Porcherey refuge from Plan de la Croix

de fr

A beautiful hike offering views of numerous mountain ranges along the way: the Aravis range, Tête du Colonney and surrounding area, the Mont Blanc range, Mont d'Arbois and Mont Joly.
The route includes a difficult section where the path disappears from view for a few dozen metres due to a lack of maintenance. An alternative route is available if you wish to avoid this difficulty.

Details

n°12208786
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.03 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 273 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 279 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,722 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,431 m
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Photos

Mont Blanc massif - seen from Porcherey
Trail through the forest
Mont Blanc massif - seen from the path to Les Contamines
Mont Blanc massif - seen from Porcherey

Description of the walk

Park at Plan de la Croix.

(S/E) Head west. After a few dozen metres, leave the road and cut across the mountain pasture. You can also stay on the road (Route d'Hermance) and rejoin the trail further on: it's longer but less steep.

(1) Continue straight ahead along the road towards the Porcherey refuge. There are a few chalets along this road, before the Porcherey refuge, where you can stop for a drink and/or something to eat.

(2) At this fork in the road (possible alternative route), continue straight ahead to reach the refuge.

(3) Continue straight ahead. From time to time, the road offers superb views of the Mont Blanc massif through the greenery!

(4) At this junction, take the path down to the left. A sign informs you that there is no hiking trail, probably due to the absence or lack of maintenance of the path. Ignore this: the path is not/no longer maintained but remains clearly visible and passable (width of a quad bike).
Continue downhill, taking two right turns and two left turns, until you reach the last turn on the right.

(5) Do not head towards the chalet but continue straight ahead into the forest. The trail is no longer visible for a few dozen metres due to lack of maintenance, but it is still marked on IGN maps.

From the bend, as you enter the forest, head north-north-west to find the path, which becomes visible again a few dozen metres further on: don't hesitate to use a GPS system to easily find the path according to your position. Continue to the junction at the Les Jours group of chalets.

(6) Continue straight ahead, descending the Porcherey path.

(7) At the Les Tuiles group of chalets, pass to the left through the mountain pasture to rejoin the path further on. Follow the same path straight ahead until you return to Plan de la Croix (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,452 m - Plan de la Croix
  2. 1 : km 1.33 - alt. 1,645 m - TS arrival at Les Chattrix - Junction
  3. 2 : km 2.43 - alt. 1,713 m - Junction
  4. 3 : km 2.52 - alt. 1,718 m - Porcherey refuge
  5. 4 : km 3.25 - alt. 1,686 m - Junction
  6. 5 : km 3.72 - alt. 1,622 m - Short off-trail section
  7. 6 : km 4.25 - alt. 1,567 m - Chalets des Jours
  8. 7 : km 4.58 - alt. 1,499 m - Crossing of mountain pastures
  9. S/E : km 6.03 - alt. 1,452 m - Plan de la Croix

Notes

Hiking equipment is strongly recommended.

GPS or similar app (such as Visorando!) is highly recommended for the section where the trail is not visible.

(2) Alternative with maintained trail, very easy to find and follow: only consider this if you do not wish to take the route from the crossing point (4).

At the junction of the carriage roads, take the Porcherey road on the left, winding downhill until you reach the route at the Les Jours group of chalets (6). Then resume the route by continuing to follow the Porcherey road on the left (east-northeast direction).

(3) From there, you have two options: continue towards the point (4) or turn back to the point (2) and turn right.

There is a water source at the start, at Plan de la Croix.

Several chalets offering food and drink before the Porcherey refuge.

Food and lodge available at the Porcherey refuge.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 13 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
nimesULM
nimesULM

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike with exceptional views of the Mont Blanc massif and Mont Joly.
The shaded return route is very pleasant.

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User 21376453

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Magnificent views of the mountain opposite and Mont Blanc. The little chalets you come across are charming.
The final off-piste section in the forest is pleasant as it is sheltered from the sun.

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smashdc
smashdc
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb panoramic views of the Mont Blanc massif and the Aravis mountain range. Top hike!
Magnificent contrasts!
I go from 41 metres above sea level to 1,943 metres :-o It's a bit of a struggle!
The first climb isn't easy, and the next one, given the distance/elevation ratio, is pretty tough. I stopped several times...
Right from the start, you're blown away by the open views!
It gets more and more beautiful as you climb.
You have a very open field of vision and a magnificent "identical" panorama with every step. Whether going up or down!
A must-see!
There are no more than 30 spaces in the main car park, otherwise you have to park further away, but the dirt road is particularly bumpy. It's best to have a high car.

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sbaverel
sbaverel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A little-used hike at the end of the season. The scenery is magnificent, with breathtaking views of Mont Blanc and the Aravis mountain range. We stopped for a break at the Porcherey inn, which we highly recommend: the lady was very welcoming and her chocolate mousse was delicious!
It might be better to do this hike in the opposite direction in hot weather, so you can climb in the shade of the coniferous forest.

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Misterbird
Misterbird

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, easy terrain for regular hikers.
You need to stay alert so you don't get lost after point 4 (follow the guidebook or map, compass or GPS carefully).
As clearly indicated in the guidebook, at point 4, ignore the sign that seems to indicate that there is no longer a path.
I would do it in the opposite direction because:
- the section between the car park and point 4, passing successively through 7, 6 and 5, is more rugged. It is also in the shade.
- The landscape is in front of us and not behind us
- If you set off a little late in the morning and if you're lazing around on a beautiful summer's day, you could take your lunch break at the Porcherey refuge (no picnic) or a little further on where there are also places to eat.

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Damien Pérasse
Damien Pérasse
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice, but the second part after the refuge requires us to step over several wires and also pass between a house and its swing.... I think we have to use some private paths... Otherwise, I recommend doing it in the opposite direction to the one indicated, as there is a big climb at the beginning which almost discouraged my 9-year-old daughter. What's more, it would allow you to climb in the shade.

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Hervesinio
Hervesinio

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with some very welcoming shelters where you can stop for a bite to eat. However, once you reach point 4, you are no longer allowed to continue. A small sign depicting a hiker and the words 'dead end' was hung on a tree... So we turned back.

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mouchonnet
mouchonnet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, varied hike without any major difficulties.

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hubert streiff
hubert streiff

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Great! A conveniently located car park, lots of people at the start. We went via the Crête des Vernes, a wonderful stop at the Porcherey refuge 😋, go for it! https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-5620...

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lolobis
lolobis

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A short walk full of attractions (landscape, refuge, forest)
ideal for children too, as it's a 1-hour climb followed by panoramic views and flat ground to play on in front of a magnificent landscape

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Laurca56
Laurca56

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 06, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy hike.

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fada0713
fada0713

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A rather pleasant start. Beautiful view of the peaks from the mountain pastures. However, between points 3 and 4, we missed a turn-off. After retracing our steps, we saw a sign saying "dead end". I think it was put there to prevent hikers from passing through. After that, the path is very poorly maintained and difficult to follow. If you don't have your nose glued to the GPS, you'll quickly get lost.

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Syberia
Syberia

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant route with beautiful panoramic views.
Easy, with little elevation gain. Very clear description. Followed with the app: OK.
The first third of the route is on a track, then a grassy path (after Porchery) and continues along a trail that is easy to find. Allows you to get away - a little - from the main routes in the area.
Done in cloudy weather with a few sunny spells.
Avoid the track section in very hot weather.

Thank you for the suggestion, which allowed us to vary our routes around St Nicolas.

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