Saint-Colomban-des-Villards walks

An original way to explore Lac des Balmettes and its pass, extending towards the Col du Villonet, offering a front-row view of the imposing Pic du Frêne, then the Brèches de la Passoire, which provide a superb view of the Grésivaudan. On the agenda: ibex and chamois await you in the magnificent and little-visited Combe Rousse. The route is partly off-trail but does not present any navigation difficulties.

A beautiful hike in a wild area of Belledonne. With a bit of luck, you may encounter streams, lakes and trout, blueberries, marmots and chamois.

A wild and little-visited valley where you can discover two superb lakes in the middle of a mountain cirque. A true high-mountain atmosphere guaranteed.

This circular walk offers stunning views of the Toussuire hillside as well as the Belledonne massif. You’ll be treated to 360° views. The pastures you will cross will no doubt give you the chance to see sheep and their patous, large dogs trained to protect livestock. This walk should be undertaken in clear weather to fully enjoy the scenery.

This circular walk around Mont Charvin is a great way to discover the diverse landscapes of the region. Along the way, you will pass through peaceful forests, walk along ridges offering magnificent panoramic views, and pass close to picturesque alpine hamlets. From the summit of Mont Charvin, the view of the Maurienne valley and the surrounding mountains is breathtaking. The varied route allows you to fully appreciate the charm of the area while remaining accessible to occasional walkers. An ideal circuit for a getaway full of discovery and tranquillity.

A pleasant walk with no major difficulties. The ascent follows a wide, comfortable path that climbs steadily. An alternative route via another parallel path is possible (it passes through the Combe des Arvins). These paths run alongside the mountain pastures where you may encounter our friends the cows. The descent back down follows a slightly wilder path but is not difficult. Due to the presence of several small paths, various alternative routes are possible.

A lovely, easy hike through the mountain pastures at high altitude, between two legendary Tour de France passes.

A splendid route, partly off-trail, offering views of the north face of the Aiguilles de l'Argentière and its reflections in the emerald lakes of Sambuis and La Croix: panoramic views. Many ibex frequent the rocky outcrops above the lakes. This hike presents no difficulty apart from the elevation gain and finding the route (4km without markings).

A lovely day's hike with breathtaking views of the Aiguilles de l'Argentière, offering plenty of refreshment thanks to a myriad of lakes and, in the background, the Aiguilles d'Arves and La Meije.

This circular, which starts at the Col de la Croix de Fer and passes by the Refuge de l'Étendard, gives you a taste of the high mountain atmosphere. Snow cover persists for quite a long time after winter. This hike is best done in late August or September. This hike can be easy in summer or difficult when there is snow (winter or spring). I did it when there was a lot of snow, which is why I consider it to be quite difficult.

From the Col de la Croix de Fer, often used by the Tour de France, enjoy a peaceful short hike on a little-used slope. Beautiful views of the surrounding area, particularly the Aiguilles d'Arves.

This hike, which takes place entirely above 2,000 metres, takes you to the edge of two artificial lakes fed largely by the Saint-Sorlin Glacier, dominated by the Pic de l'Étandard.

A hike with little elevation gain along a wide path offering views of beautiful alpine chalets, the Notre-Dame de la Paix Chapel in the hamlet of Pré des Plans, and Les Deux Ponts, with superb panoramic views.

Pass under trees, pastures, rocky outcrops, streams and enjoy unobstructed views of the peaks. A superb condensed route that is well worth the detour and requires a little effort.

A superb hike that starts at the Col d’Arves, then descends through the forest and takes you up to Mont Charvin via the Col de la Louvière. You can admire splendid views of the Aiguilles d’Arves, the Meije Glacier and the Sybelles ski area.

An unusual hike, half tarmac (with little traffic) and half footpath, through some remarkable landscapes. Beautiful views of the Montvernier hairpin bends, the Bérold Tower, the Aiguilles d’Arves and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. The descent along the Ravoire torrent is also well worth a look.

A circular route passing through the pastures and offering a stunning view of the Aiguilles d'Arves.

