Saint-François-Longchamp walks

Discover the Paradis mountain pastures, above Saint-François-Longchamp, the bells of the cattle herds in the green summer pastures, with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains, the passage through the hamlet of La Perrière, then a return via the path through the Pézières Forest, with its complicated passages through muddy waterways or a tiny, vertiginous path. Beautiful emotions await you.

The ‘demoiselles coiffées’ (topped rock formations), known locally as the Cheminées des Fées, are a unique feature resulting from the erosion of the landscape by water runoff.

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.

A lovely climb through the upper pastures where the cows that produce the milk for Beaufort cheese graze, with views of the Vanoise, the Thabor Massif, the Aiguilles d’Arves and the foothills of the Écrins. Then the route changes direction, offering views of Belledonne, the Chartreuse and the Bauges, before setting up camp at the Montartier Lakes.

An easy hike to the Col de Montjoie. Unobstructed views, particularly of the Aiguilles d'Arves and the Glacier de l'Etendard.

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.

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.

A beautiful walk in the Montaimont cirque. The walk is described in a clockwise direction, but can also be done in the opposite direction.The markings, when visible, are those for the summer period. The route sometimes deviates from the official trail.The entire loop is well cleared, offering a vast panorama. Due to its orientation and modest altitude at the start, this hike is best enjoyed at the beginning of the season.There is no risk of snow slides on this route.

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 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.

An easy half-day route through the mountain pastures above Saint François Longchamp.

The Prairie de Montaimont is a vast, easy area that is ideal for snowshoeing. This route quickly offers magnificent panoramic views (Belledonne, Cheval Noir, the Col de la Madeleine, the Maurienne Massif, the Aiguilles d'Arves in the distance, etc.).

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 lovely walk above Montaimont through woods and mountain pastures, exploring the hamlets of Le Loup and Bonvillard

A lovely hike above Lac du Loup with beautiful panoramic views of the Alps. Discover this route by taking a little-used path.

A summit at 2,822 metres on a ridge running parallel to the Lauzière, offering a magnificent 360° view of the French and even Swiss Alps.

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.

Family hike to the Col de Monjoie (but it's still uphill) then a short off-trail exploration towards the peaks that border it.

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.

Discover a peak with a 360° view of the Savoie mountains.

This route takes you through what I consider to be one of the most beautiful areas in the municipality: Les Balcons. It boasts a rich diversity of flora, fauna and geology, as well as varied landscapes and terrain. All this in a place that feels wild and far from civilisation. See the ‘Practical information’ section regarding the path after the (3).

A summit with 360° views, easily accessible between forest and mountain pastures. Suitable for a family outing or for getting back into snowshoeing at the start of the season. Part of the route is shared with cross-country skiers, who are numerous around the Col de Chaussy.

If you’re looking for a lovely hike in summer, in the shade of the trees, which is a bit of a challenge due to the elevation gain, with a lovely climb of over 800 m along a wide forest track without any particular difficulties, you’ve made the right choice. When you reach the Prairie de la Colonne, you’ll be treated to a magnificent 180° view.