La Dent d'Oche from Novel

La Dent d'Oche is accessible via various routes. This one starts from a place called "La Planche" above Novel. It passes through "les chalets de Neuteu", the Pavis pass, the portes d'Oche, the lac de la case, the planchamp pass, the dent d'Oche and returns via the Rebollion pass, the Neuve pass, the Neuva dessous, the enclos, and finally "la Planche".
This route allowed us to see many ibex in different places and the local flora.

Details

n°56

Creation:
03 Sep 2010

Last update:
05 Dec 2023

Last review:
09 Aug 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 14.31 km
Duration according to the author: 8 hrs
Difficulty: Very difficult
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 1,365 m
Descent: - 1,364 m
Highest point: 2,213 m
Lowest point: 1,197 m

Country: France
Areas: Alps, Chablais
District: Novel (74500)
Start/End: N 46.362652° / E 6.768507°
IGN map(s): Ref. 3528ET, 3528ETR
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Description of the walk

Park in the car park above La Planche, at the end of the road that climbs above Novel.

(S) Take the path that leads into the forest, marked in red and white (^GR®5), towards the Neuteu chalets.

(1) Continue straight ahead on the^GR® (do not cross the Morge). Climb up into the forest. When you reach a small pass, the path becomes almost horizontal. This will take you to the Neuteu chalets.

(2) Continue climbing towards the Col de Pavis, leaving Lac de Neuteu on your left.

(3) At the intersection, continue west on the^GR® and reach the Col de Pavis.

(4) Leave Lac de Darbon below on your left and head towards the Portes d'Oche on the right, following the contour line across the scree.

(5) Pass through the Portes d'Oche and descend towards Lac de la Case.

(6) Near the lake, turn right, continue downhill and then climb back up on the right (north-east) towards the Col de Planchamp.

(7) Just before the pass, turn left and follow the yellow markings, which will take you through a few tricky sections equipped with cables (the "Dalles") and then along a narrow ridge to the Dent d'Oche.

(8) Continue west of Dent d'Oche along the ridge and descend to the Dent d'Oche refuge.

(9) Descend a rocky couloir (caution). At the end of the couloir, continue descending and then, at an intersection, turn right to climb back up to the Col de Rebollion (do not descend into the mountain pasture to the south towards the Chalets d'Oche).

(10) From the pass, follow the^GR® again and switch to the north side of the Dent d'Oche: the path becomes easier.

(11) Cross to the north-east, pass directly below Roc de Rianda and reach Col de Neuvaz (Neuva on the IGN map, the z is not pronounced).

(12) Descend the pass towards the east via an alpine track. Pass successively by the Chalets de Neuvaz du Milieu and then Neuvaz Dessous. Make a hairpin turn to the right at a place called l'Enclos and, about 200m after, leave the wide path for a trail on the left. Reach La Planche.

(13) There you will find a small road which you will leave at a bend to take a small path on the right, marked in red and white, which will lead you back to the car park where you started (E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,207 m - La Planche - Car park
1 : km 1.06 - alt. 1,340 m - Morge (rivière) - Affluant du Léman
2 : km 2.46 - alt. 1,697 m - Chalets de Neuteu - Lac de Neuteu
3 : km 3.05 - alt. 1,820 m - Intersection
4 : km 3.76 - alt. 1,945 m - Col de Pavis
5 : km 4.55 - alt. 1,947 m - Les Portes d'Oche
6 : km 5.36 - alt. 1,772 m - Lac de la Case
7 : km 6.38 - alt. 2,004 m - Col de Planchamp
8 : km 7.51 - alt. 2,164 m - Dent d'Oche
9 : km 7.66 - alt. 2,089 m - Refuge de la Dent d'Oche
10 : km 8.21 - alt. 1,916 m - Col de Rebollion
11 : km 9.21 - alt. 1,833 m - View of the - Lac Léman
12 : km 10.28 - alt. 1,777 m - Col de Neuvaz
13 : km 13.68 - alt. 1,252 m - La Planche
S/E : km 14.31 - alt. 1,212 m - Car park

Notes

This hike is not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo.
Hiking boots are essential.
A 1:25,000 map is required.

