Trekking in France
into the Vanoise & Haute Maurienne

The Trip

Trekking into the Vanoise & Haute Maurienne

We leave for an altitude trek, we will be mostly between 2400 and 3100 m of altitude off-trail, walking into alpine pastures, rock querries and snowfields, but the classic path is not very far in case of bad weather.
The Vanoise and Haute Maurienne are great spaces that can be compared to some far away treks but with the advantage of being just close by, at the heart of Europe and the Alps!
If you are searching for a little physical challenge, with good quality trails and some easy off-trail which can last almost the whole day: stop browsing, this Trek is for you!

Program

HIKING PROGRAM

You can arrive a day in advance and we recommend the Base Camp Lodge in Bourg Saint Maurice.

DAY 1
PARC DE LA VANOISE - COL DES FOURS - PREMIER 3000

Vertical drop: + 700 m and - 700 m and 7 Km
Walking time: 5 to 6 hours approximately
Night: in a refuge in superb little chalets at 2500 metres

Meet at the Funiculaire car park at 8.30 am in Bourg Saint Maurice to get together and set off in a car pool between you and the Tour Leader for those coming by train.

You can park your car in a free car park for the week. Don't forget to pack a picnic lunch, which will be provided by the refuges.

Transport by minibus to Val d'Isère, the journey takes just over an hour, and the scenery is about to get a whole lot grander on the road above Val d'Isère, where we'll see the summit of the Grande Sassière (3747m) and the border chain between France and Italy.

We set off on a high-altitude path and quickly enter the Vanoise National Park, where the glaciers of the Haute Maurienne are part of the scenery. We walk along a narrow path between snow and rocks, climbing steadily up to the Col des Fours with a steeper slope at the pass. We'll have lunch with a superb view of the Vanoise peaks and the summit of Grand Paradis, and we'll be able to make the ascent to the Pointe des Fours at 3072 metres, and if you're in good shape we might be able to link several of them together. We then descend to our refuge in the heart of the Parc National de la Vanoise at an altitude of 2,500 metres. It's a marmot's paradise and there's a stream where we can take a refreshing dip in the cold water. We eat a nice meal prepared for us by the warden before sleeping in a small dormitory in a small chalet.

DAY 2 
OBJECTIVE 3000 - COL DE LA ROCHEURE

Vertical drop: + 900 m and - 1000 m and 14 km
Walking time: 7 hours approximately
Night: in a refuge at 2350m

We set off in the morning to cross the Col de la Rocheure, leaving the Haute Tarentaise to discover the heart of the Parc de la Vanoise and the Vallon de la Femma. This superb pass is surrounded by the Méan Martin at 3330 metres, the Barmes de l'Ours at 3147 metres and the Pointe de la Sana at 3436 metres. If the weather is fine, we can climb one of these summits by leaving our bags near the pass. The Pointe de la Sana is the highest objective, with an exceptional view of the Grande Casse. The ascent is fairly long and easy off-piste. For Méan Martin, the climb is more technical on a small rocky ridge, overlooking a small glacier that was much larger in the 1980s. The view over the Haute Maurienne is superb. The summits of the Barme de l'Ours are easier and quicker to climb, but also exceed 3000 metres. The descent takes us into the Femma valley, where we sleep in a superb refuge surrounded by mountain pastures and marmots.

DAY 3 
HAUTE MAURIENNE - VALLON DES EVETTES 

Vertical drop: + 800 m and - 200 m and 13 km
Walking time: About 6 to 7 hours and about an hour by taxi
Night: in a refuge at 2600m

We're heading down the marmot valley, and if the weather is good we should be able to see a lot of marmots. The valley is a huge alpine pasture with herds of cows and sheep and their famous patous who protect them from the wolves. We are in the heart of the largest protected area in Europe and the first French National Park.

We arrive at Plan du Lac, where we take a transfer to Termignon and Bonneval sur Arc. At the small village of l'écot, we start walking again to climb up to the Evettes valley, where we'll discover the Evettes glacier and the peaks of Albaron (3637m) and Petite Ciamarela (3465m), the jewels of this corner of paradise. The ascent is via the famous passage de la reculaz to reach Les Evettes. The path is equipped with chains to aid progress, and your mountain leader will help you on the difficult sections. We'll continue upwards to discover some superb lakes and torrents, and then spend the night at the top of a small mountain at 2600 metres in a pretty refuge. The view over the Haute Maurienne is exceptional, and after a good meal we'll be able to gaze up at the stars, which are plentiful in these high valleys, where there is no light pollution.

DAY 4 
THE SOURCE OFTHE RIVER L'ARC - LAC BLANC DU CARROZ  

Vertical drop: + 1100 m and - 950 m and 14 Km
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours of walking
Night: in a refuge at 2750 m

Depending on the weather and your level of fitness, your mountain leader will be able to show you some superb off-piste routes near the glaciers of the sources de l'Arc, or take a very pretty path to the Lac Blanc and Lac Noir du Carroz. We climb up to the Col du Carroz without bags, which makes it easier to make this pretty ascent to the summit of Grand Paradis (4061 m), which is hidden just over the border from Italy. It's a magical place on the border between the valleys of the Italian Piedmont and the Haute Maurienne, with the Grande Aiguille Rousse (3482 m) and the Levanna (3619 m) surrounding us to create a superb high-mountain atmosphere.

