Trekking Tour
around the Vanoise National Park Glaciers

Trip

Vanoise National Park: trekking around the Glaciers

The park has been a protected area since 1963. It is located in Savoie, in a high mountain range. The Vanoise National Park has 107 peaks over 3000 meters, with the highest point of the Grande Casse at 3855 meters above sea level.

The heart of the Park offers 400 km of marked trails, the fauna is very varied with: marmots, eagles, chamois and the bearded vulture which has just been reintroduced.

We will surely meet the Ibex which is the emblem of the Park: fifty years ago there were only about fifty left near the Gran Paradiso Park and in the heart of the massif.

The paths we will follow will sometimes be vertiginous, but often the path and the view are magnificent. The comfort of the Vanoise huts is excellent ...

Vanoise Glacier Trekking in Savoy

A beautiful and wild trekking around the glaciers and at the heart of the National Park: here nature has resumed its rights for a long time and men takes pleasure in living with nature. A return to the sources, which will do you good.

The flora is very varied like the landscapes, due to a great geological variety.

The Vanoise Glaciers are located between the Tarentaise and the Maurienne, we will start from Pralognan: the "Petit Chamonix" of the Vanoise.

The paths that we will follow will sometimes be vertiginous but often the path and the view are beautiful. The comfort of the Vanoise refuges is excellent ...

The Trek takes place on the track of the Competition of the Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise (Tgv). This Trail is now quite well known in the world of Trail Runners. We will make a circle around the Vanoise glaciers in 5 days: it is a great hiking trip. The runners of the Ultra Trail do it in less than a day.

Hiking with a Trekking Guide:

The Esprit Montagne team prepares your itinerary in order to make you discover the most beautiful paths and off-trails of the Vanoise. Along the itinerary your Guide can show you basic orientation skills and the use of the maps. He will manage the pace and the weather in order that the trekking trip will as beautiful as possible. Your Guide is a certified UIMLA and is passionate about the region: he will make you discover his region and unearth the most beautiful places so that you can go back home with some beautiful pictures.

Program

TREKKING PROGRAM

DAY 1 
PRALOGNAN - COL DU GRAND MARCHET - REFUGE DE LA VALETTE

Vertical Drop: + 1200 m and - 200 m
Walking time: About 6 h

We will be starting our trekking day just above Pralognan, to walk up a valley at the feet of the Pointe du Dard: the walk will be quick, the path climbs into the Cirque du Dard which is well known for being the site of one of the largest avalanches in Europe (in winter). We climb between the wall of the Grand Marchet and the Aiguille du Petit Arcellin. The route is equipped with a cable to facilitate the way. We will arrive at the Col du Grand Marchet, which is an ancient suspended glacial cirque. The view from up there is magnificent, with some great waterfalls next to us. This path is not very popular in the event of bad weather, in such a case we will reach the Vallette Refuge by an alternative and easier path. The Refuge stands on the shores of a Lake and near the top of the Roc de la Vallette, one of the largest cliffs in Pralognan: it is quite a magical place.

DAY 2 
REFUGE DE LA VALLETTE - COL D'AUSSOIS - REFUGE DU FOND D'AUSSOIS

Vertical Drop: + 1000 and - 1300 m
Walking time: approximately 7 - 8 hours

We will be leaving early enough to walk in the fresh air and maybe see some animals on the way, that are sometimes numerous in this area of ??the Vanoise National Park. We will be walking on a balcony path at the feet of the Vanoise Glaciers, the path follows the contour line and descends a little before going up to the Col d'Aussois. If the weather is good, we will be able to reach a small summit at 3000m, otherwise we will reach our refuge more quickly. Here we will be in the Maurienne, the refuge is large enough and comfortable.

DAY 3 
REFUGE DU FOND D'AUSSOIS - BALCONIES OF HAUTE MAURIENNE - REFUGE DE L'ARPONT

Vertical Drop: + 600m and - 600m
Walking time: About 6 to 7 hours of balcony paths or alternating ascent and descent.

