Napremont

Beautiful promontory facing Pralognan, with stunning views of the entire area, including the Portetta breach and the Aiguille d'Août, which dominate the route. Unfortunately, this is now a round trip since the path (still shown on the map) through the Bois de Chollière is closed. (2008, order renewed every year since then, given the danger).

Details

1273593
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 769 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 768 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,182 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,413 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Plan car park, fairly close to Pralognan on the road leading to the helicopter landing pad. There are around ten spaces, which are usually sufficient, as there are few hikes starting from Le Plan.
Signs indicate the start next to the fountain.

(S/E) Start on the wide track heading north-west. You will easily reach the fork with the Col de Napremont trail marked by a cross, a bench and the remains of a ski lift.

(1) Take the path on the left towards Napremont. Continue along this path and, after a few hairpin bends, you will reach a new crossroads.

(2) Leave the paths on your right that lead to the forest road and the hamlet of La Montagne. After a hairpin bend and a fairly straight climb, you will reach the Creux de l'Ours valley.

(3) Continue along the winding path to the left, ignoring the paths on the right that lead to La Montagne.
Continue climbing the well-marked path that winds through the wide valley.
As the path makes a hairpin bend to the left, you will find a cairn marking an intersection.

(4) Stay on the main path and continue the final ascent through a bed of rhododendrons. Pass Col de Napremont and continue south-east to reach the summit dome.

(5) Take the same route back to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,413 m - Plan car park. Near - Doron de Bozel (rivère)
  2. 1 : km 0.68 - alt. 1,515 m - Fork in the path towards Napremont
  3. 2 : km 1.68 - alt. 1,711 m - Fork towards "La Montagne"
  4. 3 : km 2.33 - alt. 1,835 m - Fork towards "La Montagne"
  5. 4 : km 3.31 - alt. 2,083 m - Fork towards Breche Portetta. Towards - Col de Napremont (2150m)
  6. 5 : km 3.8 - alt. 2,178 m - Dôme
  7. S/E : km 7.46 - alt. 1,414 m - Plan car park

Notes

(4) The path on the right leads to the foot of the Aiguille d'Août.
Enjoy the beautiful view of the Dents de la Portetta and the Aiguille de Mey. Some have christened the area "Les Petites Dolomites" (the Little Dolomites). The hikes that start here are difficult or very difficult.

There is no water on this route apart from the fountain at the start/finish point.
Bring standard mountain equipment, high-top boots, walking sticks, hats and sunglasses.
There are no shelters.
The dome at the finish is a great place for a picnic with a wide view.

Alternative route for the return journey
(5) Head to the Creux de l'Ours crossroads.

(3) You can join the forest road, a wide unpaved path that is longer but easier to walk on. Follow the signs for Pralognan (not La Croix) to reach the Napremont crossroads.

(1) Take the same route back to the car park (S/E)

Worth a visit

Flora is always abundant, with white lilies and martagon lilies, globeflowers, and, depending on the season, blue thistles (mainly in August).
Very wide panorama over Pralognan and the peaks.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.9 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
sempervivum
sempervivum

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Loop hike using safe steps. Descent via a good path. Beautiful view from the summit

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Rhéa25
Rhéa25

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This route must be done as a circular route starting from the Chollière woods. The climb is superb and fast!
The route should be done in the opposite direction, starting in the woods and descending along the trail, which is perfect. The climb is steady but balanced, and, more importantly, the descent is less traumatic for the knees.
This makes for a 9km hike with 760m of elevation gain. The views are absolutely incredible with a magnificent 360° panorama. A hike not to be missed!

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gilloua73
gilloua73

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

magnificent trail .a must-do circular

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Cricritotal
Cricritotal

Hello,
In July 2023, this walk can once again be done as a circular route through the Chollière woods. The trail is accessible again.

