Tour of Les Rochettes and the Lenta valley from Bonneval-sur-Arc

Climb above the village of Bonneval-sur-Arc and the magnificent Haute Maurienne valley via high but never difficult trails, then descend along the Lenta river. This is the itinerary for a hike during which we will always have before our eyes the imprint of vanished glaciers and the dazzling whiteness of those that remain.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.48 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 676 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 677 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,463 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,784 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Take the D902 road along the Arc river to the old village of Bonneval-sur-Arc and enter at the Vieux Pont.
Park in the car park at the Old Bridge with two arches spanning a pond.

(S/E) Head towards the village in a north-easterly direction and, just before the Notre-Dame-des-Grâces chapel, take the street on the left. Cross another street and continue, passing in front of the La Torna chalet (on the left).

(1) At the village exit, turn left onto Chemin des Chèvres - AccèsGR® 5" (sign engraved on a wooden sign).

Note: From here, you can't go wrong if you follow the order: Les Roches, then La Lenta, then Bonneval-sur-Arc. But it costs nothing to give more details, so that's what I'll do.

The trail runs alongside the Col de l'Iseran road, below it. After 500 m, theGR® climbs to the right to join the road: it is better to stay on the trail for another 200 m and join the road further on to avoid a section on tarmac.
Walk down the road for a few metres to find the path that climbs up to cut across the next bend.

(2) When you rejoin the road after this bend, you are at a place called "La Cara" (yellow hiking sign). You are now facing two paths: a track that heads further to the left towards the south-west, and a path that climbs steeply towards the west. Take the second path, towards "Les Roches - Le Vallon".
This path, which is initially earthy and then becomes increasingly rocky, does not present any major difficulties, apart from the fact that it is often very steep. At the same time, you quickly gain height and superb landscapes are revealed as you go, particularly over the Haute Maurienne valley.

(3) You will arrive at a place called "Les Roches - 2440 m" (yellow signpost); head north towards "La Lenta" (GR® 5).
After crossing several streams on footbridges in excellent condition, you will find yourself on a balcony path with a view of a plateau area, Les Erès.

(4) Head for the yellow signpost that can be seen from afar, at a place called "Les Druges - 2260 m". Take the direction "La Lenta" (stillGR® 5).
From there, the descent is gentle, with views of the vast Lenta valley below and, upstream, the gorge that leads to the Col de l'Iseran and the mountain pass road.

(5) The track crosses the Lenta stream. Here you will find a series of tourist information panels about the Vanoise National Park, the hay meadows and the Lenta, as well as a yellow signpost. Head towards Bonneval-sur-Arc.
Follow the Lenta along its left bank for a short distance before crossing it again via the road bridge. You will soon see the pretty Saint-Barthélémy Chapel below on the left, then the road, after a wide left-hand bend, overlooks the Lenta gorge.

(6) Take the path (GR®) on the left which descends towards the river and follows it inside the gorge. The river cascades between rocky blocks, dams and water intakes. Soon, you will be overlooking Bonneval and descending fairly steep switchbacks.

(7) You will come to a fork in the path at the footbridge that crosses the Lenta to reach the Sentier du Petit Bonheur (which leads to the village of L'Ecot). At the sign (elevation 1850), follow the direction "Vieux Village par Chemin des Chèvres".
Halfway along, this path crosses the road and leads us to the village to rejoin the outward route

(1). Walk down the street for about 20 metres, then, in front of the La Torna chalet, take the alley on the right and follow it until it crosses a main street in the old village.

(8) Leave Chalet Bella Alpina on your left and go to see the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption. Return a few metres and take the lane on the right which, after turning left, leads to Chalet Le Bénal.

(9) At the Le Bénal chalet, turn right and follow the street that leads to the Notre-Dame-des-Grâces Chapel.
Turn right and return to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,787 m - Car park near the Old Bridge
  2. 1 : km 0.2 - alt. 1,801 m - Access Chemin des Chèvres
  3. 2 : km 1.41 - alt. 1,980 m - La Cara
  4. 3 : km 2.9 - alt. 2,421 m - Les Roches
  5. 4 : km 5.06 - alt. 2,261 m - Les Druges
  6. 5 : km 6.52 - alt. 2,140 m - Tourist information boards
  7. 6 : km 7.53 - alt. 2,122 m - Path on the left
  8. 7 : km 8.51 - alt. 1,875 m - Take the Chevre path
  9. 8 : km 9.22 - alt. 1,787 m - Chalet Bella Alpina
  10. 9 : km 9.35 - alt. 1,785 m - Chalet le Bénal
  11. S/E : km 9.48 - alt. 1,787 m - Return to the Old Bridge car park

Notes

Route taken in August 2014.

Even though you can see the start and finish points most of the time, this is a mountain route. The paths can be tricky, with the danger lying more in the grassy sections where it is always possible to slip. So make sure you have shoes with good grip.

As for water sources, Les Rochettes is well served by streams flowing directly from the glaciers. I imagine this water is pure, but I still prefer to trust my water bottle.

With such rich landscapes, it would be a shame not to bring a pair of binoculars with you, in addition to your camera.

