From Grange Bernard to the Refuge de Terre Rouge

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed on 10 August over 3 days.
After filling up with water at the Terre Rouge refuge, we camped at La Pierre du Déjeuner, a beautiful, peaceful spot with a small stream.
On the second day, we climbed Mont Thabor. The scree slope is a bit challenging but does not seem dangerous (little risk of falling rocks). We arrived at Mont Thabor to enjoy a superb view.
We continued on to the Mont Thabor refuge to refill our water supplies. We decided to extend the day a little and camp at Lac des Batailleres, which was quieter than the lakes above the refuge.
On the third day, we quickly arrived at the Refuge des Marches to refill our water supplies.
The final climb to the Col des Marches and then descent to the resort! If we wanted to save a few minutes, we could have parked a little higher up!
Thank you for this itinerary!

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Hello
I downloaded this route because I want to do it on my own in June 2023
I want to hike independently over several days
Thank you in advance

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Date of your route : Sep 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

This hike is scheduled for early September 2022. I found the guidebook, maps and reviews very interesting. I've already looked into the 3-day route, in either direction, with the option of staying in mountain huts, and I already know the prices for the two huts (overnight stay + meals)
Great! Thank you, Visorando

René P.

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Hello, is it possible to go hiking with a dog?
Thank you for your replies.

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Date of your route : Aug 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
Some personal information for those preparing for this hike.

We decided to do it over three days, completely independently and at a fairly relaxed pace (arriving at the campsite around 3 or 4 p.m. to chat, read, admire the view, etc.)
Direction: we decided to do it in the direction indicated on the map (the only slightly tricky part with large rucksacks is the climb up to the Col de la Chapelle (large boulders) and I much prefer to do this part going up rather than down! ). What's more, we do this part in the morning when we're full of energy.
As for parking, it's best to park directly in the Valmeinier resort (except between 15 July and 15 August, when there's plenty of space!)

Day 1: Valmeinier - bivouac at the glacier lakes (a short 15-minute detour from the route, but the area is great and there aren't many other safe places to bivouac past the Pierre à Déjeuner)
Day 2: Glacier lakes - summit - bivouac at Lac Rond (near the Thabor refuge)
Day 3: Lac Rond - Valmeinier

/!\ On the climb to the Col de la Chapelle (just before reaching point 5), the GPX track deviates significantly from the marked path. This is an area of large scree and we preferred to follow the markings, which seemed safer (green/white and yellow markings every 30 metres), to reach the Col de la Chapelle.
The rest of the trail is very easy (no difficulties).

Finally, to answer tdolou's question, it depends on the year and the amount of snowfall, but in my opinion, in June you need crampons and an ice axe to be sure of getting through without unnecessary risks.

Thanks to François Coffineau for this information sheet

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Date of your route : Aug 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
I confirm that this hike should be done in the opposite direction to avoid climbing the Col de la Chapelle via a fairly steep and tricky scree slope. Otherwise, the hike takes a good two days with a night at the Thabor refuge. Be sure to keep to the right at the Col de la Vallée Étroite, otherwise you will not be able to rejoin the trail (there are no signs at the pass).

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Bonjour,

A partir de quelle période peut-on réaliser cette randonnée sans faire d'alpinisme?
En juin c'est faisable?

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Date of your route : Aug 18, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed over two and a half days in the opposite direction: Departure from Valmeinier "Chenalette" car park, passing by Lac de Roche Noire towards Col des Marches, Refuge des Marches, and bivouac at Lac des Bataillères (good warm-up!)
day 2: A leisurely day to the foot of Thabor! Camp below the Col des Méandes (a pretty little green lake with no name) to climb to the summit the next morning before it gets too crowded!
day 3: To the summit (360° view, amazing!) and back to Valmeinier via the Col de Valmeinier, La Pierre du Déjeuner, the Terre Rouge refuge, and the Pré Sappey.

three magnificent days.

the least interesting part is around the Valmenier resort

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Date of your route : Jul 04, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Bonjour,

Randonnée difficile mais top, des paysages à couper le souffle, vue sur la barre des écrins, la meije, les aiguilles d'arves. Beaucoup de ruisseaux, lacs, torrents et de cascades. Beaucoup de marmottes mais aucun chamois ! On a croisé une biche la matin en partant

Par contre, il faut faire attention à la neige et plutôt faire cette randonnée en août. Nous avons eu beaucoup de neige pour passer le col de la chapelle

Aussi, ce n'était pas très clair pour le retour en arrivant à la station et pour retourner au Combaz, on a fini par la route

Merci pour ce circuit, on s'est régalé.

