Circular route from the foot of the Dents de Lanfon to Pointe de Talamarche

The route starts from the^first car park on the Chemin des Dents de Lanfon (elevation 767).
This spot is reached after passing through the village of Alex and the hamlet of Villard Dessus.

(S/E) Take the road uphill towards the Chalets de l'Aulp-Riant. Not far away, you will reach a second car park. Continue straight on along the 4x4 track, which is quite steep.
After a short while, you will pass a forest hut. About 200 m further on, you will reach a fork in the road.

(1) Take the forest track on the right. Not far away, take a path on the left marked by a cairn. This path is pleasant, with a few wide bends and a moderate slope overall.

(2) A final bend is reached below the cliff. Take the path on the left (the one on the right leads to Pointe Nord and Pointe Centrale).
After reaching a large scree slope, it can be difficult to find your way on a moderately marked trail.

(3) Look for the start of a moderately visible path on the right as you climb. The route then becomes a little clearer, a short distance from the cliffs and overlooking the scree.Caution: this area is potentially exposed to rock falls.
Another difficulty is encountered on a fairly steep and slippery path, on fairly stony ground, running along the foot of the cliffs.Please note that the risk of rockfall is greater in this area.

(4) You will reach a small pass, clearly visible straight ahead. Continue straight ahead along the ridge (beautiful view of the south of Lake Annecy) on a fairly easy path. Ignore a path on the right.
After a short stretch through a wooded area, you will reach the Col des Frêtes.

(5) Take a path on the left that slopes gently downhill to a wide track: continue to the right uphill and you will reach L'Aulp Riant Dessus, where there is a fork in the path.

(6) Continue left, heading north towards Pointe de Talamarche. The route through the beautiful alpine pastures is easy to follow.

(7) You will reach the ridge line and the nearby summit, which is moderately visible and easy to reach.
I encourage you to continue along the southern path to its end to make the most of the panorama (notably the Dents de Laffon, Lake Annecy, and La Tournette).
Turn back and continue straight ahead at the fork on a pleasant path. After a steep descent, you will reach Crêt des Tervelles.

(8) Continue left towards the Chalet du Lindion^, following the^GR®® trail^. The route then continues at the bottom of the valley without any difficulty (along the way, you will pass the ruins of the Chalet de Chavonnay-Gallet, burned down in 1944 by German soldiers).
After reaching a wooded area, you will come to a fork in the path.

(9) Turn left towards Trou de la Chapelle (there is a warning sign) and leave the GR®® trail^.
A little further up, turn sharply left and then walk along the right-hand side of a long, steep ramp. Rungs and chains make it easier to climb.
After passing over some very narrow and steep ledges, and after a small 2-metre climb, turn left; the entire section is equipped with chains and steps.
After a final steep climb with a rope, you will reach the ridge. Continue to the right on a slightly descending path.

(10) Go around a large hole, which you then enter. The entrance to the Trou de la Chapelle appears straight ahead.
Cross the cave carefully (length = 60 m). It is advisable to use a torch on this passage, which is cluttered with large boulders.
Pass under a large arch visible on the left and continue along the path, which descends a slightly steep slope with a few uneven sections. After a short climb, you will reach a mountain pasture (La Rochette dessus). From here, the route is moderately visible (follow the small yellow arrows).

(11) Turn right downhill, then left, then right again after walking along the edge of the forest. A little further down, continue left, then right to enter the forest.
The path, which is not too steep, then joins another mountain pasture area. Head towards the chalet (La Rochette dessous). Here, you can drink from the fountain if you need to.

(12) Turn left towards Alex and continue along a wide path with a few steep slopes. Along the way, you will come to a forestry track, which you follow for about 100 metres.

(13) Look for the start of a discreet path on the left: fairly quickly, the route becomes quite obvious until it joins a carriage road.

(14) Continue to the left, climbing a few steep slopes to reach a forest chalet further down. Continue left on the path, passing in front of the Grépon chalet on a fairly easy path.

(15) Just before a large meadow, take the path on the left. After following a stream, take a path on the right and then, a little further on, turn left at the next fork. Join the Chemin des Dents de Lanfon. Turn right to return to the starting point, which is only a few metres away (S/E).

Updated by the author on 26/04/2025 following completion of the route today.

