Vallée de la Tarentaise walks

A lovely hike in the Beaufortain to discover the five lakes of Forclaz. This is an easy route with no navigation difficulties, so you can leave your map in your bag. At the start, you are still in the mountain pastures, then gradually the environment becomes more and more rocky.

Lac de la Plagne is a classic day hike in the Peisey Valley. It takes you right into the heart of the Vanoise National Park in a very mountainous setting. The normal route can be done without a map, as it is entirely on theGR®5, which is why I am suggesting a wilder route here, but also more challenging due to numerous stream crossings and some off-trail sections.

While the Barrhorn (3,610 m) in Switzerland is the highest officially marked hike in Europe, the Aiguille de la Grande Sassière (3,747 m) hike takes you higher up on a path perfectly marked with cairns. It runs alongside a glacier that is unfortunately receding year after year. Magnificent view of the French and Italian peaks. Please read the recommendations in the practical information section carefully.

A beautiful family hike with panoramic views of the Lauzière massif and Mont Blanc in a wild and unspoilt environment.

The Chapelle des Vernettes is a highlight of Baroque religious art in the Tarentaise region and a must-see hike in the Peisey Valley. Its main advantage is its accessibility, which can become a problem in the height of summer when many cars make the trip.

Lac de la Portette is a beautiful hiking destination in the Beaufortain, at the foot of the Grande Pareï cliff. And as I've always preferred loops to round trips, the Col du Mont Rosset and the return via the Balme refuge offer a nice bonus with views of the Pierra Menta, an iconic peak if ever there was one.

A beautiful loop on the trails of the Belleville Valley. Between mountain pastures, forests and ridges, you will discover magnificent panoramic views that unfold throughout the route. This hike is suitable for families with young hikers. There are numerous signs along the route to guide you.

A lovely hike starting from Tignes-le Lac. Significant elevation gain, with a continuous climb to Aiguille Percée. From the top, there is a beautiful view of the surrounding peaks. Mont Blanc can be seen if the sky is clear!

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

A short circuit allowing you to discover the Morel Waterfall and the educational trail on the history of the torrent. The circuit follows the thematic trail in reverse, but the information panels explain the history of this torrent: the Morel devastated the Bellecombe plain for several centuries and was finally tamed at the beginning of the 20th century thanks to a dam, a large 80-metre waterfall and a series of small cascades.

A short family hike to discover a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the Belleville Valley. There are two other beautiful viewpoints with orientation tables, as well as the Coche reservoir. This well-marked circular trail is a discovery trail dotted with information panels and quizzes on mountain flora and fauna. At the summit, you can enjoy two orientation tables and a well-equipped area, as well as a small notebook where you can leave a few words.

A lovely hike in the Lauzière massif, with views of the peaks and glaciers of the Vanoise, not to mention the inevitable Mont Blanc. You will also recognise the characteristic silhouette of the Cheval Noir along the way.

Une très belle randonnée dans le vallon sauvage de la Louïe Blanche, avec comme objectif le Lac du Retour, miroir du Mont Pourri.

This easy hike in the Grande Sassière Reserve will take you to a high mountain environment, between lakes and glaciers.

Another classic in the Peisey valley, with a bird's eye view of the village and a beautiful panorama of Mont Pourri. The route is steep and somewhat exposed, but it is possible to make a round trip via the descent route.

A route starting from the Thermes de la Léchère-les-Bains on a pretty path along the Isère river and up the banks of the Torrent du Morel with its waterfalls, once the scourge of the Aigueblanches valleys, now tamed by humans who have turned it into a peaceful mountain stream. After crossing the village of Saint-Oyen and returning with a view of the valley, you will reach the Thermes de la Léchère spa.

Certainly one of the most beautiful hikes in Haute-Tarentaise! A long but very beautiful route passing through the still wild valley of the Louïe Blanche, a short detour into Italy to the magnificent Bellacomba Lakes and the return via the Col du Tachuy and Lac du Petit, all dominated by the Pointes des Assaly with a breathtaking view of the Ruitor, Mont Pourri and the Aosta Valley side of the Mont Blanc massif.

A family walk along a path following a small mountain river called the Sassière in the nature reserve of the same name. The walk ends at a small mountain dam that forms Lac de la Sassière. Keep your eyes peeled for marmots.

