Trekking in the Vanoise National Park

The Tour of the Vanoise is ideal for a first time trek, as there are plenty of mountain refuges, each spaced around 4 hours walking away, whereas more experienced and energetic trekkers can select longer stages.

The Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise is a shorter but more challenging route which takes in some more difficult passes and exposed, steep paths.

The Cicerone guidebook covers the Tour of the Vanoise, a 150km hut-to-hut trek in the French mountains between Mont Blanc and the Ecrins, described in 11 day stages from Modane. Also included are the 4-day Tour of the Eastern Vanoise, the 3-day Tour of the Western Vanoise and a linear route, a 5-day traverse of the region via sections of the GR5 and GR55 long-distance routes.

Highlights are The Grande Casse and Grande Motte, views north to Mont Blanc and south to the Écrins massif, lakes at Plan du Lac and Lozières, the Dent Parrachée, the beautiful Leisse and Rocheure valleys, the wild landscapes of the high passes of the eastern and western Vanoise.

Ideal places to stay would be Modane, Termignon, Bonneval-sur-Arc, Val d'Isère, Tignes and Pralognan-la-Vanoise.