The Pointe des Fours from the Pont de la Neige

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This is a pleasant hike where you can encounter chamois and marmots and enjoy breathtaking views of the main peaks of the Vanoise from the summit. On one side: Grande Motte, Grande Casse, Dôme de Chasseforêt, Dent Parachée, Méan Martin. On the other: Charbonnel, Albaron, Grande Chiamarella. In the background, Mont Blanc, of course.

Details

n°157056
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.24 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 607 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 605 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,062 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,533 m
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Photos

lac du Gu Grand Fond
Lake of the former glacier
Along the way
Col des Fours

Description of the walk

Park at Pont de la Neige, almost at the top of the Col de l'Iseran on the Haute Maurienne side (2,530 m).

(S) Head south-west along the path towards the Col des Fours, indicated by a yellow sign (marked 1h50).
The path crosses the ravine and climbs quite steeply. The trail is clearly visible, with numerous cairns, but the markings are not very clear as the paint has been worn away by the weather. There are no forks in the path, just follow the cairns.
Depending on the snow conditions, the trail avoids the snowfields, so there are many parallel tracks that all lead to the pass.

(1) The first steep section ends here. A flat area with a large rock marks this point. Continue south, following the cairns.

(2) Once again, the trail climbs steeply up the rocks. At the end of the season, the passage is over scree.

(3) At the Col du Grand Fond, turn right towards the Col des Fours

(4) At the Col des Fours sign, turn left and leave the path that descends towards the Refuge des Fours. The trail is less clear from this point onwards.

(5) Take care: there is a small difficult section that is only suitable for experienced hikers. You can stop at the Col des Fours and avoid taking any risks.

(6) The highest point of the walk is 3,074 metres according to the IGN. Return via the same route.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 2,533 m
  2. 1 : km 1.15 - alt. 2,751 m - Les Illars
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 2,892 m - Alternative to the descent
  4. 3 : km 2.12 - alt. 2,919 m - The Grand Fond
  5. 4 : km 2.61 - alt. 2,976 m - Col des Fours
  6. 5 : km 2.81 - alt. 3,016 m - Delicate passage
  7. 6 : km 3.02 - alt. 3,062 m - Pointe des Fours (3,074 m)
  8. S/E : km 6.24 - alt. 2,533 m

Notes

At the start of the season, bring equipment for walking on snowfields.
It is a rocky landscape covered with snow from October/November to June/July.
I suggest a "medium" level for the walk, but depending on the snow conditions and your abilities, the final section is more "difficult".

Worth a visit

(1) Look north below the Pointe de l'Arselle, where you may see young chamois sliding on the small snowfield.

(2) On the way down, you can veer slightly south (towards Ouille des Trétêtes) where you will probably find chamois below the Grand Fond. The trail then rejoins the normal path.

(3) Before reaching the Col du Grand Fond, you may see chamois above the old Javel glacier (north) or behind the Grand Fond (south-west).

(4) For geocaching enthusiasts, a superb letter box awaits you at the pass.

A two-day hike can take you to Plan du Lac via the Fond des Fours and Femma refuges in the Rocheure valley.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 32 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
quito84
quito84

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We chose the classic route. A very beautiful hike, with a beautiful trail, a beautiful pass, a beautiful summit... in short, a must-see in the area (especially for a half-day trip)! We saw ibex at Lac Glacière. Superb views at the top! Thank you for the suggestion.

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User 17252375

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Obvious trail, well marked, only the climb from the Col des Fours is a bit spectacular for hikers who are not used to high-altitude hiking. Exceptional panorama at the summit.

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Chris7644
Chris7644

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely, easy hike in an almost high-mountain landscape. Beautiful views from the summit.

