The Col du Freu from Les Chandoches

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Picking daffodils below Mont Charvin.

Details

n°2021177
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.70 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 10 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 330 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 331 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,688 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,384 m
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Description of the walk

Park in the Chandoches car park, which can be reached via the road starting from Bouchet-Mont-Charvin towards Le Longeret and then Banderelle.

(S/E) Take the path that climbs straight up into the forest (east), following the Mont Charvin signs. After a 90° turn, head north to reach the Chalet de la Praz.

(1) Continue to the right to reach the crossroads before Les Fontanettes.

(2) Continue to the right until you reach the Fontanettes refuge.

(3) Continue on the road on the left, leaving the path that climbs towards Aulp de Marlens on your right. Further on, you will come to the crossroads of the path leading to La Fatte.

(4) Take the path on the right towards the Sur le Freu oratory. Walk past a cistern higher up and then reach the oratory.

(5) Begin your return journey along the same route you took on the way there. Pass the Fontanettes refuge and you will reach the crossroads you passed on the way there.

(2) Take the forest road on the right to avoid taking the same route as on the way there. It leads directly to the Chandoches car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,385 m - Chandoches car park
  2. 1 : km 1.2 - alt. 1,492 m - Chalet la Praz - La Praz
  3. 2 : km 1.71 - alt. 1,470 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  4. 3 : km 1.91 - alt. 1,483 m - Les Fontanettes
  5. 4 : km 2.6 - alt. 1,499 m - Fatte crossroads, on the right
  6. 5 : km 4.11 - alt. 1,688 m - Oratory of Sur le Freu
  7. S/E : km 7.7 - alt. 1,386 m - Chandoches car park

Notes

Please note that the Fontanettes restaurant is not always open.

Worth a visit

(Between 3 and 4) The daffodils are located a little after the Fontanettes refuge, towards La Fatte.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 7 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.3 / 5
Mic Bravoure
Mic Bravoure

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A gentle hike with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
I recommend continuing on to La Riondaz, where the view is even more expansive.
The start of the walk in the forest is very pleasant. However, from point 1 to the end, the path is stony and rather unpleasant, especially on the way down. That's why I've tempered my enthusiasm, but that's just my personal opinion; I prefer walking on paths.

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Dominique Coudreau
Dominique Coudreau

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It is better to look for the departure point at a place called "Les Sardoches" rather than Les Chandoches.

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JAMBO74
JAMBO74

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike done on Saturday 12 June; not too busy. We climbed up to the Aulps chalet by mistake... where the scenery is sublime, but the descent to the Fontanettes restaurant is uninteresting. You really have to push on to Orsière where the view is magnificent!

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lucharles
lucharles
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A very pleasant walk, especially in early May, the daffodil season, when the Fontanettes meadows are carpeted with flowers all the way to the pass.
Continue beyond the pass to the Pointe de la Rondiaz (1,750 metres, 10 minutes), where there is a better view towards Manigod, L'Etale and the Aravis mountains.
Easy: recommended for families. Marmots and chamois near the pass.
There is still a little snow this year, but no risk.

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carjac
carjac

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant, fairly easy hike. Varied landscape (forest at the start, mountain pastures, beautiful views at the end of the hike). Not many people on the day of our hike, despite the beautiful weather.

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COMBEPATRICIA
COMBEPATRICIA

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

: Great hike. We started from the car park just above the Fontanettes refuge and went all the way to Le Freu. It was really good, no difficulties, the view was impressive all along the route and it wasn't too crowded. We even saw cows, goats, marmots and even a mountain goat. We loved it and will definitely do it again.

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Mamou31
Mamou31

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Option to continue to Pointe d'Orsière (25 mins).
The daffodils were in bloom.

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