Starting from the village of Gleysin, from the Bourgeat Noire car park, this beautiful loop in Belledonne connects several iconic sites in the Haut Bréda valley.The route passes by the Chalet du Bout, then climbs up to the Croix du Léat, before descending to the peaceful Lac du Léat, ideal for a quiet bivouac with views of the Chartreuse and the Bauges. The route continues to the Refuge de l'Oule, a small, friendly alpine lodge where you can also spend the night, then descends back to the starting point. We did this hike over two days with a night at the lake, but it can also be done in a day for the more experienced. A beautiful and varied loop, between forests, alpine pastures, open ridges and wild waterways.

This hike was done on snowshoes, but it can of course be done on foot when there is no snow. Most of the route is marked, with no specific markings for snowshoeing.

The panoramic view from the summit of the Grand Morétan is exceptional, with the highest peaks of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps all in view. This route, half of which is off-trail, crosses the wild glacial cirque of the Glacier du Gleyzin and reaches the summit via the Col Nord du Gleyzin. A variant described here also allows you to pass via the Col Morétan.

Starting from Gleysin, here is a route that is accessible almost all year round (with snowshoes in winter) on the Montagne de Combe Grasse, offering unobstructed views and a visit to a charming lake.

This is a beautiful loop for a day trip in the Belledonne massif, with varied terrain and landscapes. The refuge can be a stopover for more alpine hikes.

A short hike, mostly off-trail, allowing you to enjoy the wild splendour of the Aiguilles de l'Argentière area and come out at Rocher Blanc (2928m). The east face of Belledonne is much less frequented than its opposite, and the chances of encountering wildlife are therefore greater. This hike is particularly recommended at the beginning of the season when the snowfields are still present, or at the end of the season when the snow begins to dust the slopes again. (Danger) The difficulty of this hike increases to Extremely Difficult in summer when the slopes are snow-free.

Ascent of the Cime des Torches, also known as Grand Agnelin (2,958 m), via the Petit Agnelin (2,717 m), starting from the hamlet of Les Chambons in Saint-Jean-d'Arves. Summer route, partly off-trail, in the heart of the Maurienne valley.

This is a wild hike that quickly leaves the beaten track to tackle the Lac de l'Âne glacial cirque via its highest peak, the Pic de l'Agnelin. There are superb views throughout this walk, both on the Bréda and Belledonne valley side and on the Eau d'Olle and Grandes Rousses valley side. The difficulty lies mainly in finding the route, but the Visorando app makes it very easy to follow.

The climb is not very long but quite steep above the Grand Maison dam lake, below the Aiguilles de l'Argentières and opposite the Grandes Rousses, to reach a beautiful lake at the foot of the Sept-Laux massif. Ibex can be seen here when the sheep are not grazing.

The unmissable hike in Saint-Jean-d'Arves.

If you enjoy the atmosphere of green mountains, the countryside, walking along small, often shaded paths that are very pleasant in hot weather, and discovering the charm of numerous hamlets with magnificent views of the surrounding area, then this is the right hike for you. Of course, you can also discover the flora and fauna, such as crocuses in August.

A short, easy hike on foot or snowshoes along forest paths, starting from Albiez Montrond. Pass through the hamlet of La Cochette and return via Les Contamines, via a steep climb.

A hike starting from Montgellafrey, an authentic village in the Maurienne valley. The route passes scattered hamlets, then reaches Lac de la Grande Léchère, before continuing on to Croix du Grand Praz.

Le Grand Charnier is the peak overlooking the Collet d'Allevard resort. You can climb it via a very scenic walk, which follows the ridge for almost the entire route, and the summit offers magnificent views of all the surrounding mountain ranges. For those prone to vertigo, see the ‘Practical Information’ section Moderator’s note : some sections are considered very difficult; see reviews

This is a very pretty route through the mountain pastures to the Col de Claran, offering panoramic views of all the mountains in the Bauges and Chartreuse regions in particular, but also far beyond, as far as Mont Blanc and Mont Aiguille. The circuit is very well marked with traditional yellow signs and markings on the rocks at regular intervals.

On the Allevard side, the Grand Charnier is the Belledones peak that must absolutely be added to your list of conquests. At 2,561 metres, it offers 360° views of all the peaks of the two Savoie departments and Isère. Here I suggest the shortest route to reach it, but ‘shorter’ means steeper, and is best suited to experienced hikers. A pleasant hike with a significant elevation gain that becomes technical over the final 300 metres; this summit sometimes remains snow-covered until the end of June.