Petit tour du Mont Thabor

fr

Une randonnée pleine de kilomètres. Aussi bien en longueur qu'en dénivelé !
Un point du vue à 360° sur le Mont Thabor entre Vanoise et Écrins.
Retrouver tous les avis sur cette randonnée dans la fiche de la première étape
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Details

n°30729971
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 39.46 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3 days 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 2,515 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,511 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,178 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,605 m

Photos

Descente du Thabor

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

  1. S
    De Grange Bernard au Refuge de Terre Rouge

    From Grange Bernard to the Refuge de Terre Rouge

    ↔8.27 km ↗578 m ↘10 m
    First stage of the Petit tour du Mont Thabor hike
    View the route
  2. 2

    Du Refuge de Terre Rouge au Refuge du Mont Thabor

    ↔13.50 km ↗1,140 m ↘808 m
    Deuxième étape de la randonnée petit tour du Mont Thabor
    View the route
  3. E

    Du Refuge du Mont Thabor à Grange Bernard

    ↔17.64 km ↗814 m ↘1,703 m
    Troisième et dernière étape de la randonnée petit tour du Mont Thabor.
    View the route

Notes

Au départ du hameau de Combaz, Grange Bernard
Ce circuit décrit dans sa totalité peut se faire sur deux jours (difficulté Très difficile dans ce cas) mais il est ici proposé sur trois jours. Pour cela les haltes peuvent se faire en bivouac, en bordure des lacs par exemple, ou pour plus de confort aux refuges de Terre Rouge et du Mont Thabor. Il est aussi possible de scinder la dernière étape par une pause au Refuge des Marches.

Points d'eau multiple sauf sur le Mont Thabor !

Possibilité de refuge à la Chapelle du Thabor (3150m).
Refuge de Terre Rouge
Refuge du Mont Thabor
Refuge des Marches

Équipement habituel mais particulièrement chaussures montantes et eau.

Randonnée de juin 2012, reformatée en randonnée à étapes en 2023.

Retrouver tous les avis sur cette randonnée dans la fiche de la première étape
https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-peti...

 Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
User 27913176

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb 3-day hike

On the first day, we set off from the Valmeinier car park (which adds about 3 km to the total circular). We walked all day and camped about 2 km after the Terre Rouge refuge.

At the start of the second day, we set off again at around 8.30am. We followed the trail and arrived at the foot of the mountain; there was a lot of snow on the scree slopes. We climbed as best we could to 3,000 m, but decided not to continue because the conditions were not favourable: heavy fog, strong winds and snow up to our knees in places. So we descended to the Terre Rouge refuge to spend the night.

On the last day, we reached the car park in the morning.

Important points

To complete the entire circular loop, bring crampons and an ice axe, or even a rope if there are several of you.

There are no difficulties regarding water sources: rivers flow throughout the hike (we started using them from 2,200 metres).

Other than that, it's a very beautiful hike, best done in spring for greater comfort.

Machine-translated

User 9029452

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike.
I completed this circuit in two days, climbing Mont Thabor on the first day as the weather was better then. I spent the night at the Mont Thabor refuge.
It's physically demanding over two days.
In my opinion, there is no better direction than the other. The only tricky part is the scree on Mont Thabor, where you have to dare to stray from the trail and follow the markers.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking From Grange Bernard to the Refuge de Terre Rouge

Association / Club / Walk leader
De Grange Bernard au Refuge de Terre Rouge
↔8.27 km ↗+578 m ↘-10 m ◔4h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Valmeinier (Savoie)
First stage of the Petit tour du Mont Thabor hike

Walking Grands Lacs via the Terre Rouge refuge

Visorando member
Grands Lacs par le refuge de Terre Rouge
↔13.94 km ↗+780 m ↘-780 m ◔6h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Valmeinier (Savoie)
This hike consists of two loops that meet at the Terre Rouge refuge. The lower loop allows you to admire the Neuvache valley from a balcony trail as you climb. On the descent, the route often runs alongside the torrent itself. The upper loop takes place in a more mineral environment at the base of the western slope of Mont Thabor. The markings for these loops are varied.

Walking Circular of the lakes in the Neuvache valley above Valmeinier

Visorando member
↔19.14 km ↗+1,019 m ↘-1,013 m ◔8h 25 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Valmeinier (Savoie)
A magnificent hike along the Neuvache river, which will take you to Lac des Glaciers in a magnificent alpine cirque dominated by Roche du Chardonnet, Pointe des Angelières, Mont Thabor and Pic du Thabor via Lac Vert, Lac Curtalès, Lac Rond, Lac Cornu, Lac Bri and an unnamed lake.The diversity of the environments, including forests, mountain pastures and mineral landscapes, is what makes this magnificent but demanding hike so interesting. It is aimed at experienced hikers who are used to long walks on varied terrain and are accustomed to navigating by map and visually, particularly between Lac Bri and Lac des Glaciers and at the start of the descent from the latter.Visorando app recommended.

Walking The Pain de Sucre at the start of Valloire

Visorando member
Le Pain de Sucre au départ de Valloire
↔11.54 km ↗+694 m ↘-689 m ◔5h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Valloire (Savoie)
A classic hike around the Valloire ski resort. This is a circular starting and ending in Valloire. comment from a hiker on 02/08/2023 A sign after the hamlet of Poingt Ravier indicates that the return route from Albanette to Valloire is closed. At (10), only a pedestrian crossing remains. On arrival in Valloire, a municipal decree is displayed indicating that traffic on this road is prohibited, particularly for pedestrians, and that failure to comply with this decree may result in a fine.

Walking Valloire - Les Verneys par le Parcours Vert

Visorando member
Valloire - Les Verneys par le Parcours Vert
↔7.07 km ↗+354 m ↘-352 m ◔3h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Valloire (Savoie)
This loop, with a reasonable elevation gain for the region, will take you along paths to discover the magnificent landscapes of Valloire.This hike is offered as a trail run by the Valloire Tourist Office.The Devil's Bridge is broken. However, a replacement footbridge has been put in place, allowing you to follow the original route.

Walking Refuge de Terre Rouge - Le Prec

Visorando member
Refuge de Terre Rouge - Le Prec
↔14.10 km ↗+660 m ↘-1,173 m ◔5h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Valmeinier (Savoie)
This is the last stage of this three-day route, with one last beautiful climb. A final alpine pass, a few lakes, and the return via the Fenêtre du Prec to round off this lovely Tour du Thabor.

Walking Lac de Pramol from Col d'Albanne

Visorando member
Le Lac de Pramol depuis le Col d'Albanne
↔3.60 km ↗+128 m ↘-128 m ◔1h 25 ▲Easy
⚑Departure from Montricher-Albanne (Savoie)
A short family walk from the Col d'Albanne to the pretty Pramol Lake. This route is not particularly difficult and runs almost exclusively through the forest. It can be enjoyed alone or in a group.

Walking Lac de Bissorte - Refuge du Mont Thabor

Visorando member
Lac de Bissorte - Refuge du Mont Thabor
↔12.51 km ↗+1,164 m ↘-309 m ◔6h 55 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Orelle (Savoie)
First beautiful stage of a challenging three-day tour of Mont Thabor. A beautiful stage with an elevation gain of almost 1,200 metres. Climb to the Bissorte dam, cross the Vallon des Marches, with a possible break at the refuge. Then climb to the beautiful Lac des Bataillères and the pass of the same name, with a superb view of the Lacs Sainte Marguerite and the Vallon de la Grande Montagne. Breathtaking view of the Cheval Blanc.

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