We will start by a great Balcony path under the Dent Parachée (3697m)! The Haute Maurienne valley and its glaciers are facing us, we will be feeling a little air of the Southern Alps here: the terrain is drier and the landscapes different. We will meet the herds of sheep and the famous Patou dogs, which are used to protect the sheeps from wolves, indeed, they are impressive by their size. Your Guide will give you some instructions in order not to disturb them ... The arrival at the Arpont Hut will be well deserved, the refuge was completely renovated a few years ago, it is one of the largest and comfortable huts in the Vanoise National Park.

DAY 4 
REFUGE DE L'ARPONT - LAKE CHASSEFORET - COL DE LA VANOISE

Vertical Drop: + 1000m and - 700m
Walking time: 6 to 8 hours of walking

Today we are right at the heart of the Vanoise National Park, a protected area since 1960. You will start from the refuge by a balcony path at first, your Guide will then lead you on a path under the Chasseforêt Glacier and its lake, in the event of bad weather we will take the balcony path to reach the Col de la Vanoise or its surroundings more quickly. The path is quite fast and it allows to discover many little corners or to quickly arrive at the Felix Faure Refuge, which was also renovated a few years ago. It is a fairly comfort Trek! The view of the Grande Casse is magnificent! We will surely see mountaineers preparing the ascent of the Grande Casse, the highest peak of the Vanoise National Park which culminates at 3855 meters.

DAY 5
COL DE LA VANOISE - COL ROSSET - PRALOGNAN

Vertical Drop: + 400m and - 1000m
Walking time: 4 to 6 hours

We will be leaving for the last day of the Trek, at the feet of the glaciers and the walls of the Vanoise. We will take the path of the Park Rangers to reach the Col des Rossets and then, depending on the weather and the group’s shape, we will reach more or less quickly Pralognan La Vanoise.

We will take advantage of this pretty little village of the Vanoise Park, which has been nicknamed the "Petit Chamonix" of Vanoise.

END OF TRIP, everyone takes his way, See you soon for new adventures!

Materiel

How to prepare your backpack for your Hiking Tour in France

The hiking backpack

If possible, take a bag that is light enough to be carried well, and no heavier than 1.5 kilos.

• Small : 45 litres max
• Large : 50 litres max

Your rucksack should have 10 to 15 litres of space for the food you will be carrying for lunch and sometimes the next day, which the mountain huts or guides will give you.

Kilos to carry - it's better to wash than to carry :

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

Allow 2 litres of water and 500 grams of food for the day.

Head-to-toe equipment for the trek:

• 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.

Essential items:

• 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 & other items :

• your medication
• a light survival blanket
• nail clippers
• enough to make small dressings
• a few compresses and plasters or, better still, Strappal

Your guide will have a more comprehensive first-aid kit in case of a major accident.

A small book or card game (weighing less than 150 grams)...

Necessities 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

Physical level 2.5/5

Intermediate level, between 2 and 3 stars, we will make some nice summits!
Effort corresponding to approximately 800 - 1000 m of elevation gain in trekking.

Technical Level  3/5

Difficult trekking, there are several vertiginous, physical and technical passages, the path is sometimes equipped with cables and ladders to help the progression, it is not a Via Ferrata but we are obliged to use them. You must master the activity, you are independent in the mountains in easy passages, the guide will help you in difficult passages.
Weather forecast learning and learning of walking progression techniques with a mountain rope.
Maximum 10 people per trekking guide.

Useful infos

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 Moutiers Train Station;
• By car from Albertville, access by expressway to Moutiers, which is 2 hours drive from Lyon.

Meeting on the first day

In Pralognan at the Parking des Bouquetins at 9.00 am.

For those arriving by train to Moutiers, you can take a bus from Moutiers station to the centre of Pralognan.

Last day - departure

In Pralognan, in the centre of the village at around 3pm, you're just a stone's throw from the bouquetins car park.

Accomodation

Nights in refuge in room or dormitory according to availability.

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.