Le Rochail

de fr

Ascent to Le Rochail from the hamlet of Les Bosses via Lac du Vallon.
A very interesting route, both visually and technically.
Be careful, however, as the slopes are steep and the ridge walk between the Col du Rochail and the summit can be dizzying.

Details

n°843915
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.57 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 7 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,647 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,647 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,012 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,365 m
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Photos

Lac du Vallon
Belledonne
The summit of Le Rochail
Lac du Vallon

Description of the walk

Access to the car park is via a dirt track that is passable by car but can be quite bumpy in places. The track is 2.5 km long and may put you off due to its poor condition. For details on accessing the car park, see the ‘Practical Information’ section.

(S/E) From the car park, continue eastwards along the forest track. You will soon reach a crossroads of paths.

(1) Carry straight on, ignoring the path on the right, to reach the Malsanne stream, which you cross via a small bridge.

(2) Immediately afterwards, leave the forest road and take the path on the right, which climbs quite steeply through the woods and rejoins the forest road you left at the start.

(3) Continue climbing to the left for a few dozen metres. You will reach the Cabane des Charmettes.
Take the path that continues to climb to your right towards Lac du Vallon. You will first reach the Cabane du Pré de la Vache (you have climbed 600m from the car park).

(4) Continue up the steep slope leading to Lac du Vallon, reaching the lake’s spillway which feeds the Malsanne torrent.

(5) From here, you will need to head off-trail towards the Col du Rochail and then on to the summit of the Rochail itself. You can then rely on your sense of direction to find your way or simply follow the route if you have the Visorando app with you. In both cases, starting on the left, cairns will indicate the path to follow at fairly regular intervals.

You reach the ridge at the Col du Rochail.

(6) You now need to follow the ridge to the right towards the summit of Rochail.
This route isn’t particularly difficult, but the terrain remains rugged and the slopes steep, so please take care.
If you suffer from vertigo, this route is manageable but you may prefer to be accompanied.

(7) After climbing 1,600 metres, you finally reach the summit of Le Rochail, marked by numerous cairns.
You can then enjoy a breathtaking 360° panorama of the surrounding mountain ranges.

Begin your descent by following the exact route of the ascent to return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,365 m - Car park
  2. 1 : km 0.16 - alt. 1,384 m - Trail junction
  3. 2 : km 0.54 - alt. 1,421 m - Bridge over the - Malsanne (rivière)
  4. 3 : km 1.05 - alt. 1,542 m - Cabane des Charmettes
  5. 4 : km 2.57 - alt. 2,000 m - Cabane du Pré de la Vache
  6. 5 : km 4.54 - alt. 2,495 m - Lac du Vallon
  7. 6 : km 5.45 - alt. 2,759 m - Col du Rochail (2756m)
  8. 7 : km 6.28 - alt. 3,012 m - Summit of Le Rochail
  9. S/E : km 12.57 - alt. 1,365 m - Car park

Notes

Access to the car park:

In my case, I drove to the car park in a 206 and it went very smoothly; you just need to watch out for the uneven road surface and not be put off by the sound of stones under the car.
If you’re worried about this sort of access or your car isn’t suitable, you can choose to park in front of Chantelouve Town Hall; the walk will then be extended by just over 250m in elevation and 2.5km in distance.

For those wishing to access the car park: when you reach Chantelouve Town Hall, continue to the end of the street towards the Malsanne stream, which you cross via a wooden bridge. After the bridge, turn left and follow the road which climbs directly to the car park at the end of it.

For more photos of this route:
You can view the 360° photos I took during this hike:
At Lac du Vallon: HERE
At the summit of Le Rochail: HERE

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
suzie0405
suzie0405

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We completed part of the hike on Tuesday 1 July under a magnificent blue sky, which made the colour of the lake truly magical.
We stopped at the lake, setting off at 8am from the car park at the top of the track, which you drive up in a slightly raised car; I think a low-slung car might scrape the ground, saving you a 200m climb and a 4km round trip.
So it took us 4 hours to climb up, taking the time to take some lovely photos.
Before reaching the lake, there’s a splendid waterfall that’s every bit as good as the Voile de la Mariée at Gioberney, for those who know it.
We stayed at the lake for three hours and saw only three other people.
There were still a few patches of snow along the lake’s edge – a sight every hiker dreams of.
A leisurely descent in 3 hours.
10km round trip and 1,340m of elevation gain.
Don’t hesitate to head up and see this magnificent lake.😍

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grossif
grossif

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent ride with a single steep climb and an absolutely stunning finish at the pass.
The lake is stunning
This ride is best done before the snow arrives, as it changes the route in winter

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Denay59
Denay59

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

There’s a lot of elevation gain. We had to set off from the village because our car’s ground clearance is too low, so it’s a 250m climb
Progress is slow along the ridges; otherwise, magnificent scenery and water sources throughout the hike.
From the village: 21.5 km – 2,165 metres of elevation gain and 9 hours’ walking

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christine.thomas4
christine.thomas4

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We stopped at Lac du Vallon.
A lovely climb
The lake is magnificent.

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