Climb to the Platé Desert

Date of walk : Sep 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The first 200 metres of elevation gain give you a taste of what's to come, and it's quite a climb. Then, full sun, no shade and a gradient of 15% to 27% depending on the section.
There are even some false flats ;-)
There's no water except at the refuge, if it's open, and you have to pay for bottles, so there are no springs.
I had read that it was very slippery in places, but that's not true. A few places are slippery... but you can always put your feet somewhere else, which is what I did.
It's more slippery on the climb up to the Col de Portette.
Overall, it's still tough! It's a good idea to take breaks along the way :-)
No particular problems at the Cirque de Charbonnière & Faille des gradins de Platé.
I recommend paying attention to the slightest noise and sticking to the right, as ibexes can pass overhead and throw stones at us :-o
There are no technical difficulties or tricky paths.
If the sun is shining on the climb, you can see the footbridge at the top glistening.
You'll wonder where the path is, but aim for the large grassy area on the left and then turn right towards the fault :-)

As it's a desert, I was expecting something flat and/or with dunes, but in the end, no :-o
You have to climb a little and wander around the sharp limestone pavement to realise how big it is.
It's a large sloping expanse and you have to get close to see the sharp limestone pavement in detail.
I've seen some pretty impressive ones, but not as big, near Annecy and Grenoble ;-)
Then you can either go to the Col de Portette or turn left (be careful of patous and kangals if there's a herd).
Especially after the chalet, make sure you keep to the right if you're going to the pass! I don't do this because I can see the herd heading left, which is where you end up! This adds a little extra difficulty, especially when crossing the wide, stony ravine with slippery pebbles.
The climb is harder when you're tired, especially in the sun, and the stony ground mixed with earth also makes it difficult, but there are no technical difficulties.
The descent isn't very difficult or too tiring in the end. The descent from Portette is quite slippery given the terrain, so walking sticks are helpful!

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Date of walk : Nov 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Hike done under bright sunshine on 10 November 2024 :-) We pushed on to the Col de la Portette, which is really worth it for the magnificent scenery (and ibex). We came across about twenty people during our hour-long picnic break up there.
Total ascent time was just under 3 hours. If you're prone to vertigo, be warned... although there are no ridges ;-) However, it is steep in places, so you need to be sure-footed, but there are no particular technical difficulties. Good shoes and walking poles are recommended.
There were a few minor bottlenecks due to the crowds in the Egratz chimney on the way down.

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Date of walk : Aug 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

A superb hike and enjoyable climb up the rocks before arriving at the Platé refuge. The highlight is continuing on to the Col de la Portette (2,354 m) for a total elevation gain of 1,180 m. The view from the pass is stunning.

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Date of walk : Sep 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

A beautiful hike to avoid in hot weather as the slope becomes steeper from Les Egratz. This section is more spectacular than difficult on the way up. However, caution is advised on the descent as the rocks eroded by previous hikers are slippery. The refuge borders the plateau, so it is worth climbing up to the Col de la Portette for a better view of the Désert de Platé.
The view of the northern Mont Blanc massif is well worth the detour.

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Date of walk : Jul 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

The hike is much less difficult than the description suggests

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Date of walk : Sep 24, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : N/A
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : No

Much easier hike than expected based on the description and some reviews. We set off with four regular hikers. Steady climb. The "chimney": a little slippery but nothing too bad, then a narrow path but always on the mountainside so no drop on either side. Once in the desert, we continued to the Col de Colonney (+ 300m elevation gain). 2 hours 45 minutes total ascent. 2 hours descent. Chimney section in this direction: the stones are very slippery underfoot, but it's fine with walking sticks.
Not many people, but it's off-season!

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Date of walk : Aug 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Thanks for the info! So, a word of warning for those who aren't familiar with the area: I went there a bit too quickly, without reading the comments in detail, and I thought my last hour had come when I was climbing down the chimney. If you're not comfortable with heights, give it a miss, seriously

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Date of walk : Jul 08, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : N/A
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

As others have said, the difficulty is subjective, but objectively speaking, the climb is quite steep, so it is not recommended for families with young children (there aren't many distractions). The descent down the chimney can become technical in the rain. If you are at the refuge, the quick climb to the Col de Portette (30 minutes without a break) is worth it for the view from the summit of the Aiguille Verte and a much more snowy/mountainous landscape than at the refuge. Unfortunately, the Tête de Platé blocks the view of the Aiguilles de Cham, but you can't have everything.

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Date of walk : Jul 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

hike with tricky and vertiginous sections, foggy at the start and more or less clear in the afternoon

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Date of walk : Jul 01, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

This is a round trip hike along the same route. The return journey is particularly difficult, with a steep descent, but I am very proud to have done it after three months of lockdown.

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Date of walk : Jul 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A pleasant hike with no major difficulties.

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Date of walk : Aug 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Breathtaking views from up there!
The Platé desert is a real curiosity, it would be a shame to come to the region without visiting it.
As for the climb, I didn't find it particularly difficult or risky. There are no vertiginous sections. You just need to be in good physical shape and take care on the descent, as is often the case with hikes in the mid-range mountains. It takes two hours in total to reach the chalets.

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Date of walk : Aug 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very beautiful hike that I did in very foggy and humid weather.
You definitely need to be careful not to slip in these conditions, but I think the "Very difficult" rating is too high. The passage through the chimney was a little more technical given my fear of heights (and the fact that it was cloudless at that moment), my forgetting my walking sticks and the fact that I was alone, but this brief moment of pushing myself was really enjoyable, especially when you arrive at the desert in one go and are blown away by the view! The climb was much quicker than the 3 hours indicated by the signposts, and we took it easy.
Be careful, the first footbridge over the stream (which is dry) is made of wood, not metal. The metal one is just above it, just before you reach the top.
Given the muddy, slippery and foggy conditions, I took the descent very slowly, but with a little caution it's perfectly doable.
PS: there are lots of people on the trail, both going up and down!

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Date of walk : Jul 28, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike, but I find the description a little brief.
Nico is a really long hike when you get to the Platé desert and then push on to the Portette pass.
The hike starts on a forest path with no major difficulties, but it climbs quite steeply. At the end of the forest path, you come to a steeper, stony slope that requires good physical condition. It must be very slippery in wet weather. Then you tackle the chimney. There are some sections where you need to be careful. The path is fairly well formed but the slope is very steep, so you need to be careful.
At the top of the chimney, you finally arrive at the Platé desert with the chalets a five-minute walk away. The view is breathtaking. Note that I did this hike the day after it rained, so the clouds were quite low. Part of the climb was in fog, but when you reach the top, you find yourself above a sea of clouds. Magnificent. Some sections were muddy and slippery
I would classify this hike as difficult, but not very difficult. I came across several families with young children (aged around 13/14). I also came across a couple with their dog.

The hike from Praz Coutant to the Portette Pass is supposed to take four hours. I did it as a trail run, walking up and running down. The round trip to the plateau and Portette Pass took me 3 hours and 45 minutes. I hope this helps. Enjoy your hike!

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Date of walk : Jul 07, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very steep climb requiring no technical skills but excellent physical condition and, above all, extreme vigilance.
The sudden arrival at the plateau is surprising and disorienting.
There are a few signs explaining the formation of this "desert"

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