La Montagne de Tête

Start at the foot of the "La Forêt" bus stop, at a crossroads in the resort of Valmorel. Car parks on both sides of the road at the bus stop.

Signposts are placed at intervals. On the climb, you will also be helped by the orange signs for the mountain bar-restaurant located near the summit.

(S/E) With your back to the bus stop, turn right (north) towards La Grange aux Fées and Montolivet. Enter the hamlet of Fontaine, then pass the La Grange aux Fées residence on your right. At the bottom of a short descent, pass under the Lanchettes chairlift and turn left towards Montolivet. Climb gently up a wide path. Cross a stream and reach the first chalets of Montolivet.

(1) At the crossroads at the top of a short steep slope, turn left towards Le Biard. Climb a steep slope and come out onto a grassy plateau. Then turn left between the meadows and pass an isolated spruce tree on your right. At a fork, take the left path (the right path is a mountain bike trail). At the next fork, turn right onto a path not shown on the map and pass at the foot of an electricity pole on the right-hand side (the left-hand path, also signposted, quickly joins the more comfortable right-hand path). Follow a few hairpin bends, alternating between undergrowth and meadows. You will reach a large open plateau with a large signpost.

(2) Turn left, heading south-southwest (the purple line on the 1:25,000 map is approximate here; the route has been set to a higher zoom level). Join an alpine track and follow it to the left towards Montagne de Tête. Pass under two ski lift lines and walk gently uphill (on the right, view of the Chaîne de la Lauzière).

(3) After a left turn on the track, leave it and take a faint path on the left (orange arrow). Climb up a grassy ridge on a path overgrown with vegetation (see an alternative route in the practical information). Join a track and follow it to the right towards a large chalet (bar-restaurant). Leave the chalet on your right and reach the summit (arrival point of the Lanchettes chairlift; orientation table).

(4) Continue along the track to the south and descend steeply with a few hairpin bends. After a cattle grid, rejoin the track you left earlier.

(5) At the crossroads, follow the track to the left towards Beaudin and Valmorel. At the start of two ski lifts, turn left (east) towards Valmorel. Descend steeply on a stony track and ignore the tracks on either side (mountain bike tracks prohibited to pedestrians).

(6) At the midway station of the Altispace chairlift, take a sharp left turn. After a right turn, pass under the chairlift line. Continue down the gravel track, which is no longer marked on the IGN map. The track enters the woods, turns right and then sharply left (torrent on the right).

(7) A few metres after the hairpin bend, leave the track and take a discreet path on the left towards Valmorel (sign). Follow this pleasant path as it winds its way along the stream on your right. Join the track at the footbridge over the stream.

(8) Follow the track on the left and continue along the stream on your right. N.B. On the 1:25,000 map, the purple line showing the Pierrafort cable car is inaccurate (for the exact route, zoom in closer): the departure station is further north-east than indicated and our route never passes under this line. After a small reservoir on the stream, walk alongside the tennis courts on your left and arrive at a place called Sous le Planchamp (sign).

(9) Then turn right and immediately left: descend, leaving the Chalet du Mottet on your left and the entrance to a tunnel on your right. Cross a small car park and, at the end, continue along a small path (pass at the foot of the "Roche Combe" building on your left). Pass under a cable car line. Before the Altispace chairlift line, turn sharply right. Then veer left to go down the covered stairs. At the bottom (fountain), take a path on the left. Pass under the chairlift line. Walk past a bar-restaurant on your left and turn left at the corner. Then turn right, go downhill and join the "La Forêt" bus stop (S/E).

Hiking boots required. Warm clothing and rain gear required. No drinking water sources identified.

The route crosses mountain pastures used in summer. If there are herds of animals, dogs must be kept on a leash.

Alternative route:
At the fork (3), the route followed by the trail is marked as "difficult" compared to an alternative route on the path. In fact, both routes are equally steep; the only difficulty with the "difficult" route is that the path is overgrown with vegetation. If you are not comfortable with this type of path, follow the other route: continue on the track and at the crossroads (5), turn left and climb a steep track to the summit (4).

A 1:25,000 map is required (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 24 July 2016.

Panoramic views of the Lauzière mountain range, the Beaufortin massif and Mont Blanc.