Les Coves

An easy hike that can be adapted to suit your pace, winding through valleys and pastures and offering superb views of the Alps when conditions are at their best.

Details

18483
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Snowshoeing
    Activity: Snowshoeing
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.02 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 4 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 254 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 247 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,220 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,053 m

Description of the walk

You walk on sight through the valleys and meadows, between Les Pans d'Hotonne and the Col de Richemont.
Park in the car park on the road (sign for the Valromey Balconies).

(S/E) The start is opposite, a little further up (sign for “Les Coves/Granges de Recouza alt 1053m”).
Follow the path uphill, leaving it at the old wooden sign marked “Brunet” in red paint at the entrance to a pasture.

(1) From there, head up (due north) through the Pré à la Faye, making your way across the meadows as you go (the path is blocked in places by vegetation bending under the weight of the snow). Join theGR®®9on the forest road.

(2) Follow it to the Plavanel farm (high-voltage power line).

(3) Head up beneath the power line and reach La Cotière (west).

(4) Turn left into the Combe Danoi and cross it to reach Pré-carré:

(5) Continue down the meadow (south-west) to the narrowing where a path leads onto a track (GRP®® sign for the Valromey Balconies).

(6) Follow this path via La Grange des Moines and then Les Granges de Recouza.

(7) Turn left and return to the junction from the outward journey.

(1) Continue straight on to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,053 m - Roadside car park (sign for the Balcons du Valromey)
  2. 1 : km 0.29 - alt. 1,073 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
  3. 2 : km 2.68 - alt. 1,094 m - Forest track. Passage near the source of the - Vézéronce (cours d'eau) - Affluent du Rhône
  4. 3 : km 5 - alt. 1,155 m - Planvanel.
  5. 4 : km 6.3 - alt. 1,152 m - La Côtière
  6. 5 : km 7.8 - alt. 1,153 m - Pré Carré.
  7. 6 : km 8.24 - alt. 1,131 m - GR de Pays des Balcons du Valromey signpost).
  8. 7 : km 10.29 - alt. 1,079 m - Les Granges de Recouza.
  9. S/E : km 11.02 - alt. 1,054 m - Roadside car park (sign for the Balcons du Valromey)

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.6 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 11861283

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 19, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

No issues except for the forest trail between two tracks. Lack of snow at the start and finish at 1,000 metres.

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lionel3938
lionel3938

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk. Between the Loire and the Rhône.

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Richard D288
Richard D288

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk in perfect snow conditions on Saturday 2 January 2021! Up to a metre of fresh snow – brilliant!
Fog and low clouds, though, so no stunning views...

As we were breaking trail, we had to take a shortcut to avoid getting back too late between points 2 and 5 via Golet Truffet (still 10km in 4 hours)

The off-trail section before point 2 goes right through the forest, sometimes through coppice, and is therefore difficult and very tricky. Stick to the path between elevations 1134 and 1080 on the IGN map (if the author could edit their GPS track, that would be great: we can’t access the comments if we’re only using the Visio Rando app).
Another option (I’m not sure if it works): continue due north to join the path leading to elevation 1128, east of La Cartarie)

Enjoy the walk, everyone!!

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buschaert
buschaert

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 21, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Stunning views of the Alps
Errors in the route, with non-existent or closed paths
Note also that the route crosses grazing land, but it is possible to bypass these areas via the many other paths

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guydurand01
guydurand01

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

I went on this snowshoe hike; the snow cover was good but a bit thin in places. Ideally, you should do this hike after a good snowfall and in fine weather to enjoy the stunning views of Mont Blanc, particularly at the Planavel farm, where I stopped for a bite to eat with a superb view of Mont Blanc
Thanks to the author of this snowshoe hike

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gazok54
gazok54 ★
• Edited:

Thank you, mwr_wagner@yahoo.fr, for your comment and for confirming the presence of the old wooden sign with red lettering. The north-facing orientation was updated in the description in June 2014.

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randoMW
randoMW

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 06, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We didn't have time to complete the whole route, so we turned back at the GR.
But this does allow you to enjoy the superb view of Mont Blanc.
It’s also worth noting that the old wooden sign with red lettering is still there and serves as a good landmark for turning right, heading due north.

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, marcam.
Let’s remember that the description alone isn’t enough; it’s essential to always have the map to hand.
The Visorando *.pdf document is designed for this purpose; it includes both the description and the map.

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marcam
marcam

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 05, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A brilliant walk. Stunning views of the Mont Blanc massif... I highly recommend it!
Do make sure you bring a map and compass, though, as you’ll need them to find your way across the meadows.
Please note
- At the start, the red markings on the wooden sign are no longer there.
-From there, head due north (not due east) across the meadow.

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