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Departure from the Pont de la Pêche car park, south of Pralognan, at the end of the road.
(S/E) Take the road that crosses the car park.
(1) At the large information boards marking the start of the paths, turn left towards Montaimont. Take the wide track that leads to the hamlet.
(2) Continue along the path that climbs to the left between the houses (chalet reserved for National Park rangers on your right).
You are now on a path that climbs up into the mountain pasture and quickly arrives at a fork below the Bôs chalets. You can see them on the ridge to your left with the drinking trough just in front.
(3) Leave the signposted "Cirque des Nants, refuge de la Valette" on your left and take the right-hand path signposted "Cirque du Génépy 1h" and "Cirque de Rosoire, Col d'Aussois". Continue along this path, which climbs fairly steeply up the ridge, then continue along the side with the stream below on your right.
(4) Cross a slightly larger stream (Ruisseau de Travers) and then join the junction with a path on your right that comes directly from Montaimont, which is quicker but steeper. Continue straight ahead.
(5) You will soon enter the cirque by crossing a first footbridge. In the cirque, you will find clusters of edelweiss. They are a little out of the way, but not in dangerous places, and are just there for your viewing pleasure and to take photos. Cross the cirque.
(6) Start climbing the path on the Génépy glacier moraine. The path veers west and leaves the moraine. You are now at 2,450 metres.
(7) About 150m further on, leave the marked trail (which you will rejoin later) and climb up the meadow in wide S-curves. There are many tracks, and you should systematically go around the rocks, generally on the right. Between 20 and 30 minutes later, you will reach the pass (2,599m) located south of Pointe Ariande.
(8) From the top, there is a superb view and plenty of space to have lunch with the entire cirque at your feet.
For the descent on the other side, follow the tracks without running. It is a long route through the valley. On your left are the Argentine ridges, where you can see chamois or ibex in the distance.
Take the time to rest (it's usually siesta time) and watch the movements in the scree.
Then rejoin the balcony path that you left when you exited the Cirque du Génépy.
(9) Turn left onto this path, which descends gently, passes over the edge of the Argentine ridges, plunges into the Rosoire stream valley, crosses the Ritord stream, and ends at the junction with the path leading to the Col d'Aussois.
(10) Take the descent to the right, cross the mountain pasture, then an area of shrubs where the descent in hairpin bends is much more pronounced, and emerge in the valley.
(11) The first thing you will see is a small herd of pigs fed on whey from the Ritort cheese dairy, which you will soon reach. You can stop and buy some cheese.
You are now on your way back. Take theGR®55on the right for 1.6km, which is very easy going, where you will meet hikers climbing towards Peclet Polset. Head for the Roc de la Pêche refuge.
(12) You can make a short detour to see the chapel, the first building you will see.
The route continues on theGR® for a long descent to the Pont de la Pêche car park, your starting point (S/E).
Visorando member
Very difficult 
Difficult 
