Saint-François-Longchamp – Lac de la Grande Léchère mountain hut

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Starting from Saint-François-Longchamp, this first stage of the Tour de la Lauzière is a gentle walk to the Grande Léchère Lake Mountain Hut, where you’ll spend your first night.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Tour de la Lauzière

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.90 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 833 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 528 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 5,735 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 5,003 ft
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Description of the walk

Start from car park P2 above Place de la Madeleine in Saint-François-Longchamp, just below the balneotherapy centre

(S) Walk down the road towards Place de la Madeleine. Just before the recycling bins, take the path leading down to the right to reach the Torrent du Bugeon through the woodland.

(1) Cross the stream, then head back up to the road. Turn left onto the road and head downhill until you reach the hamlet of Colombes.

(2) Continue along this road; at the end of the descent, you’ll reach the Y-junction just before the hamlet of Le Replat.

(3) Turn right onto the footpath, begin the climb here, and reach a crossroads of footpaths at the edge of a woodland.

(4) Turn left and cross the Ruisseau du Replat. Continue slightly uphill through the woodland until you reach the Ruisseau du Tremblay.

(5) Cross it, then follow the path to the left. After a gentle descent, you’ll reach the Ruisseau du Praz.

(6) Carry on along an almost flat path, then, after a final climb, reach a track running alongside the Ruisseau de la Grande Rigole.

(7) Take this track to the left and head downhill to reach the lake and the Grand Léchère mountain refuge (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 5,240 ft - Car park P2, Saint-François-Longchamp
  2. 1 : mi 0.33 - alt. 5,056 ft - Bugeon (torrent)
  3. 2 : mi 0.72 - alt. 5,108 ft - Colombes
  4. 3 : mi 1.04 - alt. 5,003 ft - Le Replat
  5. 4 : mi 1.28 - alt. 5,262 ft - Edge of the woods
  6. 5 : mi 1.77 - alt. 5,443 ft - Ruisseau du Tremblay
  7. 6 : mi 2.26 - alt. 5,551 ft - Ruisseau du Praz
  8. 7 : mi 3.22 - alt. 5,735 ft - Track and Grande Rigole
  9. E : mi 3.9 - alt. 5,535 ft - Lac de la Granche Léchère

Notes

Other walks in the area

Walking Tour de la Lauzière

Visorando Member
↔56.01 mi ↗+20,997 ft ↘-20,607 ft ◔7 days ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-François-Longchamp (Savoie)
This small mountain range undoubtedly offers one of the most stunning sequences of panoramic views. But beware of the challenging paths and the isolation. Pay particular attention to water management: streams and springs often run dry in summer.The starting point is Saint-François-Longchamp, accessible by public transport or by road. Parking is easy and free there in summer. The stages are connecting days. This route follows the Tour de la Lauzière route with a detour via La Thuile and the Col de l’Arc. You’ll spend every other night in a refuge and the rest in a bivouac.Do not attempt this hike if you are not sure-footed: although it stays on the paths (or strays very little from them), this route requires vigilance and follows routes that are very rarely used. You will almost certainly find yourself alone, or almost alone, for most of the day, in conditions where the markings are often half-faded and the paths obscured by livestock tracks. High-altitude cloud cover is common.

Walking Circular Lac de la Léchère and Croix du Grand Praz, starting from Longchamp 1650

Visorando Member
↔9.65 mi ↗+2,333 ft ↘-2,362 ft ◔6h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-François-Longchamp (Savoie)
A lovely mountain hike, without any major difficulties, featuring a wide variety of terrain: mountain pastures, forests, wide paths and streams. A stunning view of the valley from the Croix du Grand-Praz. The Col de Montjoie will be on your left on the return from the lake, with the Cheval Noir on the other side.

Walking Col de Montjoie as seen from Saint François Longchamp.

Visorando Member
↔4.50 mi ↗+1,893 ft ↘-1,893 ft ◔3h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Montgellafrey (Savoie)
An easy half-day route through the mountain pastures above Saint François Longchamp.

Walking Le Col du Paradis depuis Saint-François-Longchamp

Visorando Member
Le Col du Paradis depuis Saint-François-Longchamp
↔6.80 mi ↗+1,608 ft ↘-1,608 ft ◔4h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Saint-François-Longchamp (Savoie)
Une jolie randonnée dans la montagne à vaches (celles qui font le Beaufort). Belle vue sur la vallée de l'Arc et le massif des Grandes Rousses. Presque tout le parcours est au soleil.

Walking Montjoie Pass

Visorando Member
Col de Montjoie
↔3.91 mi ↗+1,434 ft ↘-1,430 ft ◔3h 05 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Montgellafrey (Savoie)
Family hike to the Col de Monjoie (but it's still uphill) then a short off-trail exploration towards the peaks that border it.

Walking Crossing the Col de Sarvatan-Col de Monjoie via the two pass trail

Visorando Member
Traversée Col de Sarvatan-Col de Monjoie par le sentier des deux Cols
↔5.37 mi ↗+2,402 ft ↘-2,395 ft ◔4h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Montgellafrey (Savoie)
This loop south of the Lauzière allows you to explore both sides of the chain, climbing directly to the Pas de Sarvatan, then crossing the western slope via a well-marked trail before descending from the Col de Monjoie through beautiful meadows.

Walking Sarvatan Pass as seen from the Col de la Madeleine road

Visorando Member
Col de Sarvatan depuis la route du Col de la Madeleine
↔2.70 mi ↗+1,772 ft ↘-1,772 ft ◔2h 45 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Montgellafrey (Savoie)
Difficult hike: the path climbs quite steeply and, on a short stretch just before the pass, the path is very narrow. After crossing meadows with characteristic flora, you end up in a more rocky, wild environment. Once you’ve rounded the first ridges, you immediately feel far from civilisation, were it not for the presence of a few marmots.

Walking Pic du Cheval Noir

Association / Club / Walk leader
Pic du Cheval Noir
↔5.05 mi ↗+3,130 ft ↘-3,133 ft ◔5h 05 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Saint-François-Longchamp (Savoie)
Discover a peak with a 360° view of the Savoie mountains.

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