Tour of Rocher du Vent via the tunnel

Park in the Refuge de La Gittaz car park located 250 m before the refuge.

(S/E) Follow the track to the refuge and descend to the right towards the torrent, which you cross via a footbridge. Immediately afterwards, you will reach a crossroads of paths.

(1) Turn left onto the discovery trail to reach the Torrent de La Gittaz canyon, then continue to the start of the Passage du Curé.

(2) Start this 200-metre passage here. It is a section of the trail carved into the rock. The views of the stream at the bottom of the gorge are breathtaking, but the path is wide enough to be safe. However, take care in bad weather. Continue until you reach a footbridge.

(3) Crossto the right bank of the torrent via the footbridge. (In August 2025, the footbridge was washed away by a flood, but it should be replaced). However, it is still possible to cross the torrent using the stones. The path continues on the right bank until it joins the route to the Col du Bonhomme.

(4) Continue along the right bank towards the La Sausse building and follow the signs for Col de La Sauce. The path returns to the left bank at an altitude of 2020 metres.

(5) After crossing the stream, cross a wetland area on wooden footbridges that preserve this fragile environment, then begin the ascent to Col de la Sauce. You will then reach the pass.

(6) Head north-west along a clearly visible path to reach the southern ridge of Roches Merles, the highest point of the hike.

(7) Follow the ridge opposite to Col de La Lauze.

(8) Here you have two options:
- descend to the right via the northern slope towards the starting point, without going around the Rocher du Vent, and reach a four-way crossroads,
- or continue along the path on the left, which is the route shown on the map, descend towards Plan du la Lai and follow a few hairpin bends to reach the crossroads just before the hamlet of La Lauze, where there is a signpost.

(9) Take the path on the right to quickly reach the tunnel entrance.

(10) Go through the tunnel, which is about 150 m long.

(11) At the tunnel exit, there is a slightly tricky passage through scree, then go around the Rocher du Vent via this balcony path, then join the Col de La Lauze descent path, a four-way crossroads.

(12) Take the well-marked, easy descent trail on the left. Head southwest for a long traverse to the Chalet de Grézilllon.

(13) Descend to the right along the winding stony track to the Col de sur Frêtes.

(14) Continue forward, then take the path on the right towards the north-east, continuing downhill into the Vallon de la Gittaz. Follow it to the crossroads of the path leading to Châtelard.

(15) Continue straight ahead until you reach the crossroads with the footbridge you passed on the way up.

(1) Take the path on the left, in the opposite direction to the way you came, to return to the Chalet de la Gittsz car park (S/E).

Bring a headlamp for crossing the tunnel.

Between (11) and (12), you may be able to see, in places, via ferrata climbers crossing the rope bridge between the two towers of Rocher du Vent.