Good footwear and walking poles are recommended.
A torch is strongly recommended for crossing the Chapelle cave.

Nature has a hard time digesting your rubbish. Take it with you!

The route is generally easy to follow despite the limited number of signposts.

Below is a detailed breakdown of the difficulty level for each section (the route is not uniform):
- Green: fairly easy terrain with no significant elevation changes or difficulties.
- Blue: steeper slopes and/or gradients on a well-marked route.
- Orange: route presenting some technical difficulties and/or poor route viability (markings or visibility of the path).
- Red: difficult route due to significant elevation changes that may require some climbing, in an environment with some hazards.
- Black: route on a fairly difficult trail and/or with adjacent hazards.
- White: route in very difficult technical environments requiring certain equipment.

(S/E) to (1): Blue difficulty
Markings and signposts are rare, but finding your way along a wide path is not a problem. After the second car park, the climb is fairly steep.
Yellow arrow markings

(1) to (3): Blue difficulty
Pleasant trail with a moderate incline. It is well marked with numerous cairns along the route.
Unmarked section

(3) to (4): Orange difficulty
Slightly steep slope on fairly slippery rocky terrain potentially exposed to rockfalls. Orientation is average at times. Caution!
Unmarked section

(4) to (8): Blue difficulty 
Clearly visible path posing no difficulty. Few markings and signposts. The route is fairly pleasant.
Yellow arrow markings

(8) to (9): Blue difficulty
The route follows a GR®® trail (fairly regular markings) via a clearly visible path and is not difficult.
White-red GR® 96 markings

(9) to (10): Red difficulty 
Correct route, not marked. The presence of chains and ladders certainly helps with progress, but it is still advisable to remain vigilant on some steep sections . Access to the cave is easy once you reach the ridge.
Unmarked sector

(10) to (11): Orange difficulty
There are many large boulders when crossing the cave (a torch is useful for this reason).
After the cave, the path is clearly visible but descends with some steep and somewhat abrupt slopes at times.
Further down, after crossing a stream bed, the slight uphill climb is easy.
Unmarked section

(11) to (12): Blue difficulty
Finding your way around the La Rochette dessus mountain pasture area is not necessarily easy. Use the directions in the description and follow the small yellow arrows that mark the trail. The route through this fairly gentle environment poses no problems. Once you reach the trail in the forest, the descent is easy, with gentle slopes and a well-marked route.
Yellow arrow markings

(12) to (14): Blue difficulty
Follow a trail with a few steep slopes, then continue on a decent forest path: be sure to locate the start of the trail on the left (not very obvious).
Yellow arrow markings

(14) to (15): Blue difficulty
Following the route is easy on a slightly steep path. Once you reach the Grépon chalet area, the rest of the route is fairly easy.
Yellow arrow markings

(15) to (S/E): Blue difficulty
The route follows an unmarked but clearly visible path. The only difficulty is finding the two forks (right, then left) before joining the Chemin des Dents de Lanfon.
Unmarked section

Frequency:
From (S/E) to (4): low traffic.
From (4) to (7): moderately frequented area towards Pointe de Talamarche.
From (7) to (S/E): generally little traffic.

Options:
For those wishing to go further, I suggest three options that extend the route and the elevation gain. These are sometimes aerial routes where certain missteps are to be avoided (not to say prohibited) with areas exposed to rockfalls.
Once you reach the heights, the panoramic views are superb.

• From (2): access to the North Peak and/or the Central Peak of the Dents de Lanfon. Initially, a fairly steep and very exposed couloir must be traversed before heading towards the Central Peak (requiring a few climbing steps and a passage through some sharp limestone pavement) or the North Peak (requiring one climbing step in the final phase). For more information: read here,

• Near the (4): access to the southern sector of the Dents de Lanfon (on the Petite Molaire to be precise). The starting point is located about 50 m before the pass and just after a commemorative plaque; a red dot marks the start. The route to the pass is equipped with cables. The climb to the Dent de la Petite Molaire requires a few climbing steps with aerial passages: for more information: read here.

• Between the (7) and (8): this involves a detour to access the Dent du Cruet. The difficulties encountered are relatively minor (only the final phase towards the summit is a little less straightforward). For more information, click here.

For more experienced hikers, there are many other options...

To see more, watch the short video I put together: click here.