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Park in the car park at the Déserts town hall.
Put on your snowshoes, as 20cm of snow fell overnight.
(S) Walk up the road for 80 metres.
(1) Turn immediately right towards Les Mermets and Les Bouvards.
Head to the end of the road, leaving the path to Les Bouvards on your left as you cross Les Mermets. At the end of the road, look out for a water tank.
(2) At the reservoir, take the path on the left heading north; you are now on the GR® Pays des Bauges.
Follow this gently ascending path for a long while; it will eventually lead to the ski slopes of the Col de Plaimpalais resort at a place called Les Carres. At this time of year in January, the resort is closed.
(3) Head down the slope, keeping to one side as there are still some cross-country skiers about.
This will take you back to the start of the ski lift.
For the return journey, continue west towards Col de Plaimpalais, following the GR® Pays des Bauges, and join the D912.
(4) Continue along the D912 for about 500 m until you reach a path on the left that descends at the sign for the hamlet.
(5) Take this path, which leads to a road serving the villas; continue down this road.
(6) When you reach a junction, take the road on the far left signposted ‘Les Bouvards’. Follow this road, which crosses the Leysse via a bridge.
You should soon be able to take off your snowshoes.
(7) At the next junction, take the right-hand branch, “La Combe”, to rejoin our outbound route after a good kilometre; simply follow it in the opposite direction back to the car park (E).
Visorando Member
Association / Club / Walk leader
Moderate 
