Col du Vâ (2222m) walks

Another long stage offering the chance to discover Lake Saint-Guérin.

Second stage of the Tour du Grand Mont, passing via the summit. Starting from the mountain hut at Arêches. A long stage with two steep descents, but superb views from the summit of the Grand Mont and a magnificent finish overlooking the Valley of the Seven Lakes.

This hike can be done in a single day, but by taking your time, a short two-day trek allows you more time to admire the magnificent views of the mountains and valleys of the Vanoise and Tarentaise, as well as Mont Blanc. Doing it over two days gives us time to rest and take in these breathtaking landscapes. The climbs are relatively challenging and the ridge walk offers dizzying yet unforgettable experiences.

First (easy) stage of a two-day tour of the Grand Mont. A well-marked path forming part of the Tour du Beaufortain. Magnificent views of Mont Blanc from the Col de la Bâthie

Another long stage between the Chalet des Arolles and the hilltop village of Molliessoulaz.

This eighth stage begins in the Beaufortin massif and continues into the Vanoise massif after crossing the Isère.From the Refuge de la Balme, the path descends along the left bank of the Ormente torrent, thus avoiding the road on the opposite bank. Cutting across the road’s hairpin bends, it crosses Valezan heading straight south, crosses the Isère at Bellentre, then follows the river to reach Landry. From there, it climbs up to the Hauts de Landry and its beautiful onion-domed church, then on to Martorey, where it heads south before passing through Peisey-Nancroix. Via the D87, it reaches the hamlet of Le Moulin, crosses the Ponturin torrent and follows it upstream, moving from one bank to the other. After the Rosuel mountain refuge, it climbs towards the Lanches de la Rèbe and heads south to rejoin the Ponturin. At Plan des Eaux, it leaves the GR®5, runs alongside Lake Plagne, and reaches the Entre le Lac mountain refuge.

It’s hard to say much about this section, as we completed the whole of it in driving rain and cloud. The route is challenging and stony, with numerous herds of livestock and detours… But it remains so beautiful despite everything. The climb up the Bellachat is less difficult than it looks. The landscape is actually very varied: there’s a lot of rocky terrain on the ascent of the Bellachat, with steep cirques all the way to the Lacs du Loup, where the mountain pastures take over before giving way to the Cirque du Colomban, only to return near the Refuge du Logis des Fées.

This is a circular walk based on trail 5 as promoted by the Arêches tourist board. It is well marked with yellow signs and paint flashes or markers for trail 5. There are good views over to Mont Blanc, the Beaufortain Mountains and the lake, although small, is a nice place to eat your sandwiches.

The Colorado chairlift in La Plagne operates during the summer. It provides access to the summit of the Grande Rochette with a gentle ascent. From there, you can admire the magnificent south face of the massif.

Étape de la Grande Traversée des Alpes dans la vallée de la Tarentaise autour du Mont Pourri jusqu'au lac de la Plagne où se trouve le refuge Entre Le Lac.