To the end of the world... and beyond

As Hugues Aufray sings:
Come on lads, wake up, we’ve got to get a move on, we’re off to the ends of the earth...
Walkers who aren’t afraid of heights, or who can overcome their fear, will be rewarded with sublime views.

Details

5655
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.92 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 844 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 835 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,692 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 936 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Cirque du Fer à Cheval car park (signposted route).

(S/E) At the far end of the car park, take the path on the left which joins the Griffanant trail via a wooden footbridge, and follow the path to the right as far as the Chalet de Prazon.

(1) Take the path on the left, towards the Pas du Boret. The climb is very steep and follows the cliff face (a few ‘tricky’ sections secured by a cable fixed to the rock). At the top, continue to the Chalet du Boret.

(2) To the left of the chalet, take the path towards the Refuge de la Vogealle, up to the cross.

(3) Return to the chalet via the same route.

(2) Back at the Chalet du Boret, take the path on the left which will lead you to Fond de la Combe, passing first by the Vogealle waterfall.

(4) Continue along the top of the cliff; you will take a sharp bend at Bouit du Monde.
From Fond de la Combe, head back towards the Chalet de Prazon.

(5) When you reach a suspension bridge, you can choose to follow the right or left bank of the Giffre. If you follow the right bank, cross at the Chalet de Prazon, taking a small path to the left. (You will meet up with the route taking the left bank of the Giffre). Then follow the path which will take you back to the car park via the Chalets de Frénalay. As you go, admire the view of the Fer à Cheval cirque. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 937 m - Cirque du Fer à Cheval car park - Giffre (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 2.4 - alt. 1,023 m - Chalet du Prazon
  3. 2 : km 3.52 - alt. 1,388 m - Chalet du Boret
  4. 3 : km 4.65 - alt. 1,692 m - La Pierre du Dard
  5. 4 : km 6.01 - alt. 1,385 m - Cascade de la Vogealle
  6. 5 : km 8.91 - alt. 1,057 m - Suspension bridge
  7. S/E : km 12.92 - alt. 937 m - Cirque car park - Le Fer à Cheval

Notes

Refreshments available at the Chalet du Boret.
Hiking boots are essential... to avoid ending up like some of the ‘walkers’ in sandals we’ve come across at the top of the cliff

Please note that Le Bout du Monde/Le Boret and La Vogealle are not accessible from the first snowfall until May, and until June for La Vogealle.
Parking is subject to a charge (€7 from 15 April to 14 November or €5 from 15 November to 14 April).
You can check car park occupancy levels on the affluences.com website

The Pas du Boret is strongly discouraged for novice hikers, those with a fear of heights, those with children, in wet weather and when descending!

Please feel free to contact the Sixt Tourist Office for further information: 04 50 34 49 36

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 39 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
helena74440
helena74440

Hello,

Please note that Le Bout du Monde/Le Boret and La Vogealle are not accessible from the first snowfall until May, and until June in the case of La Vogealle.
Parking is subject to a charge (€7 from 15 April to 14 November or €5 from 15 November to 14 April).
You can check car park occupancy levels on the affluences.com website

The Pas du Boret is strongly discouraged for novice hikers, those with a fear of heights, those with children, in wet weather and when descending!!

Please feel free to contact the Sixt Tourist Office for further information: 04 50 34 49 36

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Cop74
Cop74

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The climb up to the Boret chalet is really quite high up.

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LaMiaDoRé
LaMiaDoRé

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful loop on a very busy route at the start (and in August), which becomes more secluded in the aerial cable sections.

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Vieux débris toxique
Vieux débris toxique

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Too many people in summer at the end of the world. Going to the refuge is a great walk to avoid the tourists. No technical difficulties except for the fairly strenuous physical effort. Bring plenty of water

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Ludo1009
Ludo1009

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Thank you for this beautiful route. Personally, after the Dard, I pushed on to Lake Vogealle. As already mentioned, it's best to start early in the morning. There are a few slippery sections between the Boret chalet and the cirque, especially when leaving the forest. The last part towards the Cirque du Fer à Cheval is very busy, especially with families, and less interesting. But I really enjoyed this hike.

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Fk
Fk

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We thoroughly enjoyed this hike on 21 August. There were lots and lots of people on the trail along the stream. There were fewer people near the Boret chalet. We also continued on to the refuge and Lac de la Vogealle from the Boret chalet, which is also a beautiful place!

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babetteb25
babetteb25

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We loved this hike, and this year, with all the rain that fell and the snow melting, there was a lot of water in the waterfalls. It was a superb day, but very crowded. However, the path along the snowfields is closed because it is too dangerous this year.

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Txss
Txss

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I went there for the first time in October 2022 and found the trail very accessible! I continued the hike on a longer route, heading higher up (a multi-day hike), where you need to take more precautions, as it is not suitable for a family outing. However, the end of the world is not difficult to reach but is very busy.

BEWARE, I went there in June 2023, just for the end of the world, and with heavy rain it's less accessible. You have to cross rivers, and some passages are no longer accessible. It's not difficult to find your way around, but you still need to be careful.
It's still very busy in the afternoon and is a popular family outing.

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Christelle51
Christelle51

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The site is magnificent and the hike is fairly accessible, although a little more difficult before you reach the "end of the world"! However, there are breathtaking views of the waterfalls and the Sixt Fer à Cheval cirque!
Be careful though if you decide to go further, as the hikes are long and relatively difficult!!!

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Licorne40
Licorne40
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

.............. .............

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stéphanie balthazar
stéphanie balthazar

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent, very busy at the start but most people don't do the whole loop.

The climb was very challenging and we worked up a sweat. The Chalet du Boret was very colourful and exotic. We went as far as Lake Vogeale, which is well worth the detour. We loved it.

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Nadine 38
Nadine 38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 01, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, easy and refreshing. Be careful when crossing rivers so you don't slip on the rocks. Hiking poles can help you keep your balance. * * *

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SE VE RI NE
SE VE RI NE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

magical! The Boret Pass is technically challenging, but if you take it slowly, you'll get through it. The view at the end of the world is truly exceptional. We were glad we waited until the end of the holidays because there weren't many people there. Given the size of the car parks, I can imagine how crowded it must be in summer

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vercorcris
vercorcris

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

to get to Lake Vogealle, these 1,400 metres of elevation gain at the start of the hike are not particularly difficult for the most motivated hikers. You have to go to the Pas au Taureau pass (2,555 metres, 2,000 metres of elevation gain), which offers a beautiful view of Mont Blanc

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zyme16
zyme16

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A quick addition to the messages already posted: for the return trip to Lake Vogealle, add an extra 4.5 km and a little over 200 m of elevation gain to the initial route description.
A beautiful hike with the advantage of being a tourist site: well-marked and signposted, with well-equipped paths, but on the downside, it can get very busy, especially at the bottom of the valley.

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