From Col du Joly to Col de la Fenêtre

Hike on the trail separating the two passes. This hike offers views of the Mont Blanc massif from both passes. Not particularly difficult, but be careful on the slopes where the trail sometimes climbs quite steeply

Details

664409
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.55 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 308 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 301 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,250 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,988 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Reach the Col du Joly via Hauteluce on the south-western slope. Park in the large car park at the pass.

(S/E) Head south-east towards Aiguille de Roselette and Col de la Fenêtre via theGR®5, Tour du Pays du Mont Blanc. Pass the arrival point of a ski lift on the right, then another ski lift on the left. Climb up to the Tête du Lac de Roselette.

(1) Continue eastwards and pass above the arrival point of the Roselette chairlift. Turn south-east. At the arrival point of the Bûche Croisée chairlift, ignore a trail starting on the right, continue south-east and reach the Aiguille de Roselette at an altitude of 2134 metres.

(2) Then turn south to pass under the west face of the Aiguille de Roselette on an easy traverse trail.

(3) At the junction, turn left (east) and climb up the slope to reach the Col de la Fenêtre.
At the pass, climb up to the right for a few metres to enjoy the best possible view of the surrounding area: the Mont Blanc massif is directly east in front of you.

(4) Return via the same route in reverse. Take care on the few descents between the rocks. This will bring you back to the Col du Joly (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,988 m - Col du Joly
  2. 1 : km 0.92 - alt. 2,073 m - Head of Lake Roselette
  3. 2 : km 1.85 - alt. 2,131 m - Vertical drop from the Aiguille de Roselette
  4. 3 : km 2.99 - alt. 2,170 m - Trail junction - Col de la Fenêtre
  5. 4 : km 3.27 - alt. 2,250 m - Col de la Fenêtre
  6. S/E : km 6.55 - alt. 1,988 m - Col du Joly

Notes

High-top shoes are recommended, although you may encounter athletes equipped with ultra-light gear who run along this trail like mountain goats in low-top shoes suited to their sport.
Hiking poles to help with balance, and a windbreaker for crossing mountain passes.
No water, no shelter. Be aware that the weather can change quickly in the mountains.

Worth a visit

Beaufort and its cheese are worth seeing. The local welcome is very friendly.

 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.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 17 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
User 5449550

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful route with magnificent views
This is a small section of the Beaufortain tour, so it is very (too?) busy in summer.
There are a few tricky sections where you have to climb a little on the rock, which isn't necessarily easy, but it's worth it.

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Bisserain73
Bisserain73

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Early in the morning, the car park at the Col du Joly is already quite full. The route is easy to follow, with only one short section requiring a little caution.
The view is worth the detour, both on the Hauteluce and Contamines slopes, but you have to ignore the ski lifts.
The area is very busy.

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Faver
Faver
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

From one pass to the next, encountering a large, sturdy bull frightened me more than the trail itself...
Yes, it's not easy, but some people do it on mountain bikes, so you have to put things into perspective! In the mountains, watching over and accompanying children is part of the experience. The route is short and varied, and with the right footwear, there's no problem!
I didn't do the round trip (the big bull...!) and took the much longer but easier route via Roselette and Le Nant Rouge, just following the signs and advice from other hikers I met!
Enjoy the path, the biodiversity, take your time. A beautiful walk!

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christophebr
christophebr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

a very beautiful hike, but not that easy and, in my opinion, not recommended with children.

There are several slippery and dangerous sections.

Travelled during the snow melt (June 2024), the route was somewhat disrupted and required some improvisation...

nevertheless, it is a very beautiful route with breathtaking views of the Mont Blanc massif

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Krihub
Krihub

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike with superb views
And on the way back, a nice little restaurant

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skyppyy38360
skyppyy38360

Hello, Pascale.
It is possible to descend on the other side and then reach Le Signal via the GRP Beaufortain trail (see your 1:25,000 map)
I didn't choose this option because the distances are longer and there is more elevation gain.
But feel free to suggest it on a hike, it will be great!
Thank you for your comment.

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DUCOMMUN PASCALE
DUCOMMUN PASCALE

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I couldn't find any information on Visarando about doing a circuit by descending on the other side: this descent is easier than returning by the same route, then turning left to reach the signpost and climbing back up to the Col du Joly

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GRANDARC
GRANDARC

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Also a departure point for the Col de la Fenêtre from the previous bend, arriving at the Col du Joly.
A beautiful hike with Mont Blanc as a backdrop!

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Claudanne
Claudanne

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful hike with views of the Mont Blanc massif and Lake Girotte. A few sections are a little more difficult as they are narrow and quite steep with loose stones.

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gambier
gambier
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A short but superb hike in the company of Monsieur Mont Blanc!!!

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migar
migar

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very good short hike that children will enjoy. There are one or two sections where you will need to help them (especially the younger ones).
We did it with our children (aged 5, 9 and 12). It's a shame there aren't any marmots.
The site is magnificent and full of fresh air. Highly recommended.

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jacques images
jacques images

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

a lovely hike with a superb view upon arrival at the Col de la Fenêtre pass

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Pégourié
Pégourié

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Well-marked trail today. Short hike, but still requires sure-footedness and sturdy footwear. Beautiful view of Mont Blanc and the nearby peaks.

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grandin
grandin ★

Thank you, Keeshond, for this information. Hikers are advised that the difficulty of this hike has increased.

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Keeshond
Keeshond

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 03, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We did a longer route that included this one: starting from the signpost, we went around the Aiguille de Roselette via the two passes. My comments only concern the section from the Col du Joly to the Col de la Fenêtre.
With a lot of snow this winter, there were some fairly significant landslides that washed away the path in places. There were still snowfields to cross on the way to the summit.

The route between these two passes offers exceptional views of the Beaufortain and Val Montjoie, highlighting the contrast between the Beaufortain mountain pastures and the more austere Val Monjoie with beautiful views of the Mont Blanc massif.

On the day of our hike, we had to be a little careful. Some hikers gave up because the trail was no longer stable.

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