Refine your search for walks in Refuge de la Balme
Refuge de la Balme walks
The Jovet lakes
Visorando Member
9.43 mi
+3,310 ft
-3,310 ft
7h 15
Moderate
Departure from Les Contamines-Montjoie (Haute-Savoie)
On the border between the Mont Blanc, Beaufortain and Tarentaise massifs, this hike will take you through alpine pastures to discover the Lacs Jovets at an altitude of over 2,100 metres.
Lac de la Portette
Association / Club / Walk leader
7.02 mi
+2,539 ft
-2,513 ft
5h 25
Moderate
Departure from La Côte-d'Aime (Savoie)
Lac de la Portette is a beautiful hiking destination in the Beaufortain, at the foot of the Grande Pareï cliff. And as I've always preferred loops to round trips, the Col du Mont Rosset and the return via the Balme refuge offer a nice bonus with views of the Pierra Menta, an iconic peak if ever there was one.
Tour of Mont Rosset
6.26 mi
+2,425 ft
-2,421 ft
5h 00
Moderate
Departure from La Côte-d'Aime (Savoie)
This is a circular loop that starts at 1,600 metres on the Versant du Soleil side of the Beaufortain massif, in a peaceful landscape of mountain pastures opposite the lively resorts of Tarentaise dominated by the Vanoise glaciers.
At the beginning of summer, the herds are just beginning their summer grazing, leaving the colourful mountain pastures untouched for a little while longer.
The silhouette of the nearby Pierra Menta remains inaccessible to hikers.
Lacs Jovet out and return
11.20 mi
+3,340 ft
-3,343 ft
8h 05
Moderate
Departure from Les Contamines-Montjoie (Haute-Savoie)
From Les Contamines-Montjoie; an out and return walk to the Lacs Jovet, joining and following the Tour du Mont Blanc trail for most of the way. There are more challenging alternatives to this walk to make it longer, more circular or technically harder; these are described in the useful information section.
The Curé passage
10.65 mi
+2,900 ft
-4,199 ft
7h 25
Difficult
Departure from Beaufort (Savoie) (Savoie)
Lake Gittaz and the Curé passage.
TMB 2011
72.58 mi
+24,705 ft
-26,109 ft
7 days
Difficult
Departure from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie)
Completed from 27 June to 4 July 2011, with 4 hikers, 2 tents, in almost complete autonomy (food provided for 7 days, only bread and a few items were purchased along the route).
The cable car and bus were used to shorten some stages and we needed about a day more to complete the Brévent balcony opposite the Mont Blanc massif.
The return to the starting point will be by public transport, bus or train...
Les Houches - Refuge de La Balme
16.71 mi
+4,154 ft
-4,469 ft
11h 20
Difficult
Departure from Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (Haute-Savoie)
Itinéraire de la traversée des Alpes. Départ des Houches pour rejoindre le Beaufortain. Itinéraire classique et tranquille passant par Bionassay et les Contamines Montjoie pour aller jusqu’au refuge de la Balme. Cet itinéraire est commun à celui du tour du Mont Blanc.
Circuit of the Roselette, Prés, Balme and Nant Borrant stream huts
8.65 mi
+2,913 ft
-2,920 ft
6h 30
Difficult
Departure from Les Contamines-Montjoie (Haute-Savoie)
A circular hike or trail run with stunning views over the Val Montjoie, the nature reserve and the Mont Blanc massif. Passing through four refuges on the GR® du Tour du Beaufortain (Roselette and Prés) and the TMB (Balme, Nant Borrant), the sections are short, allowing you to top up your water supplies or take a coffee or lunch break.
Refuge de La Balme - Bourg Saint Maurice
7.05 mi
+2,615 ft
-3,117 ft
5h 30
Moderate
Departure from Les Contamines-Montjoie (Haute-Savoie)
Itinéraire de la traversée des Alpes. Départ du Refuge de la Balme jusqu’aux Chapieux. Cette étape nous fait entrer dans un monde minéral (Col de la Croix du Bonhomme) et nous permet d'avoir un magnifique panorama sur la belle région du Beaufortain.
Refuge Nant Borrant - Refuge des Mottets
9.72 mi
+4,452 ft
-3,018 ft
8h 20
Difficult
Departure from Les Contamines-Montjoie (Haute-Savoie)
Stage2 of the Tour du Mont Blanc: from the Nant Borrant mountain hut (Contamines-Montjoie) to the Mottets mountain hut (Bourg-Saint-Maurice) via the Col des Fours route.
