Le Treu, Croix de Stata and Croix Cartier in a loop

From Ugine or Saint-Gervais, take the Gorges de l'Arly road and turn off towards Saint Nicolas-la-Chapelle. Go through the village and continue along the road towards Le Plan and then as far as Chaucisse. Park when you reach the hamlet.

(S/E) Take the Route des Montagnes, past the Rosets crossroads (return loop) to the crossroads at the "Route des Montagnes" sign (1,370 m).

(1) Turn left onto the Chemin du Praz-des-Sieres, signposted Les Avenières, which enters the forest and descends to ford the Nant de Chaucisse.

(2) Leave the path and take the path on the right bank, which rises immediately through the forest until it leads to the mountain pastures. Cross over to the south, then follow the summer path (not very visible in winter) up to the foot of the steep east face of Le Treu.

(3) Don't turn right onto the path winding up the dangerous east face, but join the forest opposite. The track crosses a threshold before a flat area. Before emerging from the forest towards the Chalet des Avenières, turn right towards the rear onto a forest track that rises to the pass at the foot of the Treu.

(4) Climb the steep south-east ridge of the Treu in small switchbacks, taking care not to get too close to the steep eastern slopes. This rugged ascent takes you over a number of crags that conceal the rest of the route, but whose slope gradually eases until you reach the antecima, also known as the Tête du Treu.

(5) Reach the main summit of Le Treu within sight of the now easy slopes.

(6) Descend the broad northern ridge and then, in the pasture, turn north-west towards the clearly visible col. Cross the pass and climb up to the chalets des Stallets (orientation table).

(7) Turn right (north) along the pastoral route to the Col des Aravis, climbing slightly, then cut straight across to the Chalets de Boegneuve, which are clearly visible, leaving the road at 1742m. You can also stay on the road until you come down to the Boegneuve chalets .

(8) Head east down to the crossroads at 1688 m, then cross over to the next crossroads at Peloset.

(9) Climb south-east to the Croix de Stata.

(10) From the cross, head north-east up the wide ridge that rises over several humps to a first dome (marked 1832 m) and then, after the Pied de la Croix junction, to the main summit of the Croix Cartier. The cross itself is a few dozen metres further down in the direction of Flumet.

(11) Return to the Pied de la Croix junction and turn left to take the path heading south through the woods. The first few pitches are on very steep wooded slopes where you need to be careful, but the path is well marked. Then one hairpin bend follows another, the slope becomes gentler and the path becomes a comfortable forest track. It leaves the forest to find meadows and their chalets and turns east at a pass marked 1448 m, near the Mont Jovet and Carrés chalets.

(12) Turn right onto the Route des Carrés, which leads back through Les Lanches to the Route des Montagnes, the Rozets crossroads (where you need to take your shoes off) and then the car park.
You can keep your snowshoes on until you reach the car park by turning left in the last meadow before the Rozets junction (S/E).

Most of the route takes place in mountain pastures and occasionally on forest paths, without difficulty.
The difficult grade is justified by the steep ascent to Treu, which requires good snow conditions and snowshoes that grip well.

The descent below Croix Cartier also requires attention because of the steepness of the slopes crossed by the path.

It is possible to shorten this loop: there is an escape route from (9) via the Route des Montagnes. Be careful! This route crosses avalanche-prone areas in unstabilised snow (signposted). However, once the avalanches have subsided or the slopes below the Croix de Stata have been cleared of snow, this road can be used to return more directly to Chaucisse. Many pedestrians use this route.

Magnificent views almost the whole way: of Mont Blanc, the Aravis, the Beaufortain... and further on towards the Fiz, the Lauzière, the Grand Arc, the Grandes Rousses, the Bauges and even the Meije.