Col de la Portette and Passage du Dérochoir via the Chalets de Sales

de fr

A very beautiful, long hike from which you can admire various magnificent waterfalls, the Plaine du Grand Pré, the Fiz, the Lacs de Laouchets, the Désert de Platé, and the Mont Blanc range from the Dérochoir.
A long hike with no technical difficulties or exposed sections.

Details

n°13204828
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.98 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 8h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 4,117 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 4,098 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 7,730 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,835 ft
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

The Laouchets lakes
Mont Blanc Massif
Chalets de Sales
Sales Chapel

Description of the walk

After the Cascade du Rouget, park at the very busy Lignon car park.

(S/E) Follow theGR®5andGR®96towards Sales/Anterne (red and white markings). Admire the Pleureuse and Sauffaz waterfalls and reach a junction where the twoGR® trails split.

(1) Continue straight on towards Sales. Ignore the first footbridge over the Torrent de Sales and cross it via the second one.

(2) Walk past the Cascade de Sales and continue up the valley on theGR®96. After a few hairpin bends, you’ll reach the Cascade de Trainant.

(3) Continue along theGR®96until you reach a flat area and the Refuge de Sales (café, water point).

(4) Continue south and pass the Chalets de Sales (another water point). You will reach a junction.

(5) Take either the left or right branch; both meet further on. Be careful: the markings are slightly faded on slippery rocks. Continue south to a fork at the 1912m mark.

(6) Turn right towards the Col de la Portette, still following theGR®96.

(7) At the next junction, turn right, still heading towards the Col de la Portette. Climb up following the well-marked path, which is sometimes a little slippery due to the smooth rocks – take care. Reach the edge of the Désert de Platé (note the Laouchets on the right).

(8) Turn left, still following theGR®96towards the Col de la Portette.

(9) At the next junction, continue to the right up a steep climb and reach the pass (magnificent view of the Pointe de Platé, the Désert de Platé and its refuge far below, with the Massif des Fiz opposite).

(10) Head back down to the previous junction.

(9) Leave theGR®96and turn right (east) towards the Passage de Dérochoir.

(11) At the junction, continue straight on (east) and you will soon reach the pass (superb views of the Mont Blanc range, the Grand Pré plain, the Fiz and the whole of the Passy Valley).

(12) Head back down to the previous junction.

(11) Turn right towards the Chalets de Sales and head downhill.

(7) Follow the same route back as on the way up to the car park at the start (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,835 ft - Lignon car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.84 - alt. 4,715 ft - Junction of the GR96 and GR5 - Cascades de la Pleureuse et de la Sauffaz
  3. 2 : mi 1.75 - alt. 5,384 ft - Cascade de Sales
  4. 3 : mi 2.09 - alt. 5,666 ft - Cascade de Trainant
  5. 4 : mi 2.76 - alt. 6,135 ft - Refuge de Sales
  6. 5 : mi 3 - alt. 6,148 ft - Junction
  7. 6 : mi 3.43 - alt. 6,273 ft - Le Grand Pré - Fourche
  8. 7 : mi 3.89 - alt. 6,516 ft - Crossroads of the circular loop
  9. 8 : mi 4.72 - alt. 7,169 ft - Junction - Les Laouchets
  10. 9 : mi 5.13 - alt. 7,467 ft - Junction
  11. 10 : mi 5.24 - alt. 7,717 ft - Col de la Portette (2354m)
  12. 11 : mi 6.23 - alt. 7,188 ft - Junction
  13. 12 : mi 6.35 - alt. 7,297 ft - Passage du Dérochoir (ou col)
  14. S/E : mi 10.98 - alt. 3,852 ft - Lignon car park

Notes

Water sources are available at the stream, the Refuge de Sales, and on leaving the Chalets de Sales.
This hike is in the Passy Nature Reserve, where animals are prohibited, even on a lead.

This route passes through a protected area, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

The Rouget waterfall and many others, the Plaine du Grand Pré, Les Fiz, the Laouchets lakes, the Désert de Platé, the Pointe de Platé, and the Mont Blanc range from the Dérochoir.
Sales Refuge for food, drinks and overnight accommodation if required.
Camping is possible in the Plaine du Grand Pré.
Marmots spotted between the Plateau and the Col de Portette. Ibex spotted below the Pointe de Platé.

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.

Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
FlickaPatsy
FlickaPatsy

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A fairly busy route up to the Sales refuge (no doubt due to the magnificent waterfalls). After that, few hikers and just one couple at the Col de La Portette, where the view is magnificent (the Platé Desert, Le Colonney, the Fiz range). Marmots (Combe à l'Ours) and chamois can be seen on the snowfields below the Col de Portette.
A fairly steep ascent and descent to the Col de Portette from Lac du Laouchets.
Magnificent 360° view from the rockfall passage: Aiguille du Midi, Tacul, Mont Maudit, Mont Blanc, Goûter,....
A 19 km hike with 1,200 m of elevation gain.
Personally, as gffree mentions in his comment, I would rate it ‘difficult’ rather than ‘very difficult’ as there are no technical sections.

Machine-translated

gffree
gffree

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I followed the route exactly as described.
I don’t entirely agree on the difficulty rating; for me, it’s only moderate to difficult. The real challenge is the distance between 19 and 20 km. There are a few slippery sections leading up to the two passes, but not enough to warrant a ‘very difficult’ rating, in my humble opinion.
It’s probably a good idea to plan a detour to the Laouchets lakes, which are very close to the route.
It’s worth noting that even during periods of severe drought (summer 2022), there’s always water available near the Sale chalets to refill your water bottle.

