Circular Pic Saint-Michel hike from the Lans-en-Vercors snow stadium

To reach the large car park at the snow stadium from the Grenoble Valley, head towards Villard-de-Lans: once on the plateau, turn left to pass through Lans-en-Vercors and continue to the snow stadium, letting the road to Saint-Nizier branch off to the left.

(S/E) At the far end of the car park, walk past the base of the Roche Rousse and Bachassons ski lifts and follow the purple snowshoe markings for Combe Oursière. Head into the forest to leave the slopes to the skiers, return to the track alongside a reservoir, then head due south up the ridge running along the left bank of the Combe Oursière, until you reach the junction with the path leading up to the small pass of the Collet du Furon and Les Allières.

(1) Continue along the open ridge, then veer left and head down to the bottom of the valley.

(2) From there, you have two options:
- climb straight ahead (east) towards the ridge via the summer path,
- continue a little further along the valley following the GPS track and veer off a little further on towards the ridge.
Head due east, following the easiest route up the slope to reach a pass situated to the north of Pic Saint-Michel.

(3) Cross southwards to bypass the summit slopes of Pic Saint-Michel and climb it via its south-western face.

(4) Descend along the western side of the southern ridge and head down towards the Col de l’Arc via slopes where the snow is melting rapidly.

(5) Head west across the snow-covered meadow, veer left to cross a rocky ridge via an easy slope, then veer right to descend straight down into the forest to the Font Froide junction.

(6) Turn right to head north-west along the gently sloping Chemin des Anciens towards the Collet du Furon, which you reach after cutting across a trail reserved for cross-country skiers.

(7) Head to the Refuge des Allières and, just above the refuge, take the wide Allières road, keeping well to the side, as the road is closed to pedestrians and snowshoers during the day and reserved for cross-country skiers and sledges. Follow it to the entrance to the cross-country ski area. Head back up the road via a few hairpin bends to the starting car park (S/E)..

Please note when returning to the resort from the small pass of Furon: the snowshoe trail markers descend further down the D106L towards Les Barnets. If you haven’t left a car there, you’ll have to make your way back up to the snow stadium via the road, which is off-limits to snowshoers during the day: use it in the evening or stick to the marked trail for cross-country skiers.

The view from the ridge and, above all, from the summit is particularly sweeping: the peaks of the Vercors, Chartreuse, Belledonne-Taillefer, Grandes Rousses, Ecrins, Dévoluy...