La Pinéa, Montvernet and Montfromage via the Col de Porte

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A family hike away from the busy Charman Som route, avoiding the mountain pasture where dogs are not allowed from 10 June to 15 October. Mainly in the woods, the route is very pleasant in summer.

Details

n°3903392
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.97 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 570 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 577 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,745 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,319 m
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Photos

Summit of La Pinéa
Orgeval Oratory
Summit of La Pinéa

Description of the walk

At Col de Porte, park at the top of the ski resort, in the car park of the "Les Trois Sommets" restaurant.

(S/E) Take the road towards the Charmant Som chalets.

(1) After passing the buildings, leave the road and take the forest track opposite. The yellow and red markings ofthe GRP® Tour de Chartreuse are clearly visible. Continue to the Y-junction.

(2) Take the left fork and follow the path to the junction with the signpost for "Plenom", ignoring the paths on either side. Be sure to follow the GPS route carefully, as there are many paths and they are not always clearly marked. Reach the ridge.

(3) Leave theGRP® here and take the yellow-marked trail on the left. Reach the summit of Pinéa.

(4) Walk around the summit to enjoy the wide panorama; the final stretch is steep but not particularly difficult.
Return to the previous junction.

(3) Follow theGRP® Tour de Chartreuse ridge path, marked in red and yellow, straight ahead. Join the D57e road near the Oratoire d'Orgeval.

(5) Leave theGRP® here and take the path on the right that cuts across the bends in the road. Pass under the Charmant Som chairlift and continue to the right, following the old ski slope for a few metres. You will find a crossroads almost directly below the chairlift.

(6) Take this path on the right and you will reach the D57e road again.

(7) Turn left onto it, then alternate with the path that crosses it to return to the initial crossroads you passed on the way there.

(1) Continue straight ahead on the road and follow the same route as on the way there to return to the Col de Porte car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,328 m - Parking - Col de Porte
  2. 1 : km 0.16 - alt. 1,322 m - Crossroads of the circular
  3. 2 : km 0.78 - alt. 1,353 m - Y intersection
  4. 3 : km 2.51 - alt. 1,614 m - Crossroads of the ridges
  5. 4 : km 3.09 - alt. 1,718 m - La Pinéa
  6. 5 : km 6.54 - alt. 1,641 m - Oratoire d'Orgeval (1637m)
  7. 6 : km 7.65 - alt. 1,405 m - Former red downhill ski run
  8. 7 : km 8.77 - alt. 1,368 m - D57e crossroads
  9. S/E : km 9.97 - alt. 1,328 m - Parking - Col de Porte

Notes

Note on the route: the start of the route is taken from this one

(5) On the way back, you can descend via the road, but this is very fast once it is open to vehicles. On the other hand, the trail is rarely used and therefore sometimes overgrown with vegetation.

At least trainers are required, but hiking boots are recommended for access to La Pinéa.

Worth a visit

(S/E) There are plenty of picnic tables and barbecues at the end of the route, and toilets at the restaurant.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 14 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 18096225

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The hike is a bit slippery due to some snow and ice, but it is possible without crampons.

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Thibault HACCART
Thibault HACCART
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A 360° view from the top of La Pinea, simply superb with beautiful sunshine and clear skies.
Apart from the Pinea, the rest of the hike takes place in the forest, and at the end of the year it can quickly get cold in the shade.
The Garmin watch ultimately displays 10.4km for D+670m, which is a little more than advertised. We completed it in 3 hours and 5 minutes with a few breaks to drink, take photos or remove a layer of clothing (but no picnic).
In terms of difficulty, I would say it's a little above average: you need to be reasonably fit and also have some experience of mountain hiking. The small circular at the top of La Pinea, which avoids a simple return trip, requires sure-footedness and a head for heights.

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DanielANDRE
DanielANDRE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 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 round trip hike from the Col de Porte
Lots of people at the summit

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Maribée
Maribée

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant route that allows you to extend your simple return trip to La Pinéa. There is plenty of shade, which is nice, while still offering some great views.
We weren't able to fully enjoy the view from the summit because of the clouds, but it looks promising!

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bruno92160
bruno92160

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

On the climb up to PINEA, there is a lot of mud on the GRP Tour de Chartreuse, fortunately on flat ground, but it makes this section very unpleasant.

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EDON
EDON

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

From the mountain pass, the signposting for La Pinéa could be improved. Otherwise, no problems, but the final ascent requires careful attention. After that, the hike along the ridges is very pleasant.

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Westernmind
Westernmind

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hike with a superb view from the summit of Pinéa. We chose this route because we were accompanied by our dog. Perfect!

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jc.chiari
jc.chiari

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 : No

The end of the Pinéa climb is on limestone blocks that have been smoothed by frequent use. In dry weather, there are no major problems, but it must be much more risky in wet weather. The steep slope is intimidating for those who are prone to vertigo.
Much of the route is through forest, which is very pleasant during hot weather.

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FDFskill
FDFskill

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Excellent hike, very pleasant in hot weather as it is very shady. Quite accessible even with children. The final climb to La Pinéa is indeed more technical, but if you climb slowly, it's fine. The descent also requires you to go slowly to avoid slipping.
Stunning view at the summit.
It's always a bit difficult to find the start, but otherwise it's hard to go wrong if you follow the main trail.

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Rochi1999
Rochi1999

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

As there has been no snowfall for several weeks, the route is very easy to follow with two walking sticks. The arrival at La Pinéa is very dry. We met at least a dozen other hikers!

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Roger Bruno-Mignot
Roger Bruno-Mignot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route, mostly through forest. Some slightly more difficult sections at the summit on the way back

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Laurent Pichon martin
Laurent Pichon martin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Our first outing of the year allowed us to (re)discover the wonderful landscapes that await us at the summit.
Everyone was delighted.
However, there was some confusion about the distance. Our GPS devices showed 12 km for the circular route, compared to the 10 km stated in the description.🤔
Laurent

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Polo & lolo
Polo & lolo
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

An accessible hike as there is not too much elevation gain.
It's a shame that the ridge is lined with trees as they block the view.
Le Pinéa is not accessible to everyone: those who suffer from vertigo should refrain, but the view is magnificent.

Jean-Paul

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daenerys73
daenerys73

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2021
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. As we set off early, we were above the clouds, which was magnificent. It climbs a little, but up to La Pinéa, it's doable. Climbing to the top of La Pinéa is a little technical, but once you're at the top, what a reward: a very beautiful panorama. The descent is just as technical, so watch where you put your feet and don't be afraid of heights. I recommend this hike for those who like to get their hands dirty
thank you for this route
Daenerys73

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