Access from France via the Col du Mont-Cenis, then follow the lake towards the Italian border; park at the dam in the small car park on the left-hand side of the road at the start of the track.
(S/E) From the car park, take the track to reach the first bunker.
(1) Continue along the track until you reach a junction.
(2) Leave the track by turning left. You will then follow the contour line, using the tracks left by the cows. You cannot fail to notice, on the left, the old battery, which has been completely blown up. You rejoin the track.
(3) Follow the track (south-eastwards) which runs alongside the Italian border and leads to the Pierres Blanches site.
(4) Here, take the path branching off to the left towards the Baracon des Chamois (the sign is on the ground). This is the old track that used to climb up to the defensive bunkers which guarded the pass. Between 2,500 and 2,700 m, you’ll see plenty of edelweiss along the way (don’t pick them, of course – just enjoy the view...). The path zigzags gently uphill.
(5) From this point, the slope becomes a little steeper.
(6) You pass close to the last blockhouse and the track takes you all the way to its end, at around 2,900 m.
(7) We’re in a world of pure rock; this is high mountain terrain. The slope is steeper but won’t make the return journey any more difficult. We climb over slippery scree, following the tracks and cairns.
(8) Here is the base of the couloir leading to the summit slopes, which are less austere. The route to the right as you ascend seems to be the most frequently used. At the exit, take the track that heads right and passes beneath the secondary summit at 3,483 m. It’s important to stay on the north-easterly track. Bypass the summit to the left to reach the start of the north ridge leading to the Pointe de Ronce. The two summit peaks are right there, just a few metres apart.
(9) At the summit, you’ll never tire of admiring the view, provided the usual cloud cover allows it. A short, easy climb leads to the base of the highest of the two peaks, which you’ll certainly want to scale, and you’ll stand upright just as Rebuffat did on the cover photo of his book *The 100 Most Beautiful Routes of Mont Blanc*.
The descent follows the same route as the ascent, back down to the track.
(2) I chose to head down to the road below to reach the car park (S/E).