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Mountain Adventures in the Maurienne
Summer routes for a multi-activity holiday in the French Alps
This guide offers a selection of day walks, mountaineering routes, via ferratas, rock climbs, mountain biking, road cycling and treks for a multi-activity holiday in the Haute Maurienne, in the French Alps. Easily accessible, with the Vanoise National Park to the north, and the Écrins to the south. Ideal for multi activity holidays.
Seasons
passes open in late May with the season lasting through to early OctoberCentres
Termignon and Val CenisDifficulty
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 summitsMust 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!-
Overview
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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. -
Table of Contents
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Maps
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Updates
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Reviews
By Andy Hodges
Andy was born and bred in Northern England and first developed his mountain skills in the Lake District and Snowdonia. Since discovering the joys of the Alps with a Cicerone guidebook in 1999, Andy and his wife Sue have explored much of the Western Alps, walking, running, cycling, ski touring and snowshoeing. With 25 years' service in Dartmoor Search and Rescue, Andy has vast experience of the moors and recently completed the in-depth training and assessments to become a qualified International Mountain Leader.
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