Hike around Tête de la Cicle: Col du Joly, Col de la Cicle & Col de la Fenêtre
Last fall, I went on a walk around Tête de la Cicle, in the Beaufortain mountains near Mont Blanc: I started at Col du Joly and walked through Col de la Cicle and Col de la Fenêtre, two passes on opposite sides of Tête de la Cicle.
Here is a map of the path I walked (download KML):
In the morning, I went to Col du Joly by car with my father using the paved road from Beaufort. During tourist season, cable cars coming up from Les Contamines-Montjoie on the other side are another possibility to reach the Col. At Col du Joly, I first waited for sunrise. I soon started walking up to Tête du Lac de Roselette and then took a trail below Tête de la Cicle through La Grande Pierrière, in order to reach Col de la Gittaz. There was a great view from there. I ate lunch then went on my way to Col de la Cicle. That path is not marked on the IGN map but there is a good trail, except for one part that goes through a rockfall area and was a bit hard. After a while, I arrived at Col de la Cicle. The view on Mont Blanc from there was spectacular. I then went down the steep trail to Plan de la Fenêtre then went up again on the other side of Tête de la Cicle to Col de la Fenêtre, where I had already passed through on the way to Lacs Jovet a few months before. Finally, I walked a trail below Aiguille de Roselette to get back to Tête du Lac de Roselette and close the loop. From there I got down to Col du Joly and waited a little while for sunset.
Above, Mont Bisanne and Bauges behind it.
Above, sunrise with Aiguille de Roselette in the background.
Above, Mont Blanc.
Above, looking back at Col du Joly from the start of the trail.
Above, Mont Joly on the left.
Above, Lac de la Girotte.
Above, l’Étale in the Aravis.
Above, Col du Joly and Aiguille Croche.
Above, upper station of Téléphérique du Signal.
Above, Tête de la Cicle and La Grand Pierrière below.
Above, at Tête du Lac de Roselette.
Above, Rochers des Enclaves.
Above, on the way to La Grande Pierrière.
Above, Tête de la Cicle.
Above, red blueberry bushes.
Above, small lake.
Above, Mont Blanc through Col de la Fenêtre.
Above, Aiguille de Roselette.
Above, Rochers des Fiz.
Above, Tête de la Cicle.
Above, at Col de la Gittaz, looking at Aiguilles de la Pennaz.
Above, Rochers des Enclaves.
Above, Mont Blanc.
Above, Lac de Roselend.
Above, lunch spot with a view.
Above, Pointe Percée in the Aravis.
Above, Col de la Cicle.
Above, off-trail, following a cow path.
Above, another other group of hikers. During summer, the whole area around Col du Joly can get quite crowded but that day there wasn’t a lot of people.
Above, going through a rockfall area. It seems there is better trail above but I couldn’t see it at the time so I simply walked through.
Above, Col de la Cicle in view.
Above, Mont Blanc seen from the Col.
Above, Plan de la Fenêtre.
Above, Col de la Cicle towards Tête de la Cicle.
Above, Rochers des Fiz and Mont Buet.
Above, looking back at Col de la Cicle on the way down.
Above, Aiguille de Roselette.
Above, Col d’Enclave.
Above, Plan Jovet.
Above, at Plan de la Fenêtre.
Above, Col de la Cicle.
Above, on the way up to Col de la Fenêtre.
Above, sun through Col de la Fenêtre.
Above, at Col de la Fenêtre, looking towards Lac de la Girotte.
Above, Col d’Enclave.
Above, Col de la Cicle.
Above, Bauges in the mist.
Above, on the way back to Tête du Lac de Roselette.
Above, La Grande Pierrière.
Above, Tête de la Cicle.
Above, looking at the Contamines-Montjoie side.
Above, towards Tête du Lac de Roselette, with Aiguille Croche and Mont Joly in the background.
Above, the trail I just took and Tête de la Cicle.
Above, La Grande Pierrière.
Above, Aiguille de Roselette.
Above, Mont Blanc.
Above, Mont Joly.
Above, Col du Joly and Aiguille Croche.
Above, Col du Joly.
Above, some clouds hiding the sun at the end of the day.
Above, last rays of the sun on Mont Blanc.