Lacs de Montartier walks

A lovely climb through the upper pastures where the cows that produce the milk for Beaufort cheese graze, with views of the Vanoise, the Thabor Massif, the Aiguilles d’Arves and the foothills of the Écrins. Then the route changes direction, offering views of Belledonne, the Chartreuse and the Bauges, before setting up camp at the Montartier Lakes.

From a bivouac, all alone in the world, a long stage. The secured sections of the Passage des Moutons, Lac de Clartan, the descent to the Chalet du Tour, the paths winding up and down through Pétillat and its waterfall. The ascent to Lac Noir, the passage along the western ridge of the Petit Arc, a bit of off-trail walking; before trudging tirelessly towards a final climb through the woodland to reach the Refuge de la Thuile. What a view from its cross!

This small mountain range undoubtedly offers one of the most stunning sequences of panoramic views. But beware of the challenging paths and the isolation. Pay particular attention to water management: streams and springs often run dry in summer.The starting point is Saint-François-Longchamp, accessible by public transport or by road. Parking is easy and free there in summer. The stages are connecting days. This route follows the Tour de la Lauzière route with a detour via La Thuile and the Col de l’Arc. You’ll spend every other night in a refuge and the rest in a bivouac.Do not attempt this hike if you are not sure-footed: although it stays on the paths (or strays very little from them), this route requires vigilance and follows routes that are very rarely used. You will almost certainly find yourself alone, or almost alone, for most of the day, in conditions where the markings are often half-faded and the paths obscured by livestock tracks. High-altitude cloud cover is common.