Lac de la Sassière, starting from Villaret

On the road to Val-d’Isère, on the shores of Lac du Chevril, just as you emerge from the tunnel beneath the hamlet of Villaret du Nial, in front of a chalet hotel-restaurant, there are several parking spaces available.
Park at the side of the road on the lake side.

(S/E) Just to the left of the hotel-restaurant’s garages, a flight of steps leads up to the village, followed by a pebble-paved path. Pass by a car park and continue up the footpath. You’ll come out onto the road; turn right and follow it for about a hundred metres to reach a Y-junction.

(1) Leave the road and take the path on the left which climbs towards La Sassière; a yellow sign points to Le Saut, La Sassière. Climb steeply through rocky terrain, then between two dry stone walls, crossing another rocky section. Continue through mainly grassy terrain, skirting a wooded area on your left. You’ll reach a three-way junction.

(2) Take the left-hand path, running parallel to the road. After about a hundred metres, you’ll reach another three-way junction.

(3) Leave the path on your left that descends towards the Ruisseau de la Sassière and continue parallel to the road. Cross this road several times whilst staying on the path. You’ll reach a scree slope; cross it and rejoin the road. Take it to the left and pass beneath the ruined hamlet of Le Saut, crossing a rocky area that is a glacial barrier.

(4) Just after crossing the bridge over the Sassière, the tarmac ends and gives way to an unpaved but passable track. Follow it along the right bank of the lake. Continue on to Plan de la Sassière. Follow an almost level path to the Chalets du Santel.

(5) Keep heading generally south-east to reach the dam on the right bank of Lac de la Sassière.

(6) Leave the dam track on your right and take the track that runs along the right bank of the lake, up to the head of the lake.

(7) Here you can continue further towards the Rhêmes-Golette glacier.
Then retrace your steps to return to the previous junction.

(6) Take the track over the dam to the left bank. In an open area, turn right onto the path, following the yellow hiking signs. First cross the lake’s spillway before continuing through rocky terrain, running parallel to the valley. Reach the riverbed and pass close to the chalets of La Sassière.

(8) Then walk along the shores of Lac du Saut, and after the dam, cross the ruined hamlet of Le Saut.

(4) On leaving the hamlet, rejoin the road and follow it to the right; when you reach the main car park entrance, turn left onto the grassy path towards Villaret du Nial and the Chalets de la Revirette, indicated on a yellow sign. At the top on the right, you will find a large, unoccupied alpine chalet, Le Chargeur. Continue straight on towards La Clittaz. Follow the alpine path as it descends gently and skirt the Clittaz valley. At a hairpin bend, you will reach the sign for La Clittaz (at around 2,210 m).

(9) Turn left towards Le Villaret du Nial and begin the descent, first through a valley, then along a ridge above the Gorge de la Sassière. Reach the three-way junction passed on the way out.

(3) Turn right back onto the route taken on the way out to reach the^first junction of the outward journey.

(2) Leave the path taken on the way out to your right and take the one on the left. Continue parallel to the road. Cross this road to cut across a bend, then take it to the right. Follow it to reach Le Villaret and then the Le Villaret car park on the edge of the A902 (S/E).

Although this hike does not present any major difficulties, it is still a mountain route and as such you need to be properly equipped: good walking shoes, walking poles, a rucksack with something to drink and a snack in case of need, some warm clothes and a poncho.

For very experienced walkers, extensions to this hike are possible:
- from Lac de la Sassière, a return trip to the foot of the Rhêmes-Golette glacier,
- with a car drop-off, you can go from Lac de la Sassière to Val d’Isère – the drovers' road (Picheru pass), or Val d’Isère – Le Fornet via the Col de la Bailletaz.
- from La Clittaz, you can also descend to Villaret du Nial via a detour through La Revirette.
For those interested in alpine chalets, the town of Tignes has compiled a list of those within its municipality: Inventory of Tignes’ alpine chalets.
Some interesting information on the Grande Sassière nature reserve can be found in this article.
Finally, whilst gazing at the magnificent Lac du Chevril, one cannot help but think that its creation around 1950 caused a great deal of human tragedy – see its history in this article from the Dauphiné Libéré.