Refuge de la Golèse walks

In the land of the Dents d'Oddaz and the Dents Blanches, visit a pretty lake nestled at the foot of the former.

This fourth stage crosses the Giffre massif to reach the Anterne Refuge, situated in a magnificent setting at the foot of the impressive Fiz cliff face. From the Refuge de la Golèse, the GR®5 descends into the Clévieux valley (south-east), passing the Chavonnes chalets and then the hamlet of Les Allamands, where it joins the road. It runs alongside the road and follows it as far as Les Moulins, where it follows the left bank of the Clévieux and crosses through Samoëns. On leaving the town, it follows the Giffre upstream, first on the right bank then the left, before leaving the river to follow its tributary, the Giffre des Fonds. The GR®5 crosses it at the Pont des Nants and again at the Pont de Sales, before climbing up to the hamlets of Fardelay and Lignon and entering the Torrent de Sales valley. At the Pleureuse waterfall, it leaves this valley to head north-east, pass the small pass of Anterne and descend to the Anterne stream before climbing up to the Anterne Refuge.

This third stage of the GTA takes you from the Chablais massif to the Giffre massif. It is very long but offers superb views of Les Dents Blanches and Les Dents du Midi in Switzerland. From the Trébentaz Refuge, the GR®5 detour crosses the Mattes ridge and rejoins the main GR®5 route. It descends towards the Pron mountain pasture, then skirts the Coincon ridge towards Lenlevay, descending into a wetland area and climbing back up to the Col de Bassachaux. It runs along the southern flank of the Crête des Rochassons and passes the Col de Chésery (1992 m) to enter Switzerland. It passes the Refuge de Chéseay, Lac Vert and climbs to Portes de l'Hiver, then descends to Chaux-Palin and continues along the hillside to La Pierre. After a short climb to the Col de Coux, it crosses back into France to cross the Torrent de Chardonnière and join the Col de Golèse and its refuge.