For the last night, we'll be sleeping in a refuge at an altitude of 2,750 metres, so you'll be coming home with red blood cells and in good physical shape! If you're feeling brave, you'll be able to take a dip in one of the lakes, and then enjoy a lovely refuge to sleep and eat in.

DAY 5
COL DU CARROZ (3122 M) - BALCONS DE HAUTE MAURIENNE

Vertical drop: + 650 m and - 900 m and 17 km
Walking time: 6 to 7 h

After a restful night at altitude, we begin our final day through the superb balconies of the Haute Maurienne. We'll be travelling through some uncrowded valleys where we may be lucky enough to see some animals.

The view of the glaciers of the Haute Maurienne is magical all day, and we'll be able to take advantage of these plateaux for a final siesta at altitude. The day is fairly easy, and we'll catch a lift back to Val d'Isère and then Bourg Saint Maurice.

End of the trip: see you next time for a new adventure!

Materiel

How to prepare your backpack for your hiking trip in France

Hiking backpack for 5 to 6 days

If possible take a light backpack with good carrying, the backpack itself should not exceed 1,5 kilos.

Backpack for 5 days:

• Small size: 45 liters
• Large size: 50 liters

Your backpack must have 10 to 15 liters of space for the food that you will carry for lunch and sometimes for the day after.

Kilos to carry - it is better to wash than to carry:

• Small size: 5/6 kilos max, without water and food
• Large size: 6/7 kilos max, without water and food

Count 2 liters of water and 1 kilo of food for the day.
 

Head to toe material for your hiking trip:

• a cap or hat for the sun
• a hat for the cold
• a buff or choker (optional, but great in bad weather)
• a Gore Tex jacket or equivalent for bad weather
• a pair of gloves, waterproof if possible
• a small down jacket or fleece to withstand sub-zero temperatures
• two jumpers: one light and one warmer; if it's cold, we'll use all the layers
• two or three technical T-shirts
• 2 to 4 pairs of socks, which you can wash in the torrents near the refuges (use solid soap to wash)
• trousers
• tights
• shorts
• a bag cover for the rain
• a waterproof bag to keep a change of clothes dry
• a change of clothes for the refuge
• A pair of hiking boots with Vibram soles or good quality trail shoes from 20 July, if possible try them on before the trek.

Do not forget:

• a sleeping sheet for the hut
• 2 telescopic walking poles
• canteen or water bottle to provide at least 2 litres of water
• sun cream factor 30 to 50
• a pair of category 3 sunglasses
• a light headlamp
• small treats such as dried fruit and chocolate
• cash and your identity card or valid passport

Toiletries:

• a light, quick-drying towel, hiking style
• body soap
• toothbrush with toothpaste or solid toothpaste
• small shampoo (specialist shops sell small bottles that you can keep for the rest of your hiking life)
• a pair of earplugs to help you sleep at night in the refuge

Pharmacy & others:

• your medication
• a light survival blanket
• a nail clipper
• what to make small dressings
• a few compresses and sticking plaster or better Strappal

Your guide will have a more complete pharmacy in the event of a more serious accident.

A small book or card game (less than 150 grams) ... if you want !

Necessary for meals:

• an hermetic tupperware (approx. 400ml) for the picnic
  a light Opinel-type knife
• a fork and a spoon
• a local speciality to share with the rest of the team, liquid or solid.

Weight is the hiker's enemy, but a frozen or soaked hiker is a hiker without pleasure!

So take the time to prepare your rucksack well and weigh it before you set off, to check that without water or food your rucksack weighs 6 to 7 KG, but no more!

IMPORTANT: if a person is not properly equipped and dressed, the mountain guide may decide not to allow him/her to take part in the climb. We ask you to read carefully the equipment list provided in the programme PDF and to call us if you have any doubts.

Level

Technical Level  2.5/5

Intermediate screen between 2 and 3 Mountains.
Mountain trekking for experienced people, you have experience and skills in the mountains.
Some passages are dizzying and it is sometimes necessary to put your hands to help the progression.
Weather forecast learning and cartography experience: the guide could give you the map to learn how to manage a route.

Physical level 3/5

For sporty people, we will have some good walking days and make some beautiful summits, you are confirmed in the activity or welcome in Trail initiation! Effort corresponding to approximately 900 - 1200 m of elevation gain in trekking.
 

Useful infos

Useful Information to organise your mountain trip

Insurance

Cancellation and repatriation insurance is mandatory, as is mountain search and rescue insurance (minimum cover of 10,000 Euros).

Esprit Montagne offers the following insurance: https://www.assurance-multi-sports.com.

How to reach Bourg Saint Maurice, 73700

• By train, access by TGV to Bourg Saint Maurice station - the hotel is 5 minutes walk from the Train Station;
• By car from Albertville, access by expressway to Moutiers - Bourg Saint Maurice is 2.5 hours from Lyon.

Meeting on the first day

Meeting at the Funicular in Bourg Saint Maurice at 8.00am, you can park your car in a free parking for the duration of the trek.

Accommodation

Nights in Refuge in room or dormitory according to availability.

Overnight stay after the end of the trek possible in different hotels in Bourg Saint Maurice, here is our advice: Base Camp Lodge or Hôtel de l'Angival.

Car sharing

When you register online, you can choose whether or not you wish to take part in the car-sharing scheme to get to the starting point of your course. Once you have made your booking, you can log back into your Esprit Montagne account to access a section dedicated to carpooling. Here you will find the contacts of the other participants who are interested in car-sharing, so that you can contact them directly.