The Col de la Seigne

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The Col de la Seigne (2,516 m) is located on the Tour du Mont Blanc route, on the French-Italian border. On the way up, there is a beautiful view of the Glaciers glacier. The descent is opposite the Beaufortain massif.

Details

n°159001
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.28 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,467 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,484 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,248 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5,807 ft
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Description of the walk

(S) From the Ville des Glaciers car park (1789m), descend towards the torrent.

(1) Cross it via a footbridge and continue north-east along the track towards Les Mottets.

After passing a building and crossing a stream, the track turns into a path.

(2) Leave it shortly before reaching Les Mottets and take a new path that climbs to the right via a series of tight hairpin bends and quickly gains height.

(3) At an altitude of 2,089 metres (sign), ignore the path that branches off to the right towards Ouillon. From here, the route is clear: the path continues to climb, crossing the Roget stream or its branches several times.

(4) Reach the Col de la Seigne.

Descend via the same route back to the car park (E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 5,879 ft - Ville des Glaciers car park (1,789 m)
  2. 1 : mi 0.13 - alt. 5,807 ft - Footbridge over the - Torrent des Glaciers (torrent)
  3. 2 : mi 0.95 - alt. 6,142 ft - Take the path on the right before the - Refuge des Mottets
  4. 3 : mi 1.77 - alt. 6,768 ft - Ignore the Ouillon trail.
  5. 4 : mi 3.64 - alt. 8,248 ft - Col de la Seigne
  6. S/E : mi 7.28 - alt. 5,879 ft - Ville des Glaciers car park (1,789 m)

Notes

In summer, access to the road between Les Chapieux and Ville des Glaciers is restricted; a shuttle bus service is available for a fee.

At the pass, a few thick sections of wall, the remains of a building, provide shelter from the wind.

Worth a visit

Beaufort Cooperative in Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 12 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.9 / 5
sylviebouchet74
sylviebouchet74

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk with stunning scenery, ending at the Col de Seignes with a fantastic view of Mont Blanc
It’s a steady climb, so you do need to be a keen walker

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Gerald Latortue
Gerald Latortue
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, not too busy in the morning, a bit busier from midday onwards, but I’d expected it to be worse on a lovely August day during a heatwave ‘down below’.
The route is easy to follow (impossible to get lost) and very well signposted.
Stunning views all along the route; I usually prefer circular walks, but this out-and-back route was very enjoyable as the views on the way back are truly lovely.
No technical difficulties or vertiginous sections. The final ascent takes you over a scree slope, which can be a bit tiring if you’re not very fit; generally speaking, you need to have strong legs. A few tourists were struggling a bit on the climb when we passed them on our way down.
I’d recommend heading down the other side at least as far as the Casermata (a lovely little free museum that’s quick to visit) and even a bit further down to enjoy the view over the valley: the view is lovely, with the river and the flower-filled banks. The Elisabetta refuge right at the bottom didn’t seem essential to us, even though we did go there, as you then have to remember you’ll need to climb back up; it depends on the hiker’s fitness level – the section between the casermata and the pass is quite steep but manageable (just take breaks if you’re not very fit).
Take the time to watch the marmots – there are plenty of them.
Remember to take a jacket for the summit – it’s quite breezy up there!
We completed the circular walk in under 6 hours, including a lunch break and quite a few stops during the climbs to take some photos and catch our breath.
Thanks for the guide – it was very useful after all!

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Ellierim
Ellierim

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

My only regret: as a hiker, I was disappointed that this hike was partly spoiled by the fact that I often encountered mountain bikers, both uphill and downhill: when they are climbing, and you are too, the mountain bikers honk their horns to get you to let them pass; when they are descending, they do so at high speed and, as some of them do not have full control of their bikes, you risk being knocked over or even thrown into a ravine. Mountain hiking trails should not be accessible to bicycles, unless specifically indicated by signs at the start of the hike.

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Pee
Pee

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful valley. Easy trail, beautiful views. The description matches the trail. Well marked, no chance of getting lost.

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m.dutour
m.dutour

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A gradual and steady climb from Ville des Glaciers, with lovely views of the Aiguille des Glaciers, the Chapieux Valley and the Mont Blanc massif on the Italian side when you reach the pass. Very popular as it is on the TMB route.

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toTOM31
toTOM31

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 06, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very, very busy!
No difficulty
Superb scenery
Gradual climb, ideal for trail running.

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ski rando Martignat
ski rando Martignat

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views of the Italian side of Mont Blanc.
A fairly easy hike with no orientation problems, but the estimated time of 5 hours 45 minutes is excessive. Our group of regular hikers took 3 hours 30 minutes there and back, so I think 4 hours 30 minutes would be a more accurate estimate for everyone.
Happy hiking, everyone!
Christian

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maryvonnefaure
maryvonnefaure

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike

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maumorando21
maumorando21

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Great hike with good weather conditions. Easy profile. Beautiful surroundings.

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couramiaude42
couramiaude42

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike with a relatively gradual climb, making it very easy to do, and when you reach the top, it's magnificent!!!! I did this hike on 26/08 in glorious weather, but once you reach the pass, you need to wrap up warm. I really recommend it.

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elisabethhartmann
elisabethhartmann

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It's impossible to go wrong, with a fairly gradual climb up to the pass and wonderful views of Aig des Glaciers, Tré la Tête, Mont Blanc... I continued on to the Elisabetta refuge, thinking I could make a circular route back to the Col de la Seigne, but I couldn't find the dotted trail on my map, and the pretty trail that climbed behind the refuge apparently only led to a bivouac. So I took the same route back. (No difficulty with the terrain.)
Very windy (even cold) on the Italian side, and the trail was less gradual and quite marked by rain.
Does the Col de la Seigne, Elisabetta Refuge, circular Col de la Seigne really exist? Perhaps in spring when there is snow?
Thanks to anyone who can give me an answer.

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Ludivine M1.
Ludivine M1.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

You can't go wrong, just follow the stream of hikers of all nationalities climbing towards the pass! But the majesty of the landscape makes you forget the crowds: it's magnificent!
Hike completed on 15/08/2017 with clear skies in the morning and a few clouds over the peaks in the afternoon.

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