Hiking in the south of the Beaufortain, an area criss-crossed by numerous trails and paths. Beautiful floral explosion in early summer.

The Col de la Seigne (2,516 m) is located on the Tour du Mont Blanc route, on the French-Italian border. On the way up, there is a beautiful view of the Glaciers glacier. The descent is opposite the Beaufortain massif.

Courte randonnée pour accéder à un 3000 m, assez facile en l'absence de neige (comme pour sa voisine l'Aiguille Pers), et dans un environnement très vite minéral. Elle peut être très fréquentée du fait de son accès aisé, mais le panorama au sommet en vaut le détour.

Courte randonnée pour accéder à un 3000 m assez facile avec un superbe panorama sur tous les hauts sommets du département. Idéale quand on a un timing serré pour faire une randonnée.

The Roc de Bassagne is a double peak on the border ridge, at the junction of the Vanoise and Grand Paradis National Parks. There are many ibex here, as the valley leading to the peak is very quiet compared to the nearby Prariond trail.

Hike suitable for families (but with a significant elevation gain), starting from Tignes Lavachet, to see the magnificent Salin Waterfalls with a detour via the Gouille de Salin. There are a few wooden footbridges and several places where walking shoes are required.

This hike is not technically difficult and can be completed in half a day. It offers beautiful views, including two lookout points. The trails are sometimes difficult to see, so a GPS device may be useful, although the terrain is clear and the waypoints are visible from a distance at all times.You will pass through mountain pastures where cows may be present in season.

A lovely hike that allows you to enjoy very different terrains: forest, alpine pastures, rocks. Beautiful view of the Beaufortain, especially the Pierra Menta, and allows you to approach the menacing north face of Bellecôte. As a bonus, an easy 3000-metre peak.

A beautiful, wild hike at the start of the season, with no one else on the route. Beautiful views of the western ridge of Comborsier, the Grand Mont d'Arêches and even Mont Blanc. Be careful to keep quiet, as this is black grouse territory.

A very pretty hike through the mountain pastures, without any great difficulty, which will allow you to discover two neighbouring peaks south of Beaufortin. You can admire the incredible 360° landscape from Crêt du Rey and also the curious jagged ridge of La Raïsse. Mont Pourri and its glaciers will be omnipresent throughout the day.

Ascent of Bellacha via a wild trail on the way up, following the north-west and north ridges of Bellachat. The return route is via the Col de l'Arc and Col de Basmont passes, which offer different landscapes and avoid the descent via the ascent route, which is not always easy to find. This loop is not recommended in the opposite direction.

This is a fairly challenging circular hike around the Aiguille Percée, but it offers breathtaking views.As the climb up Les Condus is tough (facing the slope for the entire first part of the hike), we chose to take two cross-country trails that climb more gently to make the hike more suitable for children.It is also possible to do it in reverse, climbing up via Parafour (the trail winds) and descending via Les Condus.The use of the app is strongly recommended.

Family hike in the hills above Tignes Le Lac, suitable for young hikers who already have 1 or 2 years of hiking experience. It allows you to discover the Lacs du Chardonnet on a loop rather than by ski lift as indicated by the tourist office. The Visorando app is recommended for the unmarked sections

Family hike starting from Tignes le Lac. On the recommendation of the tourist office, we started with the Sentier Découverte to avoid a steep and rocky section on the descent. However, it may also be advantageous to do this hike in the opposite direction to the one described here to avoid crossing the pass at the end.

This half-day hike is easy for most of the route but presents some difficulty during the (optional) ascent of the Roc du Diable. The rest of the route is mostly on paths prepared for mountain machinery, so there are no particular difficulties. There is a beautiful panoramic view from the top of the Roc du Diable (2,426 m). This hike is not signposted, so it is recommended that you use the app for certain sections.

Mountain bike and/or electric mountain bike loop starting from the Plagne Montalbert resort, heading towards the charming little village of Notre-Dame du Pré. This ride takes you past two points of interest, including a climbing site and a waterfall.

This 3rd stage of the Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) follows the Torrent des Glaciers up 900m to the Col de la Seigne. Climbing gently, at first, for just over 10km before dropping down 300m to Lex Blanche. Let's do it! The TMB is a classic long-distance footpath that goes around Mont Blanc, passing from France into Italy and through Switzerland before returning to France.

stage 3 of the TMB: from the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme to the Elisabetta Refuge via the Col des Fours variant.