Mont de la Coche and Tré le Mollard

This beautiful, wild circular hike starting from the Nant du Fourchu car park takes you to two peaks over 2,000 m in the Bauges massif in just a few kilometres, and can be completed with a climb to Pointe d'Arcalod. You may even see some marmots!

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.17 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 15 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 3,409 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 3,389 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 6,818 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3,409 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Areas: Alps, Bauges
  • ⚐ City: École (73630)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 45.645758° / E 6.23693°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 3432ET, 3432OT, 3432OTR
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Access: from École-en-Bauges, follow signs for Abbaye de Bellevaux and go up the valley of the same name (the road runs alongside the Chéran, then crosses it) to the car park at the end of the Nant Fourchu stream.

(S/E) Take the road heading north-east for a few hundred metres, leaving a footbridge on your right.

(1) At a fork, Chemin du Gros Fayard, turn left towards Chalets d'Orgeval. This forest path climbs steeply and can be relatively steep. Take advantage of the gaps to admire the slopes of Pécloz behind you.

(2) You will enter the Alpage d'Orgeval. Continue along the path.

(3) At the junction with a new track, turn left onto a faint path. This path initially heads south-west, then quickly turns north-west.

(4) At the edge of the forest, continue climbing through meadows, keeping slightly to the right as you ascend. The path is not always clearly marked: look for the dry river bed that descends from the pass, which is where the path ends. The climb is steep.

(5) At an altitude of 1,789 metres, a path is accessible on the left and runs alongside the river.

(6) Pass a nameless pass just after this and bear left. The Col des Coches is now visible on your left and all you have to do is climb up to it:the path coming from Arcalod is just opposite, join it by turning left. Climb up to the left of the scree and join the normal path at the top. On this marked path, turn left and you will arrive at the Col de la Coche.

(7) Climb up to the left, to Mont de la Coche, to the south-east.

(8) Return to the pass.

(7) Climb straight ahead to Tré le Mollard, to the north-west.

(9) Return to the pass.

(7) Take the path you took on the way up, in the opposite direction, and follow it, staying high above the arrival route, under the rocky ridge. With a bit of luck, you may also encounter marmots.

(10) Turn right to descend to the Chalets d'Orgeval.

(11) Here, you can make a round trip to Pointe d'Arcalod. Otherwise, follow the trail (GRP® du Massif des Bauges) towards the Nant Fourchu car park. This will take you back to the junction you passed on the way up.

(3) Opposite, take the uphill route in the opposite direction back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,409 ft - Nant Fourchu car park - Chéran (rivière)
  2. 1 : mi 0.2 - alt. 3,556 ft - Chemin du Gros Fayard
  3. 2 : mi 1.21 - alt. 4,478 ft - Orgeval mountain pasture
  4. 3 : mi 1.56 - alt. 4,764 ft - Forest exit - Crossroads of the loop
  5. 4 : mi 2.05 - alt. 5,128 ft - Pre
  6. 5 : mi 2.48 - alt. 5,889 ft - PA 1,789 m
  7. 6 : mi 2.52 - alt. 5,951 ft - Unnamed pass (1,826 m)
  8. 7 : mi 2.97 - alt. 6,703 ft - Col de la Coche
  9. 8 : mi 3.05 - alt. 6,818 ft - Mont de la Coche
  10. 9 : mi 3.2 - alt. 6,762 ft - Tré le Mollard
  11. 10 : mi 4.39 - alt. 5,843 ft - Above the Chalets d'Orgeval
  12. 11 : mi 4.64 - alt. 5,423 ft - Chalets d'Orgeval - Refuge d'Orgeval (1605 m)
  13. S/E : mi 7.17 - alt. 3,428 ft - Nant Fourchu car park

Notes

Please note that between points (3) and (7), you will be walking on paths that are poorly marked or unmarked.

Nature reserve and mountain pasture. Dogs are not allowed!

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

From point (10), you can make a round trip to Pointe d'Arcalod and descend via Col d'Orgeval.

Approximately 600 m of additional elevation gain.

Reviews and comments

3.5 / 5
Based on 2 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
2 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 29250116

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Thanks for this off-the-beaten-track route – I’ll be doing it again to complete the whole thing and in better conditions… because I really struggled that day!! I know that the snow map on Visorando is only a guide, but to my surprise, the terrain was shown as snow-free that day!! When I reached the top at point 6, there was far too much snow – an avalanche couloir – to reach the Col de la Coche.So I turned back, but it was impossible to complete a circular route to return to the Orgeval chalets towards point 10, as there was also a lot of snow on fairly steep, sloping terrain; so, unfortunately, I had to return via the same very steep and very slippery path (after the snow melts, the dry grass that appears is a real ice rink in the absence of a path...)
To get back to the route, there’s no point in getting lost in the woods at point 3; I’d advise continuing along the main track for about 200m, then turning left to climb up where you can see the way: the terrain is open there. Then, when you climb along the dry riverbed to reach the “Col sans nom” (point 6), make sure you take the left-hand side; the climb is very steep and the right-hand side is a real struggle, especially at the moment... I can’t wait for better days – I’ll be back!!!

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User 22387157

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful solo hike on 15/08/2025. Not many people (the "crowds" prefer Arcaloz). Very steep, avoid in wet weather
Be careful between 3 and 6, there is no path or even a trail (or I didn't find one). Navigation by sight with the help of GPS, but it's a bit difficult in the forest. The climb up the dry river is very steep
Between 6 and 7, there is no path either, but the terrain is clear and you can see the objective (the pass).
Herds of chamois and marmots
For the descent, it is possible to go around via the Col d'Orgeval. Longer but less steep
Water at the Orgeval chalet

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