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Fluryjc
Fluryjc

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Since 15 September 2022, a municipal by-law has prohibited access through the Chollière woods due to rockfalls.
We made the round trip.
Magnificent view at the top, you can even see Mont Blanc!
Just before the summit, the path has been resurfaced, so there are 500 metres of muddy ground... be careful not to slip!

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vuagnoux
vuagnoux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It is indeed possible to descend the other side (although this should be avoided after rain) thanks to a surprisingly sturdy staircase for the steepest section. Beautiful view from the summit.

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duodiscu92
duodiscu92

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

It is now possible to do this circular walk again, as a new route through the Chollière woods has been opened. It is briefly described in walk no. 24789348. Sturdy wooden steps have been installed to allow hikers to cross a rocky outcrop in complete safety. I recommend taking this route on the way up, as it is very pleasant and, above all, much shadier than the route through the Bois de la Rossa, which I personally reserve for the descent.

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38Odile
38Odile

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

I was able to do this hike as a circular thanks to the improvements made in 2021, as mentioned in previous comments.
However, the Tourist Office website has not been updated (as of 11/8/2022) and as the work is not completely finished, I think it is best to check that the downhill trail to Chollière is open by calling the Tourist Office (for example, in July, it was closed for a few days...)

Otherwise, it's a superb hike, not too crowded (no problem finding a parking space!), an easy trail, very shady (which is appreciated this year :-)) and an exceptional view at the summit!

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MelD56
MelD56

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Departure from the hamlet of La Cholliere. Climb with our daughters aged 9 and 4½, who are used to hiking on slopes with an elevation gain of 800 metres. The path has been re-traced and redeveloped for its opening in summer 2021. It is very pleasant, wooded for the first half. Then a wooden staircase with around 170 steps allows you to cross the rock. The second half of the path takes you through blueberry and bilberry bushes.

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PhN73
PhN73

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike is still advertised as a round trip, which limited its appeal, BUT this is no longer true!
In fact, a few days ago, the trail on the hillside of the hamlet of Chollière was reopened thanks to a newly constructed passageway (180 wooden steps) and a slightly different route from the historic trail, which had been closed due to the risk of rockfalls.
The hike can now be done as a circular route, which I recommend, as it offers a magnificent 360° view of all the peaks around Pralognan La Vanoise.

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Lhiou
Lhiou

Read in Le Dauphiné on 15 August 2021:

"In Pralognan, a trail with 168 steps - The Col de Napremont (located at an altitude of 2,185 metres), starting from the Plan car park, is one of the most beautiful walks in Pralognan. But since 2008, it has not been possible to do a circular, as the southern slope in the Chollière forest is too exposed to rockfalls. 'The hike is less enjoyable as a round trip,' points out Jean-Pierre Favre, mayor of Pralognan. Together with the National Forestry Office (ONF) and the company Avenir Protection, the municipality has therefore been considering a solution to bypass the dangerous section.

In early August, a 168-step larch staircase with rest platforms offering beautiful views was installed in a corridor near the original route. Initial feedback has been very positive, with the 760-metre climb at the foot of the Dents de la Portetta offering panoramic views of Mont Blanc, the Grand Bec, the Grande Casse, the glaciers and the Vanoise domes

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Nutstreck
Nutstreck
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The circular route through Chollière Wood will soon be accessible. The route is currently being developed to avoid the unstable scree that the old trail crossed (currently closed to the public, the construction site is located at 1,950 metres). This will make the hike much more interesting!

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denrem
denrem

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2020
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful 360° view of Pralognan, the Portetta peaks, Petit Mont Blanc, the Petit and Grand Marchet cirques, etc.
It's a shame that you can no longer do a circular from the Chollière woods.

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Berger38500
Berger38500

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk today, with a little snow at the top as a bonus.
In good weather – like today – the 360° view is superb: Pralognan, the Petit and Grand Mont Blanc, the Aiguilles de Portetta, the Vanoise glacier, etc.
No regrets, as far as I'm concerned, the times indicated on the signs correspond to my walking pace.

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