Worth a visit

An alternative to this hike is to start from Les Roches, descend via Le Vallon and then Le Villaron, and return to Bonneval via Le Chemin du Petit Bonheur. This is a different dimension, as the distance is just over 14 km with an elevation gain of around 770 m.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.1 / 5
Based on 9 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.8 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
Vanoise
Vanoise

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Not very well signposted. There were sheep, so
Didn't see the path properly
We also came back down with Bp, who was feeling unwell, via another path; we opened a gate but there were no signs, so we took it because we could see the tralenta below;
Not very clear

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stjo
stjo

@ccdapsv, ah... damn! Is it the section parallel to the road, before point 2?

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ccdapsv
ccdapsv

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Nice hike, but at the beginning, the trail passes through fields or muddy pastures or even enclosures with no easy way to get back in...

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stjo
stjo
• Edited:

@1950bba The problem with motorcyclists is that apparently everyone thinks they're alone on the road: one motorcyclist passing by isn't a problem, but when there's a constant stream of them, it's hell.
Every time I've stopped in Cervières, for example, I've been able to gauge the unthinkable nuisance caused by all these idiots who race up the Col d'Izoard at full throttle, almost without interruption. I wonder how the people in this village can live with this constant horrible noise.
The law is really far too lax when it comes to the noise and pollution caused by motorised two-wheelers.
In the mountains as elsewhere.

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cathycoco
cathycoco

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

beautiful hike
encounter with bearded vultures near LES ROCHES magical moment

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1950bba
1950bba

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 : Yes

In fact, I didn't really do the hike described because I didn't start from Bonneval but from Villaron, from where I joined the GR 5. This makes for a gentler climb and a longer balcony route.
Of course, the downside is that you then have to return to the starting point from Bonneval (even though the Chemin du Petit Bonheur is pleasant, it does get a bit dull after a while. I was lucky that a friend gave me a lift, saving me part of the walk).
So I can only comment on the part of the route after point 3. I was apprehensive about the section between Les Roches and Les Druges, described by a competing website as vertiginous and exposed. I didn't see anything like that. Just a few unpleasant passages on the descent because they were schistose and steep.
The section along the Iseran road was also unpleasant, especially with the electric fences right next to the road and the constant stream of motorcyclists who think they're Agostini.
Despite everything, it was a very, very beautiful ride.

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Fontenotte
Fontenotte

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant hike, steep climb at the beginning but then very quiet. Less interesting afterwards, even though the distant view is vast.

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stjo
stjo

@Ma_Th, please clarify this issue of the missing path: is it the path that cuts across the large bend in the road between the point where you join it coming up from the village and point 2, or is it the path that climbs up from point 2?

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Ma_Th
Ma_Th

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk, but be aware that since this guide was written, the path at point 2 no longer exists and we had to cut across fields between two roads, which wasn't great. Apart from that, it was lovely, with beautiful waterfalls and scenery.

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ONCLE DOM
ONCLE DOM

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Initially, it was quite challenging to locate the sign indicating the GR5 variant in Bonneval-sur-Arc. We spent nearly 45 minutes wandering around before using the digital version to find our way. It seems that nowadays, it is not possible to hike with just a map and a compass. In a tourist village like Bonneval, it's a bit of a mess. Otherwise, the trail isn't always easy to find at the start and is very steep in the first section, but fortunately once you reach the balcony, you can enjoy the scenery.

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stjo
stjo
• Edited:

@ab80104 That's a shame: just by reading the description and glancing at the map, it was impossible to go wrong. So here's a suggestion: do this route again in good weather and in the right direction. You won't regret it, and you'll see that the stretch of road leading to the point (6) isn't very long (about 600 m). As a bonus, you'll get to see some beautiful views.

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ab80104
ab80104

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

At point 1, as the sign on the left was missing, we foolishly followed the sign on the right, so we started the hike in the opposite direction until point 6, where the prospect of walking along the road discouraged us a little. The sky was starting to cloud over, so we cautiously turned back. Finally, the rain arrived in the evening...

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stjo
stjo
• Edited:

I did this hike in the middle of summer (August 2014, to be precise). So it's quite normal that you encountered difficulties that I wasn't aware of. Especially since in the mountains, weather conditions, snow cover and vegetation can vary greatly from one week to the next...

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equedreu
equedreu
• Edited:

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The main attraction of this route is the section of the GR Tour de la Haute Maurienne that runs along a balcony facing the glacier and then descends into the Lenta valley. To reach the first road junction, I think it's better to follow the main path rather than continue along the trail, as there are lots of animal tracks and it's hard to know where you're going. What's more, at this time of year, there are lots of fences that we had to climb over to reach the road and cross it.
Further up, crossing the stream (at this time of year) was tricky because the part where the path crosses it was covered with a large patch of snow (was there a footbridge underneath?). The stream had a strong current and there was a risk of breaking through the snow and getting stuck under it in the stream, which would have meant certain drowning. So we had to go back up the stream to find a crossing without snow and then rejoin the path through the grassy slopes. Another person who was just behind us turned back.
Further up, we had to cross another stream and there was no choice but to cross the snow patch, which was a little daunting.
Then there were many more streams to cross, only one of which had a footbridge. So sure-footedness is essential.
This hike is therefore not recommended at the beginning of the season, not before mid-July for this reason, and even then...

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