photo). ⚠ Be careful, the arch is small and therefore difficult to see the first time.
Continue for a few metres, below the arch, to pass a dead tree trunk lying on the path, then climb up the grassy slope dotted with small rocks to the right of the arch (east) and rejoin it.
(3) Pass under the arch, which has two windows. Opposite is the small vertical groove of the Pas de l'Arche (see photo). Pass through this narrow diaclase (be careful, large rucksacks will not fit) to reach the grassy ledge that follows it. From there, continue north (straight ahead, leaving the Pas behind you) for 50 m to climb a rocky step, then turn right (northeast) and climb up to a second cliff at the foot of which you will find a strap (see this word - masculine - below). Head back in the opposite direction towards the south-west on this sling until you pass a large cairn. From there, inspect the cliff to find a weak spot, the steps of the Rampe de l'Écureuil. If you end up at the end of the sling in front of large cliffs, look behind you, it's right there (small cairn).
(4) The Rampe de l'Écureuil is a small 2-metre climb that looks like a steep staircase with narrow steps going up the small cliff from right to left (see photo and explanations, put your poles away in your bag!). At the top, head northeast between pine trees and grassy areas, slowly climbing the slope to reach the "Coca-Cola" trail on the normal route at an altitude of 1,836 metres (IGN). Follow this trail for a few switchbacks. When these switchbacks give way to a straight line heading north-northeast, leave the trail at the first bend and take one of the many parallel paths that descend to the base of the cliff overlooking La Folatière (see IGN map).
The strap and the Pas du Jardin
Go around this cliff as close to the rocks as possible at the bottom to reach a path crossing ravines and scree below the western "canyon" couloir of Chamechaude.
(5) The foot of this corridor is marked on the path by a rock bearing the inscription "danger" in red and a yellow and red triangle. Continue north then north-northeast on the almost level strap running along the cliffs and overlooking the scree where numerous chamois gather (see photo). The ledge then turns 90º east (be careful, a path also continues straight down at this point) and ascends to follow the north cliffs of Chamechaude. Shortly after the turn to the west, the ledge passes under the "voie des trous" (visible).
(6) It ends at the Pas du Jardin, where a few pine trees dominate a rocky outcrop allowing you to descend back onto the ledge at the foot of the eastern cliffs of Chamechaude (see photo taken after the descent at the bottom of the pass). Put your poles away in your bag before climbing down the pass, then a second passage half rock, half earth, to reach this ledge and pick up your poles again. Then follow the sling due south at the foot of the cliff, without taking the numerous paths below (few yellow markings).
The Arnaud breach
(7) This will take you to the foot of the Brèche Arnaud. It is easy to spot: the previous cliffs are clearly impassable, while the breach is relatively short, see photo. It is above the Habert de Chamechaude and the village of Sappey is clearly visible from its base. After putting away your poles, climb up the breach heading due west, using the numerous cables if necessary (see photo of the upper exit).
At the exit of the breach, find the normal route trail and follow it north to the cable before the summit.
The summit and its viewpoint
Once past the cable, you will quickly reach the cross at the summit of Chamechaude.
(8) Continue north to the northern viewpoint of Chamechaude to admire the view to the north. On the way, look out for the cairns on the left that mark the descent to the west couloir. Once you reach the viewpoint, turn back south before turning right west onto the slope, following the cairns that mark the winding path leading to the couloir.
The western couloir or "canyon" and the Folatière mushroom
(9) The summit of the wide west "canyon" couloir of Chamechaude is located between two cliffs topped with pine trees (see photo). Descend this steep couloir (west-southwest), starting on fairly stable ground and ending in scree of small stones that can be crossed by scrambling.
This brings you to the base of the couloir on the garden strap, which you passed earlier.
(5) The path continues its descent in switchbacks and scree towards the south-west.
You will then reach the distinctive mushroom-shaped rock of La Folatière, at the foot of which is a signpost indicating the normal route.
The descent
(10) Descend this normal route trail to the Bachasson hut.
(2) Turn north-west and, shortly after the hut, take a gravel path marked with a yellow cross on the left, which descends steeply south-west towards the top of the ski slopes. You will reach a road. As soon as possible after a hairpin bend to the right, leave this road and take a winding path down to the left at the edge of the forest (the ski slope is on your right).
A small cairn on the left quickly marks the start of a path through the woods (west), which allows you to avoid the heat and crowds. When this path, after a right-angle turn to the left (southwest), turns into a farm track and then reaches a damp forest path with a stream running through it, take this path downhill to the north (follow the water).
(1) This path joins the bottom of the Hotel ski lift slope.
Follow this track to quickly reach the starting point. (S/E)
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