Pointe d'Ardens loop via the Entre Deux Pertuis chalets

Departure from the Lac des Plagnes car park, at the end of a road that climbs up from the village of Abondance.

Directional signs at major intersections and signposts with yellow arrows.

(S/E) Head south and follow a track towards Chalets d'Ardens. You will come to a fork at the sign for "Les Chénaux derrière".

(1) Turn right towards Ardens and Cubourré. Cross a stream and pass an alpine chalet on your right. Continue along the track, passing between some huge boulders and climbing up to the "Cubourré" sign.

(2) Follow the track to the right towards the Chalets d'Ardens. Stay on the track, which becomes steep and has a few hairpin bends (ignore any shortcuts on either side). You will reach the sign for "Sous Chavache": note the impressive north face of the Pointe de Chavache.

(3) Continue along the track (ignore the path that branches off to the right). Soon take a hairpin bend to the right and cross over to the west. After a steep climb and two final hairpin bends, you will reach the Chalets d'Ardens: oratory, beautiful view of Mont de Grange to the north-east.

(4) Turn left and pass a drinking fountain. Climb up to a faint fork in the path (directional signpost).

(5) Then turn right onto a faint path. Follow this path, keeping a general north-north-west direction. Climb through the grass to reach a ridge.

(6) Follow the ridge to the right. The path soon turns north and becomes almost flat until it reaches the summit of Pointe d'Ardens: superb 360° panorama of the Abondance valley, the Chablais peaks, the Dents du Midi and the Mont Blanc massif.

(7) Descend by the same route to the intersection on the ridge.

(6) Continue straight ahead and downhill (south-west). Cross a steep scree slope and then a narrow passage through the bushes. Join a path at the sign for "Les Pirons d'Ardens".

(8) Follow the path to the right and climb slightly until you reach a fork just before the Col d'Entre Deux Pertuis.

(9) Turn right at the hairpin bend, then turn left. Descend northwards, then turn right to reach the Entre Deux Pertuis chalets.

(10) Continue descending north towards La Guerfève. Walk along a stream on your right, cross it, then walk along it on your left. You will reach a fork.

(11) Take the path on the right towards La Séchère. Descend through the undergrowth.

(12) At the next intersection, continue straight ahead (north-east). Turn right onto the path. Shortly afterwards, turn left at the hairpin bend and ignore a path on the right. Join a track at the "Le Gazot" sign.

(13) Follow the track to the right (east) and immediately ignore a turn-off on the left. Stay on the track, descending, until you reach the Lac des Plagnes dam.

(14) Turn left and walk along the lake on your right. At the intersection at the northern tip of the lake, continue straight ahead. You will soon come to a road. Follow it to the right to return immediately to the car park where you started (S/E).

At Lac des Plagnes (S/E): car park, picnic area, restaurant.

Water point at Chalets d'Ardens (4).