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Date of your route : Aug 03, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A great hike done in two days.
I think doing it the other way round is more enjoyable. That's what we did, as it avoids the climb up the scree slope at the bottom of the valley.
And the first day with the two passes (Des Marches and Des Batallières) is magnificent and a good way to warm up.

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Date of your route : Jul 12, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A fantastic three-and-a-half-day hike in complete autonomy (with a heavy load), camping near the Pierre du Déjeuner after the Refuge des Terres Rouges (the only really nice spot in this valley, as it's very sparse near the refuge and very rocky higher up). The climb to Mont Thabor with our rucksacks was difficult, but well worth the effort! then bivouac at the Refuge du Thabor by the lake (paradise!!!) with a little Galibier beer as a reward...The next day, the descent to the Refuge de la Chapelle is truly beautiful. Stop at the refuge to recharge your batteries before the climb to the Col des Marches, which is quite steep but offers stunning views of Lake Bis Sort, which now seems far away. Camp on the way down and finish with a two-hour descent the next day.
In short, this hike is really enjoyable with truly varied landscapes.
Thank you again for this magnificent route!!!

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Date of your route : Jun 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

tour completed on 23 and 24 June 2018
23/06: departure from Valmeinier 1800, lost in the resort, refuge des marches, bivouac at lac des batailleres (it's freezing ;-D)
24/06 Refuge du Thabor, Thabor, Col de Valmeinier, Valmeinier
still lots of snow, long snowfield crossings, we got lost several times but I didn't have my mobile phone...
very beautiful parish-specific to Brittany hike (6 hours + 9 hours without dawdling)
thank you
David

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Date of your route : Oct 27, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We used this guidebook to do the short tour of Mont Thabor at the end of October (beautiful weather!) over three days. We camped near Pierre du Déjeuner on day 1 and slept at the Mont Thabor refuge on day 2. It was a very beautiful hike, and there are many descriptions of it on forums.
For Day 2 (Pierre du Déjeuner-Mont Thabor refuge), I would just like to point out that fairly recent cairns (with yellow and green marker plates) mark the trail between Pierre du Déjeuner and Plan Borrel, sometimes accompanied by older white and green painted markings. There aren't that many of them, but it's still easy to follow the trail! At Plan Borrel, there is a signpost. Leave the direction of the Glacier Lakes and continue towards Mont Thabor. This time, the route is marked with traditional cairns and the same white and green painted markings. The route presents no technical difficulties (at least when there is no snow and the weather is relatively dry). It first crosses a scree slope of large boulders and then a rocky outcrop, heading towards the bottom of the cirque. After the rocky outcrop, the cairns continue across the scree slope of white rocks (white cairns on white rocks...). Leaving the Col de Valmeinier on the right, they guide us towards the Col de la Chapelle on the left. At the pass, the path, still marked in white and green, joins the classic Thabor route.
For Day 3 (Refuge du Mont Thabor-Valmeinier), we were advised to take an interesting return route, but only for very good walkers or those doing the hike in 3½ to 4 days, as it adds a little to the length of the hike...
We didn't try it, but we were tempted... It is clearly marked on the 1:25,000 map. It climbs towards Mont Coburne from Lac de Bissorte and joins Valmeinier 1800, following the ridges.

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Date of your route : Jun 09, 2014
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant walk with no particular difficulties.

Magnificent 360° view at the summit that rewards our efforts...

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Date of your route : Sep 28, 2006
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I did this hike in the opposite direction, over two days, sleeping at the Thabor refuge
It was magnificent and quite alpine, but much easier than in the direction described

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