Worth a visit

In the village of Novel (downstream from the car park (S/E)), just below the church, you will find the Les Chemins du Léman bar-restaurant-stopover lodge. Open between Easter and All Saints' Day, depending on snow conditions.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5

Based on 20 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5

Route interest
4.9 / 5

User 9285076

09 Aug 2025 at 19:49 7200 • Edited: 09 Aug 2025 at 19:55 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, especially once you leave the forest and complete the first climb. You will see a small waterfall, then head towards the Neuteu chalets.
You will then arrive at a rather lunar landscape via the Portes d'Oche.
There are no tricky sections up to this point, but be careful not to hurt yourself, as this would stop you from continuing. The whole point of starting from Novel is that there are hardly any other hikers around.
The descent to the Lac de la Case is superb.

BE CAREFUL AT THE COL DE PLANCHAMP, WHERE I STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST USING THE CHAINS TO CLIMB BACK UP TO "AUX DALLES".
IT IS A VERTIGINOUS PASSAGE WITH A STEEP drop and CLEARLY VERY DANGEROUS.

I turned back as soon as I reached the ridge and found myself on an extremely dangerous ledge.
It is quite possible to pass other people on the chain section where, yes, you will be almost alone in that direction and will only encounter a few hikers coming down.
I say "a few, if, like me, you tackle this passage at 10/11 a.m.
The rest is very easy, with chains all the way.

Be careful on the way down, as it's still steep and in the opposite direction to the HIKERS who decided to tackle this summit at 11 a.m..
It's clearly chaos in the chimney.

The Dent d'Oche via Novel is notable for its wide variety of landscapes, but also for avoiding most of the hikers who are struggling because they are not prepared for such steep slopes and exposure.

The return via the alpine path is not very interesting, but this is often the case on this type of path.

Finally, as for the difficulty, I think rating it as VERY DIFFICULT is perhaps an overestimate.
I would say OK for the length and elevation gain, but for a hiker in good physical condition, it is DIFFICULT.
The numerous sections requiring chains are what make me classify it as DIFFICULT rather than VERY DIFFICULT.

Enjoy your hike, everyone!

Sami

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jn.barmaz@bluewin

22 Jul 2024 at 10:27 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

very well explained

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O.M

11 Oct 2023 at 20:39 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

superb hike with a splendid panorama at the summit of Dent d'Oche! Hike for people with good footing: aerial passage around the summit of Dent d'Oche can be impressive, so you must not be afraid of heights!
Done over 2 days with a bivouac at the Col de Planchamp. We did the route in the direction indicated and, contrary to some comments, I didn't find that to be a problem. The difficult passages around the Dent d'Oche are challenging in both directions anyway.

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week,end,marche

27 Sep 2023 at 09:21 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great route, suitable for experienced hikers (elevation gain: 1,300 metres)

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Shakkha

01 Aug 2022 at 11:14 7200 • Edited: 01 Aug 2022 at 11:20 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magical hike!

Not as challenging as you might fear.
Your thighs and calves will get some welcome breaks on the flat sections.

The climbs are never too long, and the last part gives way to a more technical area that is, it must be said, quite dangerous. The drop is very impressive. Do not bring just anyone here, as a mistake could be fatal.
There is still room to progress "calmly" as long as you don't focus on the danger. The whole thing is "secured" by chains, but you need to be sure-footed, especially in a certain area just before the cross (fortunately not too long). Low-cut shoes with good grip are necessary.

On the other hand, you will be rewarded with stunning views at the cross and the refuge.
The descent is a formality, despite a slightly technical start.

