Le Mont Granier en boucle par le Pas des Barres et celui de Tencovaz

By car, from Entremont-le-Vieux, leave the village via the D512 to the north, heading towards Chambéry, then take the first road on the right towards La Plagne. At La Plagne, leave the hamlet road on the left and continue towards the edge of the forest where the car park is located.

(S/E) Leave the car park via the ascending forest road (south-east) and follow the yellow-marked trail towards the Col de l'Alpette for approximately 500 m.

(1) At the signpost at the junction, ignore the forest road continuing straight ahead and turn left onto the Chemin du Granier (yellow) for about 1 km until you reach a crossroads at a bend.

(2) At the signpost, ignore the^GR®9path to La Plagne on the left. Continue along the GR®9 (White/Red) to the right and reach the Col de l'Alpette after a steep climb and several hairpin bends.

(3) At the Col de l'Alpette signpost (altitude 1534 m), leave the GR®9, which descends to the right. Follow the sign to the left towards Le Granier via the Pas des Barres (Yellow). This is not a single path but several tracks that climb gently uphill through the mountain pasture (north-east). When you reach a small pass, at two large rocks forming a gap, head towards the woods (north-northeast). Cross them and follow a stony path along the foot of the Granier cliff (northeast) Photo to reach a junction (altitude 1580m).

(4) At the Pas des Barres signpost, leave the path heading straight towards the Porte de l’Alpette and turn left onto the Pas des Barres. On the ascent, avoid getting lost on the cross-country tracks by carefully following the very prominent yellow markings. Start with two hairpin bends punctuated by rocky steps, followed by a level traverse (north-east) to reach the aptly named Pas des Barres. Photo. If you get lost, the pass is located at the far north-east end of the cliff, almost directly below the Porte de l'Alpette.

(5) Climb the Pas des Barres chimney using the various aids: cables, handrails, steps and handholds. Photo. Continue along a less steep path and emerge onto the Granier plateau (alt. 1,770 m). Photo. Continue along the level path marked in yellow heading north and reach a barely visible fork (elevation 1,773 m).

(6) Ignore the faint path on the right towards the Pas de la Porte. Continue left on the well-marked path which climbs westwards, then gradually turns north to reach a junction on the ridge (alt. 1,850 m).

(7) At the signpost, ignore the path on the left (south-west) towards La Balme à Colon, also known as Grotte Colon. Continue on the path on the right (north) towards Le Granier. After about 700 m, you’ll come to a fork (alt. 1860 m) at a rocky outcrop.

(8) For the return journey, note the high-altitude path of the Pas de Tencovaz on the left (west), which runs along a ledge on the rock face marked with crosses (yellow and red), Photo. For now, continue straight on the yellow-marked path which passes through a gap. After about 1 km, you reach a fork (alt. 1890 m).

(9) Ignore the unmarked path skirting the summit to the right. Climb up to the left on the yellow-marked path passing the summit marked by a large cairn (alt. 1933 m), then descend northwards and rejoin the unmarked path.

(10) Continue straight on (north) following the yellow markings towards a large concrete cross.

(11) On the left, access to the cross is prohibited due to a risk of rockfall from the cliff. On the right, approach the edge of the cliff to enjoy a beautiful view of Les Beauges, Belledonne and Chambéry. Retrace your steps and return to the previous junction.

(10) Leave the path on the right heading towards the summit and take the unmarked path on the left, bypassing it. Return to the Pas de Tencovaz junction.

(8) As you exit the gap, leave the path straight ahead towards the Pas des Barres. Turn right towards the Pas de Tencovaz (west), marked by very few faded green and red paint marks. Follow the cliff to the north, then join a path. Descend it to the left (south). Cross a step beneath some scrub, climb down an exposed gap and then another easier one, ignoring the paths to the left each time and heading right (north). Descend (north) the steep, winding path, pass over some ledges, cross two scree slopes and reach a cirque occupied by a steep scree slope. Descend it in a zigzag pattern through the scree gully and take its left branch (south side).

(12) Leave the scree slope on your right for a path that follows it along the left-hand side. At the edge of a wood, the path turns right, crosses the end of the scree slope and descends into the forest (north-west). Stay alert; covered in dead leaves, it is difficult to spot. After a left-hand bend, it heads south-west and, via numerous hairpin bends, reaches the top of the Frasses ski lift, its machinery shed and its mast.

(13) Descend through the clearing by the Frasses ski lift, then that by the Quarty ski lift on the right. At the bottom, cross a track then a meadow and, at the foot of the ski lift, reach the Granier resort. Follow the road to the left and leave it at a hairpin bend to take a signposted path.

(14) Head through the woods to the D912. Follow it to the left with care as far as Les Brancaz. Just after crossing the bridge, look out for a path on the left.

(15) Leave the D912 and climb this steep yellow-marked path to a flat area. Walk through the woods, keeping the meadow on your right. At the end of the woods, go through a gate on the right via a zigzag path Photo then join a track. Take it to the left and, after a bend in a small valley, head up the opposite side. Pass in front of a shed and join a track.

(16) Follow it straight on to reach the hamlet of La Grénery. Cross the hamlet via the Chemin du Replat and join the Route de la Plagne.

(17) Head up the road straight ahead. After about 600 m, ignore the small road on the left towards Les Monts and continue straight on. Pass a car park on the right, reach a fork and leave the dirt track straight ahead leading to La Plagne. Stay on the road, ignore the access road to La Plagne on the left and continue straight ahead to reach the car park (S/E).

Route map
From (S) to (2) Yellow markings.
From (2) to (3) Yellow markings and white/red^GR®® markings.
From (3) to (11) Yellow markings.
From (10) to (9) Path skirting the summit of Le Granier; unmarked but obvious.
From (8) to (14) Unmarked
From (14) to (E) Yellow markings.

From the vertiginous cliff at point (11), there is a magnificent view over the Beauges, the northern part of the Belledonne Massif, Chambéry and the Alps.