Les Pendants, La Culaz and Les Creusates in a circular loop from Montagny

From the interior of Les Bauges, or from its access points via the Bange pass or the Col de Plainpalais, climb to Arith and continue to the hamlet of Montagny. Do not park there (no spaces available), but drive past it to reach the Greson car park at the end of the paved road.

(S/E) Continue along the gravel forest road towards the north, pass the "Granges du Crêt" sign, take a sharp left turn and you will soon arrive at the "Sous la Chênaie" crossroads.

(1) Turn right at an acute angle towards Mariet until you reach the cross at the junction marked "Les Taillis".

(2) Leave the route to Lac Mariet on your right and turn left towards Mariet dessus. When you leave the forest, turn left towards the west towards the last chalets.

(3) Turn left to climb into the forest, staying on the marked trail. After a few steep climbs, the route crosses to the left to join the trail climbing directly from Montagny at Les Combettes (no sign).

(4) Then turn right and continue climbing through the forest. At a fence, turn left to reach an unnamed pass in the mountain pasture marked "Pâturage de Lachat".

(5) Turn right to descend a little and immediately veer left to reach the Refuge du Creux de Lachat.

Alternative route: if you do not want to go via the refuge, simply continue straight on from Pâturage de Lachat towards the west along the GR® trail, which climbs straight up the slope towards Les Pendants.

(6) Turn left at the refuge onto the grassy ridge leading up to Les Pendants. Although marked on the IGN map, the path quickly disappears into the forest. Nevertheless, the climb continues, using the terrain to your advantage. It is quite steep at first, then levels off in the mountain pasture, until you reach the geographical summit of Les Pendants (1,449 m, the altitude of the day).

(7) Descend a little to the south into the mountain pasture to join the GR® passing below the summit, follow it to the right along the ridge, it descends above cliffs to pass an orientation table with a clear view, then joins the Col de la Cochette in the forest.

(8) Take the good path opposite, which climbs diagonally towards La Plate. It leaves the forest and joins the ridge at the "Vers les Sources" crossroads. Turn left to climb straight up the mountain pasture to the summit of La Culaz.

(9) Continue eastwards and descend via Chalet Pernet, then through the valley until you come to a track entering the forest on the left. Cut across it to pass in front of a grassy threshold, then cut across another forest track and enter the forest via a faint path which, after a left turn, leads to the easily recognisable altar of Abbé Quoex.

(10) Continue left, south-east, along a path that climbs a steep slope, then turn right on a ridge to reach a small rocky crest in the forest, at the end of which stands the Croix de la Benoîte (no view).

(11) Return to the priest's altar.

(10) Take a vague path on the left, heading south-west through the woods, which climbs slightly to overlook the mountain pasture and the Chalets Reguéras. Descend towards the chalets.

(12) Cross the meadow to the south-west to join the path descending from Chalet Pernet and rejoin the GR® at the "Les Clôtures" sign.

Be careful, the centre of the meadow you are crossing may be wet, with some boggy areas: if so, go around it to the south via a track that leads back to the path.

(13) Descend via the GR®, which becomes an almost passable track, passing by the crossroads under "Pré Bouclier", to the crossroads at La Plate, above the chalet of the same name.

(14) Turn right to pass between the chalet and the Refuge de la Plate, and continue to the next junction.

(15) Leave the forest road on the left (return route) and continue straight on the GR® with a short climb followed by a long descent towards the Chalet de la Clusaz, until you reach the Otalets crossroads.

(16) Turn sharply left towards Croix des Bergers and Saint-François-de-Sales, descend into Combe de l'Ours to cross Ruisseau des Otalets (very wet crossing!) and climb back up the opposite side on moderate slopes in the Plume mountain pastures, passing by the Chalet de Fontaine Froide, then other chalets, until you reach the ridge at the edge of the Tourbière des Creusates.

(17) Turn right onto the circular Boucle des Creusates, staying on the path marked with dragonfly signs. It climbs a little before returning to the "Sous la Croix" crossroads.

(18) Cross a fence, either via a chicane or a stile, and climb westwards up the Mollard. Continue to the Croix des Bergers for unobstructed views.

(19) Return via the same path to "Sous la Croix".

(18) Turn right to continue the circular Boucle des Creusates, which winds its way up a cross-country ski trail overlooking the peat bog. Continue along this trail eastwards until you reach the junction with the road leading up from Saint-François-de-Sales.

(20) Turn left (north, then north-northeast) and follow the forest and cross-country ski trail to the eastern end of the bog near the Chalet des Creusâtes.

(21) Leave the circular Boucle des Creusates on your left and continue straight ahead (northeast) along the forest track. This enters the forest at Les Plantations and continues more or less level (slight descent) to the Platets junction, marked "Pierre Blanche".

(22) Turn left towards "Refuge de la Plate" to climb briefly to the Chalet de la Plate junction, which you passed earlier.

(15) Turn right onto the GR® to return to the La Plate crossroads.

(14) Turn right towards "Parking de Montagny" and "Arith". Go around a gate on the left, then the trail continues down a sunken path. This path is badly damaged by erosion, so take the right-hand side where the marked trail runs parallel to it, initially on grassy ground and then in the forest, with some fairly steep slopes. Halfway down the slope, the marked trail veers to the left to cross more moderate slopes and join a forest track climbing up to the right of Les Foyères, at a pass in the forest.

(23) Turn left onto this track, which descends north-northeast, fairly even and marked, avoiding going up the slope on the left or turning right. It passes near the Chalet Prisset in a clearing, then naturally leads to the top of the Greson car park. (S/E)

This wide circular loop, which is not very high in altitude, passes by several chalets that are occupied in summer, notably the Creux-de-Lachat refuge at (6) and the Refuge de la Plate near (14).

It can be accessed from various points: in addition to the Montagny car park in the description, you can start from Les Foyères, from St François-de-Sales and, above all, from the St François-de-Sales Nordic area and its centre.

In winter, it is best to start from St François-de-Sales for a snowshoe hike.

Most of the route is marked:

• GR® 96 from above Montagny to Les Otalets (except for the detours described in the guidebook to visit the Creux-de-Lachat refuge, La Culaz and the Curé altar).
• Yellow from Les Otalets to Les Creusates and the descent to Montagny.
• Dragonfly markings on the circular Creusates.
• Snowshoe markings from Les Otalets and cross-country skiing around Les Creusates.

Extensive views of Les Bauges, La Tournette, Mont Blanc, Le Grand Colombier and the Jura, and further afield, La Chartreuse and Belledonne.

These views are mainly from Les Pendants, La Culaz and La Croix des Bergers.

Heritage interest of the Creusâtes peat bog (explanatory panels) and the site of the Curé's altar, reminiscent of the revolutionary period.