A guidebook to 66 via ferrata routes in the French Alps. Covering the region between Geneva and Briançon the routes range from very easy, protected routes suitable for children, through to extremely exposed and technical routes for experienced ferratists only.

• Routes can be enjoyed in 1-9 hours
• Routes are graded by technical difficulty, exposure and seriousness
• Routes from keys areas including Chambery, Grenobe, the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys
• Local points of interest are featured including the Mont Blanc, Vanoise and Queyras massifs
• Perfect June through to September although some routes are open from early Spring to early winter
• Sketch maps and topos included for each route

Mountain safety 

Map key 

Route listing 

Overview map

Introduction

When to go 

Getting to the Alps 

Getting around 

Language 

Costs 

Accommodation 

Maps 

Route grading 

Equipment 

Moving safely 

Climbing with children 

Dangers 

Accidents and mountain rescue 

Insurance 

Using this guide

Routes and bases

Geneva and the Northern Alps 

Chambéry 

Tarentaise 

Maurienne 

Grenoble 

Briançon

Appendix A Routes listed in order of difficulty 

Appendix B Glossary of via ferrata terminology 

Appendix C Useful French words and phrases 

Appendix D Useful contacts

Seasons

the bulk of the routes are open from early summer to mid-autumn, with a fair number being open from early spring to early winter depending on local weather conditions

Centres

Geneva, Chambéry, St Jean de Maurienne, Grenoble, Briançon as well as numerous mountain resorts

Difficulty

a wide range of routes from straightforward protected walks ideal for beginners to highly strenuous, massively exposed endeavours suitable only for the most daring. All routes graded for difficulty, exposure and the seriousness of the environment. A full explanation of the techniques and equipment required is given

Must See

Routes on or near the Mont Blanc Massif, Lac Bourget, the Beaufortain Massif, the Vanoise Massif, the Chartreuse Massif, the Écrins Massif, the Queyras Massif and many other scenic highlights of the French Alps

It is likely that the majority of readers will visit these routes by car; to that end a good, up-to-date, road atlas is highly recommended. Most of the routes cover a small area and make use of their own purpose-built approach and descent paths. For this reason, a topographical map will be of limited use.

However, for a handful of longer mountain routes such as the Via Ferrata d’Ugine (Route 11) or Via Ferrata l’Aiguillette du Lauzet (Route 51), one may come in handy. In any event, if you plan to extend your outing beyond the via ferrata or just wish to have a better appreciation of the surrounding landscape, a topographical map will be useful. The Institut Géographique National (IGN) produces the standard range of French topographic maps, which are of a similar quality to British Ordnance Survey maps. The most suitable series is the IGN Carte de Randonnée TOP25 series, which has a blue cover. These are widely available from newsagents and tourist offices throughout France and can also be ordered online. The IGN website (www.geoportail.fr), which features scalable topographical and satellite maps, is also extremely useful.

April 2016

Route Updates and corrections

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