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Walking in the Haute Savoie: South

30 day walks - Annecy, Vallée de l'Arve, Samoëns and the Chaîne des Aravis

By Janette Norton, Alan Norton, Pamela Harris

ISBN

9781852848118

Availability

Published

9 Jun 2017

Edition

Third

Pages

272

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.55cm

Weight

300g

Delivery & Returns

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More information...

Second volume of a 2-part guide to walking in the Haute Savoie in the French Alps. This guidebook describes 30 half to full-day routes in the area between Chamonix and Annecy. Walks are located near Samoëns, Sixt, La Clusaz, Thônes, la Roche-sur-Foron and Lake Annecy. Includes Chaîne des Aravis, Plateau de la Borne and Haut Giffre.

Seasons

Spring and summer, when the snow has melted and the slopes are bright with alpine flowers. Autumn, when the leaves are changing, and even winter for some of the lower walks

Centres

Annecy, La Clusaz, Grand Bornand, Plateau d'Assy, Samoëns, Sixt, Sallanches, Thônes, la Roche-sur-Foron

Difficulty

A variety of routes of differing length and height gain, suitable for most abilities, graded from easy to difficult. None require special equipment or expertise, but those graded difficult have some exposed sections, often protected by cables, and need a head for heights

Must See

Major peaks: Tournette, Tête de Boston, Parmelan, Môle Lakes: Annecy, Anterne, Vogealle, Gers, Lessy, Bénit, and numerous small mountain lakes Historical attractions: in the footsteps of English alpinist Alfred Wills, French Resistance monuments, monasteries, mountain chapels and shrines Geological features: dramatic waterfalls and limestone pavements Nature reserves, alpine gardens, bird migratory routes

ISBN

9781852848118

Availability

Published

9 Jun 2017

Edition

Third

Pages

272

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.55cm

Weight

300g

Overview

A guidebook of walks in the lovely Haute Savoie mountains of France. This guide describes 30 circular routes of between 7 and 20km, based around Annecy, La Clusaz, Grand Bornand, Plateau d'Assy, Samoëns, Sixt, Sallanches, Thônes, la Roche-sur-Foron. Graded from easy to difficult, there are walks to suit most abilities, but a few have some exposed sections and need a head for heights.

The guidebook is divided into 6 areas covering the Arve Valley, the Haut Giffre valley, the Chaîne des Aravis, Plateau de la Borne and Lake Annecy. Alongside a detailed route description and map, each walk has a summary of all you need to know before you set out. There is advice on travel, accommodation and equipment, as well as information about local wildlife and Savoyard food and drink, and a glossary of useful French words.

Visitors flock to the Chamonix area and the Mont Blanc range, but that is only part of what the Haute Savoie has to offer. With stunning views of high mountains as well as lower peaks to enjoy, the walks in this guide will show you a quieter, less busy side to this outstandingly beautiful area.

A companion volume, Walking in Haute Savoie: North, is also available (ISBN: 781852848101)

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

Location of Walks

Preface

Introduction

A short history of the Haute Savoie

Wildlife

Plants and flowers

Getting there

When to go

Accommodation

Savoyard food and drink

What to take

Waymarking

Maps

Safety

Using this guide

Vallée de l’Arve

Walk 1 Le Môle

Walk 2 Pointe de Marcelly

Walk 3 Tour de Chevran

Walk 4 Plateau d’Assy

Walk 5 Refuge de Moëde-Anterne

Vallée du Haut Giffre

Walk 6 Lac d’Anterne et le Dérochoir

Walk 7 Lac de Gers

Walk 8 Lac de la Vogealle

Walk 9 Tête de Bostan

Walk 10 Chalets de Criou

Chaîne des Aravis: Nord

Walk 11 Lac Bénit

Walk 12 Boucle des Confins

Walk 13 Trou de la Mouche

Walk 14 Circuit des Annes

Walk 15 Arête des Saix

Walk 16 Boucle du Lac de Lessy

Walk 17 Boucle de St-Jean-de-Sixt

Chaîne des Aravis: Sud

Walk 18 Pointe d’Orsière

Walk 19 Tour de La Tulle

Walk 20 Tour du Sulens

Walk 21 Tour de l’Aiguille de la Tournette

Walk 22 Boucle des Tervelles

Plateau de la Borne

Walk 23 Roche Parnal

Walk 24 Montagne de Sous-Dîne

Walk 25 Plateau des Glières

Walk 26 Le Parmelan

Lac d’Annecy

Walk 27 La Tournette

Walk 28 Cascades d’Angon

Walk 29 Crête du Taillefer

Walk 30 Montagne d’Entrevernes

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Useful information

Appendix C Glossary of useful French words

Maps

Maps

Each walk in this guidebook is accompanied by a sketch map with coloured contours, showing key places and numbered waypoints that are highlighted in the route description. For additional features and detailed navigation, the relevant 1:25,000 IGN paper map is specified in the information box at the beginning of each walk. However, bear in mind that things are still changing in this region, and you may discover new ski lifts, roads or jeep tracks that are not yet on the maps.

A good map that gives an overall picture of the Haute Savoie walking areas is the IGN Top 100 Tourisme et Découverte No.144 Annecy/Thonon-les-Bains, 1:100,000. A complete list of IGN maps can be found in Appendix B, together with details of where to buy or order them in the UK. Otherwise, it is usually easy to buy them in the region and they are sometimes cheaper in local supermarkets.

For pre-walk planning and post-walk analysis, all the 1:25,000 and 1:100,000 IGN maps for the whole of France are available on the internet for a very small annual subscription from www.sitytrail.com. This is the best way to be sure you have the latest editions, and is accompanied by a powerful set of tools to choose the magnification, print selected areas, superimpose recorded GPS trails and record your favourite routes online. The sitytrail subscription includes access to the same maps with a tablet or smartphone App. For offline use, especially along walking trails, it is possible to download a set of map tiles for a local area. Note that sitytrail maps are also available for Switzerland with a separate subscription.

There are numerous Apps on the market which offer GPS tracking with open software maps. On the iPhone or iPad, MOTIONX-GPS is particularly convenient and flexible.

GPX files for all the routes described in the guide are available as free downloads to purchasers of the book at www.cicerone.co.uk/member.

Updates

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Downloads

Walking in the Haute Savoie: South - GPX File

Janette Norton

Janette Norton lived in France, near Geneva, for over 30 years with her physicist husband, Alan, raising four children and working in the marketing field. Her love of mountain walking dated from the time she was a guide in her twenties, and the proximity of the Alps and Jura to her home inspired her to continue her passion. After her children grew up, she branched out to explore other areas of France.

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