Pointe de Chavasse from Praz de Lys

Access by public transport: Cluses SNCF station, then bus Y93 towards Taninges - Praz de Lys. Stop: Taninges - Praz de Lys - Les Molliettes.
The Y93 bus route only operates during the summer and winter seasons.
Timetable information: https://www.laregionvoustransporte.fr/cars-region/cars-region-de-haute-savoie/

Alternatively, park in the car park near the Betex ski lift, alongside the D308 and opposite ‘Chez Jean de la Pipe’.

(S/E) Carefully follow the road up to the Col de la Ramaz (D308) for a few hundred metres.

(1) Take the track on the right. This descends towards a small building, which you should avoid by taking the path on the left. Follow the track back up, keeping parallel to the D308, until you reach the top station of the Praz l’Évêque chairlift.

(2) Continue to the left, following the path which descends onto a ski run, going round the hillside reservoir. Pass a building on the left, then head back up to the left.

(3) Follow the track to the right until you reach a signpost for the walking and cross-country skiing trails.

(4) Follow the track to the left and emerge onto the RD308. Follow it to the right for a good hundred metres to reach the Pierre Rouge car park, opposite the lower station of the Buchilles ski lift.

(5) Take the track on the right towards Chalet Blanc and Pointe de Chavasse.

(6) Just before the final bend leading to Chalet Blanc, take the path branching off to the left. Landmark: at this point, you can just begin to see the chimney and the roof of the chalets emerging above the hill. Turn round to admire the view of Praz de Lys, Pointe de Marcelly and the Mont Blanc range. Reach a junction.

(7) Ignore the path leading to the Col de Chalune ahead and continue left towards the Col de Vésinaz. The path, which is barely visible for the first few metres, quickly becomes well-marked after joining another path. Reach the pass: stunning views of the Dents du Midi, Mont Ruan, Tour Sallière and the Mont Blanc massif.

(8) Turn left towards the Pointe de Chavasse. From this point, the route becomes much wilder and the path is barely visible in several places. In particular, when you reach a group of easily identifiable rocks a little further up, it is better to veer right to reach them and then find the trail again, rather than continuing straight on a path that seems more defined at first but is easily lost and leads too low down the slope.

(9) Ignore a track on the right climbing very steeply up the scree and continue straight on. Further on, negotiate a sharp bend to the right: on this section, several paths appear, all leading to the pass. You may need to use your hands to help you over short, rockier sections. Shortly before reaching the pass, the path joins another coming from the right.

(10) Continue leftwards to the summit of Pointe de Chavasse. From this point to the summit, there are magnificent views of Sommand, Pointe Percée and the Aravis Range, Le Môle, Pointe de Chalune, the Dents du Midi, Mont Ruan, Tour Sallière and the Mont Blanc Massif.

(11) Turn back.

(10) Ignore the path that descends very steeply opposite and turn right to continue along the same route as on the ascent and return to the car park (S/E).

IGN map 3429 ET Bonneville.

Equipment: good walking boots and poles.

Difficulty: a mountain hiking route for experienced hikers, generally technical grade III with a few short sections of grade V. In particular between points (9) and (10), using your hands may help you navigate short rocky sections.

More information on the hiking difficulty scale established by the French Hiking Federation:
https://www.ffrandonnee.fr/Media/Default...

From point (8) onwards, the path is poorly marked in places. Navigation difficulties may therefore arise in poor visibility.

Our hikes wouldn’t be nearly as rewarding without the contribution of the people who live in and look after the mountains. But they need us too. Please support local businesses!