Machine-translated

mickou
mickou

Hello,
Yes, via the Platé refuge, then via the Tête des Lindars. Or else via the Col du Colonney.
As for the time, it all depends on your pace and the weather – it’s up to you to decide

Machine-translated

super_newbie_pro
super_newbie_pro

Hello
Is it possible to walk to the top of Le Colonney from points 9 or 10 and then come back to continue the hike to points 11 and beyond? By that I mean, is there a path leading there from points 9/10? Would that mean adding an extra day to the trip?

Machine-translated

jlf13
jlf13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hike on a hot day; the section of the route through the forest is a welcome relief. This year’s drought means we can’t fully appreciate the site’s beauty, with many streams running dry and the waterfalls not at their fullest flow. The Pas de Sales feels a bit exposed but isn’t difficult, offering a lovely view of the Sales waterfall. We were lucky enough to spot ibex near the Lacs de Laouchets on our first encounter, then again on the way down from the Sales chalets along the path, where they aren’t shy despite the area being well-frequented. The round trip to the Col de la Portette also seemed less interesting to us, and we preferred the view of Mont Blanc from the Passage du Dérochoir.

Machine-translated

Sylvie Touleron
Sylvie Touleron

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hike to see the waterfalls and the superb view of Mont Blanc
We did it over two days, camping on the Grand Pré after the Sales refuge (camping permitted from 7pm to 9am). The next day, we did the circular loop in the opposite direction, heading first to the Passage du Dérochoir, which offers a magnificent view. We then headed towards the Col de la Portette. However, the round trip to the Col de la Portette isn’t particularly interesting. We took a detour via the Lacs Laouchets before returning to our campsite to collect our rucksacks and head back down.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking From Le Lignon to the Alfred Wills Refuge via the small pass of Anterne

Visorando Member
Du Lignon au Refuge Alfred Wills par le Collet d'Anterne
↔3.15 mi ↗+2,251 ft ↘-190 ft ◔3h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
Beautiful climbs and pretty waterfalls, with panoramic views over the Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval valley.

Walking Tour des Fiz in 4 days

Visorando Member
Tour des Fiz en 4 jours
↔16.38 mi ↗+6,752 ft ↘-6,765 ft ◔4 days ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
A superb four-day hike, with lakes, waterfalls, ladders, ibex, marmots and magnificent panoramic views, particularly of Mont Blanc, located 15 km away.

Walking The Sales chalets from Le Lignon

Visorando Member
Les chalets de Sales depuis le Lignon
↔5.96 mi ↗+2,415 ft ↘-2,415 ft ◔4h 50 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
A hike from Le Lignon to the Sales chalets. It crosses forest and mountain pasture landscapes. Following the Sales torrent, you can admire the various waterfalls along its course. You will cross the Pas de Sales, a passage carved into the rock by farmers in the 19th century to bring their herds up to the mountain pastures. It is still used today. In addition to the domestic animals that make up the herds found around the chalets of Sales, it is not uncommon to see marmots and ibex, even close to the trails. This beautiful hike will delight your eyes.

Walking Le Grand Pré via the Chalets de Sales

Visorando Member
Le Grand Pré via les Chalets de Sales
↔8.30 mi ↗+2,959 ft ↘-2,936 ft ◔6h 25 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
A very beautiful hike starting from Le Lignon in a magnificent setting (Passy - Haut-Giffre nature reserve). Depending on the season in which you do this hike, take into account the crossing of several snowfields (very late in 2013) and numerous streams that "cut" the path.

Walking Pointe de Sales

Visorando Member
Pointe de Sales
↔9.40 mi ↗+4,295 ft ↘-4,288 ft ◔8h 05 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
A magnificent ascent via the Sales Refuge. After passing close to the Pleureuse, Sauffaz, Sales and Trainant waterfalls, the Sales valley offers us bucolic landscapes that contrast with the harshness of the surrounding peaks. It's like being in a Snow White cartoon... or, more to my taste, Shrek. The rest of the route, no less remarkable, will lead us to a breathtaking panorama...

Walking From Lignon to Refuge Alfred Wills and descent via Refuge des Fonds

Visorando Member
Du Lignon au Refuge Alfred Wills et descente par le Refuge des Fonds
↔9.61 mi ↗+3,812 ft ↘-3,812 ft ◔7h 45 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
This route presents no difficulties other than the distance and elevation gain, and can be completed in one go by well-trained hikers. The route is fully signposted and can be completed in its entirety by following the directions on the signs and markings (a little more difficult when the "high" part is snow-covered, as it was during our last hike :-) ).

Walking Circular from the Refuge des Fonts and the Cascade du Rouget

Visorando Member
↔7.02 mi ↗+2,126 ft ↘-2,139 ft ◔5h 05 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
This route, starting from Salvagny (Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval), follows the course of the Giffre des Fonts to the Refuge des Fonts and then on to the Cascade du Rouget waterfall. The route alternates between forest paths and views of meadows. It is not uncommon to see wildlife (marmots, ibex, etc.) and colourful alpine flora.

Walking Traversée du Buet

Visorando Member
Traversée du Buet
↔13.82 mi ↗+7,694 ft ↘-7,684 ft ◔10 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (Haute-Savoie)
Crossing the Buet, ascending via the Refuge de Grenairon and descending via Les Fonts. It is a long loop with a significant elevation gain and a section at an altitude of 3,000 metres. Having done this hike again in the direction of Grenairon chalet to Fonts chalets, I am repeating the description as it is much easier, shorter (approx. 9 to 10 hours), and it is easier to see the rest of the path from above when descending from Beaux Prés.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.