Route des hauts de Mercury via Fort de Tamié

A challenging hike above Mercury through the undergrowth to discover the balconies of Tamié.

Details

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Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.36 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 514 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 505 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 988 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 522 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Areas: Alps, Bauges
  • ⚐ District: Mercury (73200)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 45.67068° / E 6.331141°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3432ET, 3432OT, 3432OTR
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the walk

Mercury lake car park located at the entrance to the main town.

(S/E) Facing the lake, turn right. Walk along the car park and, at the end, follow the path that passes between the sports fields. Join the Route de la Grillette towards the village centre.

(1) After about 500 metres, take the road on the left that climbs towards the hamlets of Noyeray and Cartherin.
At the crossroads, turn right onto the road going uphill towards Les Curiées, which then leads to Route du Small Pass of Tamié.

(2) Go down the road for a short distance and pass close to the Chapelle de la Soffaz chapel.
Continue straight ahead until you reach a path on the left.

(3) This path quickly descends through the forest and then crosses the departmental road at a place called Les Grangettes.

(4) Continue straight ahead through the undergrowth and pass close to a place called Sur la Roche.

(5) Continue for about 300 metres on a tarmac road, then on a marked path towards Collet de Tamié. Cross the road leading to this small pass twice.

(6) After reaching the tarmac road, take the path on the left towards Fort de Tamié and go around it on the right to reach the entrance.

(7) Walk down the road for about 200 metres and take a path on your left that crosses a road and leads to the Col de Tamié.

(8) Turn left onto a road and follow it to a place called En Naiseau.

(9) Take a stony path downhill that cuts across the bends in the road and arrives at a place called Sous le Col de Tamié.

(10) Follow the marked path which passes through various hamlets, first heading south-east then north-east, to arrive about a hundred metres before Cartherin.

(11) Take a path on the right that descends to Le Verney, then follow the road towards the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 522 m - Mercury Lake car park
  2. 1 : km 0.66 - alt. 550 m - Carrefour route de la Grillette
  3. 2 : km 1.48 - alt. 625 m - Crossroads at the small pass of Tamié
  4. 3 : km 2.01 - alt. 630 m - Chemin de la Soffaz
  5. 4 : km 2.71 - alt. 767 m - Les Grangettes
  6. 5 : km 3.54 - alt. 805 m - Sur la Roche
  7. 6 : km 4.62 - alt. 955 m - Collet de Tamié
  8. 7 : km 5.52 - alt. 972 m - Fort de Tamié car park
  9. 8 : km 5.82 - alt. 911 m - Col de Tamié
  10. 9 : km 6.24 - alt. 905 m - Place called En Naiseau
  11. 10 : km 6.95 - alt. 786 m - Sous le Col de Tamié
  12. 11 : km 9.58 - alt. 612 m - Fork before Le Cartherin
  13. S/E : km 10.36 - alt. 522 m - Starting point car park

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 6 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
Tomapi
Tomapi

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very beautiful route, but a bit short, so we decided to extend it a little by cutting to 6 to reach Tamie Abbey and returning to the route at 9.

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vfwk
vfwk

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Perfectly doable. No complications. We did it in dry weather. In rainy weather, it would probably be more slippery and muddy. The timing is also right. Unfortunately, the fort was not open to visitors, but oh well...

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murielle33770
murielle33770

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hiking in the woods. Very pleasant in summer. At the Fort, activities for children, snacks and picnic tables. Magnificent view of Mont Blanc.

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violette longeville
violette longeville

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful walk, mostly through woodland, which keeps the temperature pleasant even in hot weather.
The route is accessible to all, with no difficult sections, but is still quite challenging due to its 550m elevation gain.
You can stop at Fort Tamié for lunch, where picnic tables are available.

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habanera
habanera

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike, mostly through forest but offering some very pretty views.
At point 1, there is a first crossroads with a stop sign where you must take the road uphill on the left. You must turn right at the Y-junction located much higher up.
At point 7, the path on the left is 100 metres away. As indicated, 200 metres further on, there is a path that branches off to the right and ends just before the pass.
But anyway... with the map, you'll be fine!

Thank you for sharing!

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Vagau73
Vagau73

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 23, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Route taken in reverse... But that doesn't stop you from enjoying an excellent walk around the forts, especially with the snow.

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