Mont Coin and Roc de la Charbonnière via the ridges

Roc de la Charbonnière is not the best-known of the peaks, but it sits enthroned in the centre of the Beaufortain massif, opposite Pierra Menta. The ridge route leading there from Mont Coin is magnificent, with views in all directions and abundant flora in season. Only the final climb in a chaotic mineral landscape is more demanding than the grassy terrain that predominates along the route.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.39 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 845 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 850 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,732 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,062 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from Cormet d'Arêches, reached either via Beaufort and Arêches then Lac de Saint-Guérin, via a fairly rough gravel road, or from Tarentaise via Aime, Granier and Laval, via a road that is only unpaved at the end.

(S/E) From the pass, take the path north of the road that climbs along a grassy ridge heading north-east to the Croix du Berger, visible from the start.

(1) Continue along the ridge path, which descends slightly at the next junction.

(2) Turn right towards Mont Coin and Col du Coin, cross the Plan de la Marmotte and its tiny ponds and climb up on the left to the junction where the climb to Mont Coin begins.

(3) Turn left and climb up a grassy ridge, which is quite steep in places.

(4) Turn left towards the ridge: Mont Coin is just to the right.

(5) After enjoying the view from the ridge, retrace your steps and descend halfway down the slope, where the slopes on the left become more passable.

(4) Dive left into the valley to cross towards Col du Coin without losing too much altitude: join a transverse track that passes at the foot of the rocks to climb back up to the next ridge, which you descend to the right to Col du Coin.

This traverse, which is a little off the trail at the beginning, cuts through areas of landslides. The weather must therefore be dry for an easy crossing. If you are apprehensive about this clearly visible section of the trail, you can always return to the junction (3), where you turn left to descend a little further along a good trail and then climb back up to the pass.

(6) From the pass, take the path that climbs the ridge towards the east. After a few steep sections, it passes along the southern flank to bypass the first summit, continuing with an ascending traverse on this flank until it reaches the altitude 2613.

(7) There, you will need to descend a few dozen metres on the southern slope to go around a rocky area and climb back up to the unnamed pass at around 2600 m.

(8) The scenery changes. There are two options for climbing to the summit:
1/ stay on the southern slope and take a path on the right up steep slopes that are half grassy, half rocky to a small chimney that opens out near the ridge,
2/ Cross to the north side and climb up a rugged rocky area, following the cairns that mark a trail that becomes visible again in the moraine and leads to the ridge coming from Grande Paréi.

Although it may seem daunting, route 2 (GPS track) is recommended because, although the terrain is difficult at the start, it is never very exposed, whereas the slopes of route 1, which may seem more attractive at first glance, are quite exposed.
Once near the ridge, bear left through a pleasant valley leading to the summit.

(9) Return by the same route, first to the unnamed pass.

(8) Continue along the ridges to Col du Coin.

(6) Turn left to descend the south slope, via a section eroded by mountain bikes, then veer right to the trail junction.

(10) Leave the path towards the route taken (possibly) on the way up to descend to the left and join the pastoral road leading to Plan Brunet.

(11) Turn right onto this pastoral road, which you can follow all the way, or better still, after 300 m, turn right onto a path in the mountain pasture, which cuts across the wide bend towards Plan Brunet and rejoins the road further down. Follow it to the right to La Chevalière.

(12) Descend the stony road to the Refuge de la Coire. At La Chevalière, a small path on the left allows you to cut across the first bend.

(13) From the refuge (fountain), head west up the paths that cut across the bends in the road and reach a cross at the top.

(14) Continue towards the nearby Cormet d'Arêches (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 2,106 m - Cormet d'Arêches
  2. 1 : km 1.06 - alt. 2,259 m - Croix du Berger
  3. 2 : km 1.52 - alt. 2,265 m - Crossroads towards Plan de la Marmotte
  4. 3 : km 2.16 - alt. 2,344 m - Crossroads for the ascent to Mont Coin
  5. 4 : km 2.42 - alt. 2,427 m - Fork in the road. Return trip to the summit.
  6. 5 : km 2.84 - alt. 2,538 m - Mont Coin 2553m
  7. 6 : km 3.9 - alt. 2,399 m - Col du Coin
  8. 7 : km 4.83 - alt. 2,570 m - Elevation 2613
  9. 8 : km 5.19 - alt. 2,584 m - Unnamed pass at around 2,600 m
  10. 9 : km 5.83 - alt. 2,732 m - Roc de la Charbonnière
  11. 10 : km 7.97 - alt. 2,336 m - Below the Col du Coin. Fork in the road
  12. 11 : km 8.2 - alt. 2,277 m - Plan Brunet Pastoral Road junction
  13. 12 : km 9.19 - alt. 2,159 m - Chevalière crossroads
  14. 13 : km 9.95 - alt. 2,062 m - Refuge de la Coire
  15. 14 : km 10.15 - alt. 2,105 m - Cross near the Cormet d'Arêches
  16. S/E : km 10.39 - alt. 2,106 m - Cormet d'Arêches

Notes

Most of this circular route is on paths or trails in the mountain pastures. The ridge towards Roc de la Charbonnière is steeper and the final climb more demanding, but without any real technical difficulty.

In spring, the persistence of snowfields can make the route more difficult, especially after the pass (8).

It is of course possible to climb Roc de la Charbonnière via Mont Coin, but this means missing out on magnificent views and a pleasant route.

There are many different ways to descend from the pass (8) via the Vallon de Jerbois mountain pastures: be careful not to descend too far to reach the Refuge de la Coire.

Worth a visit

The views from the ridge are extensive, towards the peaks and lakes of Beaufortain, Mont Blanc, Vanoise, Ecrins, Lauzière and Aravis.

The flora is varied and magnificent, both in spring and summer. The fauna is rarer, given the popularity of this area due to its moderate elevation.

Reviews and comments

5 / 5
Based on 2 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
User 4290060

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very clear and effective information, thank you

Machine-translated

fletcher_fr
fletcher_fr

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello, I did this route at the beginning of July but didn't post it because I had trouble finding the right route due to the snow. When I reached the unnamed pass, the slope and the snow, which was still very present, put me off. So I turned right onto the clearly visible trail and then onto a very steep couloir ending in a small chimney of red rocks.
On the descent from the ridge, I saw a trail in the snow on the north side that led back down to the pass. This is certainly the right route, but as I wasn't equipped, I chose to descend on the same side but went further than the chimney on easier slopes.
A very beautiful hike, in any case, which is well worth doing.

Machine-translated

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