Croix du Signal

Access is from Yenne (towards Novalaise) or from Novalaise (towards Yenne): from the D921, head east up the road to Verthemex, cross the village centre and continue to Vacheresse. There, turn right onto the D42a forest road heading south. In winter, it is usually cleared of snow as far as the chalet at the former snow stadium in Les Fontaines. Park in the car park just before the chalet.

(S/E) Continue along the Belledigue forest road, passing the chalet and then the old snow stadium until you reach the junction with the forest road signposted ‘Pierre Gravée’.

(1) Head left up this forest track, which is gravelled in summer and climbs in regular hairpin bends.

(2) Ignore the path on the left, which you will take on the descent, and continue to the ridge, at the junction for the Pierre Gravée.

(3) Turn left to follow a gently sloping path towards the Relais du Chat, until you reach the junction signposting the Croix du Signal 50 m away.

(4) Turn right and back onto the level path leading to the Croix du Signal.

(5) You can continue a little way along the ridge towards the south; it leads back to the ascent path without difficulty. Take this path to the left to return to the Pierre Gravée.

(3) Take the descent on the right (the ascent route) for 500m to the junction at 1367m (the third path branching off to the right as you descend).

(2) Take this good forest track heading northwards down to the large junction with a track descending from the Crête du Chat.

(6) Follow this path to the left; it leads down a gentle slope to the edge of the snow stadium. Just before reaching the Belledigue forest road, you can take a shortcut via the old ski run on the right to reach the clearing opposite the chalet directly. The road leads straight back to the starting point (S/E).

The ascent is fully marked in yellow, with signposts at the main junctions.

The circular descent loop via (6) is not marked but is easy to follow.

The wooded Crête du Chat is pleasant to walk along in winter, covered in snow and sometimes frost.

The only view is at La Croix: you look down over the Chambéry Basin and face the Bauges, the Lauzière and Mont Blanc.

Several alternatives are possible:
- from Pierre Gravée, you can make a round trip southwards to the Château Richard orientation table overlooking Lac d’Aiguebelette, opposite the Chartreuse (afterwards, there are ladders which can be tricky in winter).

- From the Croix du Signal, you can continue northwards along the Crête du Chat for a long, more or less level traverse, until you reach the path branching off to the left and descending towards (6). This is significantly longer but no more difficult.