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User 7473555

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On 9 August 2025, there were many people on the main route, so the fork at the cairn on the left (point 1) was much more pleasant. However, I do not recommend climbing to points 2 and 3, as it is very steep and technical. Before point 2 (at 2,880 m), the terrain was so slippery and dangerous that I preferred to descend 40 m down the scree to rejoin the main path leading up to the pass. Three other people continued without finding any markings in the scree. They found the passage extremely dangerous and much more difficult than the climb to the Pointe des Fours. So, in these conditions, we returned via the most popular route... Apart from that, the view of the Grande Motte, Mont Blanc and other mountains was magnificent.

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pierre huraux
pierre huraux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Please note: parking at Pont de Neige is limited, so arrive early during the summer months.
The route is easy to follow, especially with the Visorando app.
This is a mountain route, so caution is advised, even though there are no major difficulties until you reach the pass, apart from the altitude and the elevation gain.
However, we followed the well-marked trail and not the route described.
There are some snowfields, but they are not difficult. We saw some chamois resting on a large snowfield and some young ibexes high up on a ridge.
The trail from the pass to the summit is well marked at the beginning, but at around 3,010 metres, it becomes more difficult and only experienced hikers should continue to the summit. At this altitude, there is a tricky, difficult passage, and we stopped at this point.
Return via the same route, with splendid views.

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cathycoco
cathycoco

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

beautiful hike with glimpses of chamois and ibex
climb to the Pointe des Fours

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Tommy05
Tommy05

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

A beautiful hike that is a must if you are in the area. The Pointe des Fours is well worth the extra 20 minutes from the Col des Fours. Just be careful on the short rocky section where you need to use your hands.

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stéphanie balthazar
stéphanie balthazar

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Hike completed on 12 August 2023. We were unable to follow the suggested route on the way there as we couldn't see the trail clearly, so we didn't turn back. On the way back, we wanted to follow the route more carefully, but at point 3, a landslide prevented us from continuing, so we followed the trail used by everyone else.
I agree with another hiker who described the hike as moderate rather than easy, as the climb is quite steep.
Once we reached the summit, the view was breathtaking!

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Patrice Rhône
Patrice Rhône

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

High-altitude circuit, rocky landscapes with no grazing land.
360° view from the summit, it's superb!

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millim
millim

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Short hike in beautiful sunshine. Amazing panoramic view from the summit: we could see Mont Blanc very clearly. As a bonus, there were two lakes. No major difficulties

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danielfr40
danielfr40

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

thank you for this route
nice hike, not very difficult, with little elevation gain and beautiful views at the pass/summit. The long trail climbs to the summit below the ridge with one or two difficult sections.
The trail is very well marked and cairned but does not pass through points 2 and 3 on your route, but further to the right (lower down?) according to a dotted line on the non-IGN map, and rejoins your route shortly after point 3
otherwise, the pass is signposted at the bottom and there is a path marked with cairns from start to finish with no junctions, so there is no risk of getting lost
thanks again

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ab80104
ab80104

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Due to time constraints, we returned to point 2, which offered a very rocky landscape and was quite crowded.

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David025
David025

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 24, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike through very rocky landscapes with snow still on the ground at the end of August, but just a few snowfields that are safe if you take care.

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rodmil62
rodmil62

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

For our first 3,000-metre hike as a family, this peak was fairly easy to reach. The only downside was some snow with a significant slope. Otherwise, it was magnificent. I highly recommend this hike...

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BadinD
BadinD

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

In accordance with the Cartoum notice dated 29/07, there has been a lot of snow this year and there are still many snowfields even on 9 August! However, there is no problem reaching the summit of Pointe des Fours. 3 hours 10 minutes there and back without pushing yourself, with a stop at the pass and at the summit to admire the view. We set off at around 8:30 a.m. and met a few hikers at the pass. On the way back, families were making their way up and the trail was quite busy!
The route includes a steep climb at the start, which doesn't foreshadow the rest of the trail, which is fairly easy except for the slightly "airy" section between the pass and the Pointe des Fours. A very beautiful walk offering 360° views, with Mont Blanc as the highlight!

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