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Start at the foot of the “La Forêt” bus stop, at a junction, in the resort of Valmorel. Car parks are available at the roadside on either side of the bus stop.
(S/E) Head towards the top of the resort. Pass close to the Altispace chairlift departure point, make a loop and pass under the chairlift line. Then pass close to the Pierrafort gondola lift departure point and turn right (south-west).
(1) At a fork, turn right towards Altispace and the Col de la Madeleine. Follow a long, winding climb up to the top station of the Altispace chairlift.
(2) From the top station of the chairlift, take the wide mountain pasture track heading south and pass a mountain bar-restaurant on your left. At the bottom, at the T-junction, follow the track to the left. At the next junction, take the mountain pasture track climbing to the right. Climb towards the top station of the “Morel 2020” chairlift.
(3) Pass the top station on your left and continue along the track which descends gently. At a fork at a place called Riondet, take the track on the left towards the Col de la Madeleine. Follow the track as it climbs steadily. The gradient steepens towards the end of the climb and, at a fork, follow the track on the left for a short, steeper ascent.
(4) Pass under the large sign for “Sommet de la Madeleine” (map) and head towards the top station of the “Le Frêne” chairlift. Then head south onto a faint path that starts to the right of a ski run flanked by wooden signs. The path stays on the hillside, skirting the 2305m ridge to the right (brief steep section). Pass under a ski lift line and head east. Cross a relatively flat area to a plateau. The slope then becomes much steeper and the path winds between the rocks: follow the cairns and some yellow paint markings. After several hairpin bends, reach the Col du Cheval Noir: the landscape is magical.
(5) At the pass, turn left and follow the path almost to the summit. Follow the north-eastern ridge. Before reaching the rock face, the path veers right and climbs diagonally. Then make a few switchbacks before turning left (north) for a final, very steep climb to the summit, where you are rewarded with an incredible 360° view (so beautiful it is hard to describe).
(6) The descent follows the same route, down to the Col du Cheval Noir and then carefully down to the end of the scree slope. You’ll end up at La Madeleine.
(4) Then follow a track heading westwards which descends, winds around a few bends and leads to the Col de la Madeleine.
(7) Just before reaching the pass, take the path on the right towards Baudin-Combelouvière and Valmorel. Descend to a track.
(8) Cross the Torrent d'Eau Rousse and follow the track for a few hundred metres, then continue north-east to the foot of the Chalet des Lanches.
(9) Continue along the path north-east and pass above the villages of Les Celliers (magnificent view of this beautiful valley).
(10) At the parallel ski lift lines, turn right then immediately left towards Valmorel. At the flat section (large signpost), turn right. Descend to Montolivet.
(11) At the junction, turn right (south) and follow a good mountain track to reach the bottom of the Lanchettes chairlift line. Pass under the line, head up the road and you will soon reach the starting point (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
Difficult 