The GPX route has an error between the Planchamp pass and the eastern part of the Dent d'Oche. At the number "1996" (on the map), turn left (there is a yellow arrow on a rock that you should follow, as described). So follow the purple dots on the map rather than the red line. The latter will take you to a beautiful, vertiginous ridge and you will be forced to turn back when you think you are following the trail (you will be right on top of it, so you will think you are following the right path, as we did).

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Hersoso

18 Jul 2022 at 09:29 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike recommended in good weather. Good physical condition required. The aerial passage with chains is not recommended for people who are afraid of heights, but otherwise an exceptional view awaits you at the summit of the Dent d'Oche with a view from one end of Lake Geneva to the other.

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Ct25

30 Aug 2021 at 16:04 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, even if the end is uninteresting. It is better to go directly to the car park via a wide road rather than going downhill and then back uphill. This saves 2 km, which is unnecessary in my opinion

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caledo

01 Jul 2020 at 22:38 7200

Hello, having already camped at Planchamps, I can tell you that the spot is really just the best

You're just below the mountain ranges, I'd say a good half hour or a little more.

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Stephie1

01 Jul 2020 at 22:33 7200

Hello,
I know the Dent d'Oche well, having climbed it several times, but I've never slept there. Could you tell me the best place to pitch our tent? We'd like to camp as high up as possible so we can admire the sunset over the lake and the sunrise on the other side :-)
Is the Col de Planchamps the best option? If so, how long do you estimate it would take to walk from there to the summit of Dent d'Oche, 10-20 minutes?
Many thanks for your answers and for this wonderful and very useful website
Stéphanie

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caledo

20 Jun 2020 at 23:10 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello and thank you for the trail, it was a real pleasure. I really enjoyed the climb up to the Dent d'Oche, which is so unusual. Everything went very smoothly

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casa.chierici@orange.fr

24 Jun 2019 at 10:29 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A magnificent hike with stunning scenery. It's difficult, but we saw children doing it. Personally, I wouldn't take children there because it's too dangerous!!!
As mentioned in previous messages, we did it in the opposite direction and I think it's easier that way.
We did the circuit over two days, spending the night at the Dent d'Oche refuge. The warden gave us a parish-specific to Brittany welcome.
We'll be back...

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CharlesJmbrt

10 Jun 2019 at 12:33 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike with stunning scenery along the entire route. As mentioned in the description, there are a few difficult sections. The snow, which was still quite thick during our hike, made it much harder to cross the various mountain passes.

We split the hike into two parts, spending a night in a tent and enjoying a magnificent sunset over Lake Geneva 😉

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guigrou

03 Jun 2019 at 10:41 7200 • Edited: 10 Jun 2019 at 13:19 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

3-day hike from 31 May 2019 to 1 June 2019.

Itinerary:
Day 1: La Planche (Novel) -> Dent d'Oche mountain refuge
Day 2: Dent d'Oche refuge - Grammont refuge in Tarnay (Canton of Valais)
Day 3: Refuge de Grammont -> return to La Planche via the Croix de la Towpath (Grammont summit trail closed due to rockfalls).

Many snow-covered sections due to snowfall during the winter season, but feasible with the right equipment.

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Movinghemispheres

23 Jul 2018 at 09:30 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A simply superb hike. There are several reasons for this: most of the route is in the open air, so you can fully enjoy the varied scenery along the way, you can admire numerous ibexes, which are not at all shy, and then the 360-degree view from the Dent d'Oche is simply exceptional. Added to this is the pleasure of a very easy-to-follow route, with numerous signposts, so it's impossible to get lost, and also a nice challenge, particularly on the last section before reaching the Dent, with a very beautiful climb (your calves will remember it) and a technical passage with chains (not recommended for those who are afraid of heights). In short, all these different factors combine to make this a must-do hike that comes highly recommended!

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JBB25

16 Jul 2018 at 08:33 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Magnificent hike. Ibexes along the route. The Dent d'Oche sector is very technical with dangerous passages requiring chains. The varied landscapes mean there's no chance of boredom, with stunning views throughout.

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