The Refuge de Vallonbrun

de fr

A half-day hike for intermediate walkers. You'll walk through different settings that offer a large range of Vanoise flora, while benefiting from an extraordinary view over the summits of Maurienne and the Ecrins national park.

Details

n°103
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.25 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 450 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 450 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,273 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,823 m
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Photos

Panoramic view

Description of the walk

The start is at the Grattais car park, accessible by car via a gravel path from Madeleine.

(S/E) To beging this Lanslevillard walk, from the car park, take the path that climbs in the direction of the Refuge de Vallonbrun. The path twists and turns along streams, and cuts through alpine grassland and trees. Above the Côte Plane, ignore a path to the right that passes through the Rochers de la Fesse, this will be your returning path.

(1) Continue to climb for a few hairpin bends until you come to some old barns, just before you get to the alpine pasture road. Take this track towards the right to get to the refuge, accompanied by the whistling of Marmottes!

(2) The refuge will be on your right. Go around it to find the path that leads you to the right (south). Pass the little col to walk back down through the pastures. Walk along the Rochers de la Fesse, and then find the first trees to get back to the path you came up on.

(1) Walk down to the left via the path to return to the original car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,823 m - Parking des Grattais
  2. 1 : km 0.92 - alt. 1,975 m - Carrefour for the outward and return journeys
  3. 2 : km 2.79 - alt. 2,265 m - Refuge de Vallonbrun
  4. S/E : km 5.25 - alt. 1,823 m - Parking des Grattais

Notes

Provisions available at the refuge.

Worth a visit

Chapelle Saint-Antoine.
Chapelle Saint-Laurent.
The central area of the Vanoise National Park.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 19 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
User 3802912

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike. The sun was shining

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User 14362107

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views all along the way and a superb reward at the end in the form of the famous blueberry tart.

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pierre huraux
pierre huraux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy walk in beautiful countryside.
There are 3 or 4 parking spaces on the small road next to point 1.
The initial ascent is relatively steep and long.
You can enjoy a blueberry tart at the refuge.
A little difficulty at point 6 to find the path that had been lost a little earlier, although it was well signposted (I forgot to look up at one point!).
Return from point 9 to the starting point on a small tarmac road: restful for the knees, but to be avoided in very hot weather.

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Cilette37
Cilette37

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A hike offering a variety of landscapes. The marmots near the refuge can be seen from afar. By car, don't hesitate to take the road up to the car park at the start of the hike, despite the somewhat alarmist signpost, although you should of course take care.

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Leligny
Leligny

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A fine walk accessible to all, but the weather was a little under-estimated.

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Pirouette38
Pirouette38

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely hike. Excellent blueberry tart at the refuge where the marmots welcome us!
It's easy to find the start with Google Map, which takes you right under the trailhead sign.

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Domiporte
Domiporte

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant walk with two children aged 8 and 11. Lots of marmots easy to spot and flowers in abundance. A very pleasant welcome at the refuge.
Very few people on the day we walked.

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FUSTIER
FUSTIER

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The walk is magnificent
But...
The car park is not easy to find. You have to take an unmade private road that is more or less forbidden.
The directions are succinct, lacking in detail and landmarks. You often wonder if you're on the right path going out and coming back. However, I didn't get lost!
And it's often the same problem on other Visorando hikes.

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beaune73
beaune73

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

magnificent easy hike with exceptional flora at this time of year, with views of the glaciers to reach a very pretty refuge with an exceptional welcome! to be recommended! for the bravest, you can continue as far as la pierre aux pieds (+ 2 h)

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Izz…
Izz…

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

I preferred to do it in the opposite direction to the description (steeper ascent under the Fesse rocks).
On the way up, the path to the left is not very visible, so a map is essential!
Numerous unafraid marmots, griffon vultures, kestrels, common pochards... and a short-toed eagle!
A very warm welcome at the refuge!

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frogsab
frogsab

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant hike, ideal as a warm-up at the start of your holiday.
The climb is steady, making it easy to access. We did it with our 3 children aged 8 to 12.
Lots and lots of marmots come out to have their photo taken!

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thomdul
thomdul

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

We were looking for a short hike to get us back into shape at the start of the season. We chose this one, mainly because as we were staying in Lanslevillard, we could walk from home, and it's a must to go up to a refuge from home!
As a result, it turned into an average hike with almost 900 m of ascent. The first part (not described) from the town centre is a bit steep but very nice (head towards the top of the village, and you'll soon see a sign indicating via ferrata and the Vallonbrun refuge). From the Gratais car park, we followed the description to the pretty refuge and then back to the car park. To get to Lanslevillard, we took the hunters' path, passed under the via and, just after, took the shortest route to the first houses along a wide path (there are no signs, but you can see the houses from the via ferrata).

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zefermt806radiosphones
zefermt806radiosphones
• Edited:

Hello, the rondos will only take place in July 17. So I was curious enough to surf your site and try things out because I know a bit about the Lanslebourg region (although I'm from the Meuse) So I'll only answer your question after my stay in Savoie.
Best regards.

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jajoun
jajoun

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 17, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very good description of the hike and the refuge. Lots of marmots!
It was magnificent!

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beignet
beignet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A little warm-up on our arrival for a week in Lanslevillars. No difficulty for little children aged 8 to 11, and a great photo session and mascot shoot to boot.

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