Multi-activity guidebook to the Haute Maurienne region of south east France. The book describes a wide range of the finest day walks, scrambles, rock climbs, via ferratas, treks and mountain biking and road cycling routes, offering all the inspiration needed for a multi-activity or family holiday.

The Maurienne valley is served by good transport links, Modane serves as the gateway to the upper valley with links from Paris and Turin served by the TGV. Lanslebourg is the largest village after Modane and offers plenty of choice of accommodation, and Termignon is a reasonably central base for exploring the Haute Maurienne. Routes vary from pretty Alpine lake rambles to mammoth mountain bike routes and include the normal route to the summit of Dent Parrachee, the Matterhorn of the valley that can be reached without crossing a glacier, and arranged by difficulty. Information about facilities and grades for each activity are carefully explained and routes are illustrated with sketch maps, topos and profiles and inspiring photographs.

The Vanoise massif is a beautiful range of mountains bounded by the valleys of the Maurienne and the Tarentaise. Sitting on the French-Italian border, the Upper Maurienne (Haute Maurienne) has a southern boundary bordering the Italian region of Piedmont. Its northern border is less pronounced, as the massif of the Vanoise blurs the boundary with the Tarentaise valley.

Map key

Overview Map

INTRODUCTION

Geography

The Vanoise National Park

Geology

Wildlife

Plants and flowers

History

Art and culture

Travel

When to go

Accommodation

Mountain refuges

Language

Insurance and rescue

Maps and navigation

Weather

Clothing

Wet weather alternatives

Using this guide

1 DAY WALKS

Introduction

Route 1 Lac de l'Arcelle

Route 2 La Pierre aux Pieds

Route 3 Lac Blanc and Plan des Eaux

Route 4 Vallon de la Rocheure

Route 5 Pointe de Lanserlia

Route 6 Hannibal's Crossing (Col Clapier)

Route 7 Mont Froid

Route 8 Pointe de Bellecombe

Route 9 High Valley Walk

Route 10 Pointe de l'Observatoire

2 MOUNTAINEERING ROUTES

Introduction

Route 11 Pointe Droset

Route 12 Crête de la Turra and Pointe du Grand Vallon

Route 13 Pointe des Fours

Route 14 3000ers Circuit

Route 15 Lessières Traverse

Route 16 Le Petit Vallon

Route 17 Roche d'Etache

Route 18 Traverse of Pointe de Cugne

Route 19 North Ridge of Cime du Laro

Route 20 Signal du Petit Mont Cenis

Route 21 Arête de Léché

Route 22 La Dent Parrachée

3 VIA FERRATAS

Introduction

Route 23 Le Pichet, Lanslevillard

Route 24 The Pinnacles, Aussois

Route 25 Guy Favre, Balme Noir

The Victor Emmanuel Fort Complex

Introduction

Route 26 Traversée des Anges

Route 27 Montée au Ciel

Route 28 Les Rois Mages

Route 29 Descente aux Enfers

Route 30 Remontée du Purgatoire

Via Ferrata/Rock Climbing

Route 31 Via Cordatta, Col de la Madeleine

4 ROCK CLIMBING

Introduction

Route 32 Rocher des Amoureux

Route 33 Sollières

Route 34 Rocher de Termignon

Route 35 Blocs de la Madeleine

Route 36 Dalles du Mollard

Route 37 Drailles Blanches

5 MOUNTAIN BIKING

Introduction

Bike hire and bike shops

The routes

Route 38 Termignon and Sollières Circuit

Route 39 La Girarde

Route 40 Champions' Loop

Route 41 Chemin du Petit Bonheur

Route 42 The Sardières Monolith

Route 43 Mont Cenis Circuit

6 ROAD RIDES

Introduction

Route 44 Col du Mont Cenis

Route 45 Aussois Loop

Route 46 Col de l'Iseran

Route 47 Col du Galibier

7 WALKING TOURS

Introduction

Route 48 Tour of the Vanoise Glaciers

Route 49 Tour of Méan Martin

Route 50 Tour of Pointe de l'Echelle

Appendix A Route summary tables

Appendix B Useful contacts

Appendix C Useful phrases

Seasons

passes open in late May with the season lasting through to early October

Centres

Termignon and Val Cenis

Difficulty

Routes range from short walks and cycle rides for the whole family to sustained or challenging mountain routes up to PD to reach the highest summits

Must See

rocky summits towering over small Alpine villages and the highest cols guarding the valley's approaches; follow in the (possible) footsteps of Hannibal; reach the summit of Dent Parrachée; two-wheeled and roped adventures add adrenalin sport opportunities for a 'mix and match' visit!

Maps and navigation

The French IGN ‘Top 25’ 1:25,000 maps are excellent. They identify the main paths in easy-to-see red, and more difficult sections are marked as red dots. They are sold at supermarkets and many other shops and cost around €9 each. Alternatively, they can be purchased online before you visit and there is now the option of a laminated version. (This isn’t available in France, just in the Aqua3 online map shop.) Termignon is one of those places that is on the join of three maps, so three maps are needed to cover the whole area. An alternative is the 1:50,000 map (the Carte de Randonnées A3: Alps Vanoise) which clearly identifies waymarked walking routes, climbing sites, via ferrata venues and mountain bike areas.

1:25,000 maps

• 3534OT Les Trois Vallées Modane
• 3633ET Tignes, Val d’Isère, Haute Maurienne
• 3634OT Val Cenis Charbonnel

The most recent editions of these maps show the extent of glacial retreat in a different colour.

If you are bringing a GPS, ensure it is programmed to datum WGS 84 and the grid system to UTM/UPS otherwise all grid references will be inaccurate. Don’t forget to reprogramme it to UK settings on your return or the same problems will occur back in the UK.

Unlike the UK, paths are waymarked and signed to a high degree. The signage usually gives information in times rather than distance, and these seem to be calculated with a similar formula to Naismith’s Rule of 5km per hour. The red-and-white flashes on rocks, walls and buildings will become familiar friends, and the small cycling symbols will also be a welcome aid to route finding.

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