—-

Hike to Dent du Cruet & Pointe de Talamarche

At the end of the summer of 2020, I went on a hike to Dent du Cruet and Pointe de Talamarche.

Here is a map of the path I walked:

In the morning, I took a LIHSA bus (now called Car Région) to Thônes and got off at the Morette bus stop. I crossed the Fier river then started on the trail up Vallon du Cruet. I passed by Chalet Le Lindion then left the main trail that went towards Pointe de Talamarche and instead walked towards Chalet de la Fontenette. After the Chalet, I took the trail towards Refuge de Larrieux and made a detour to Crêt Couturier on the way. After the Refuge, I walked to Crêt des Tervelles at the top of Vallon du Cruet. Shortly after, I took the unmarked trail to Dent du Cruet that forked from the main trail to Pointe de Talamarche. There is no real difficulty, until the very end where hands were needed: I finally arrived at the ridge with a great view on Col de Bluffy, Plaine du Fier and Lake Annecy. I tried to find a way to the real summit as indicated on the IGN map but I couldn’t find one (the few passages I attempted seemed really dangerous ; Afterwards, I found this blog post with photos of the path). After that I headed back and walked the short way up to the summit of Pointe de Talamarche, where I had already been a couple of times. I started on the way down towards Aulp Riant Dessus then Dessous, passing under the Dents de Lanfon on the way to Alex. At the hamlet of Villards Dessus, I took a trail towards Bluffy and waited for the bus back to Annecy at Col de Bluffy.

▲ Mobalpa factory next to the Morette bus stop in Thônes.

▲ Crossing the Fier on Pont de Morette.

▲ Fier near the trailhead.

▲ On the dirt road to Chalet le Lindion.

▲ Chalets du Cruet.

▲ Sun appearing, at Chalet le Lindion (an emergency hut during summer).

▲ Dent du Cruet. It looks very impressive from this angle.

▲ Tête à Turpin and Mont Téret. I went there recently on a hike.

▲ Col de la Buffaz.

▲ Summit of Crêt Couturier.

▲ Dent du Cruet from the side, looking more accessible.

▲ La Tournette on the left.

▲ Path in the forest below Crêt Couturier.

▲ Cows on the trail to Refuge de Larrieux.

▲ Aravis.

▲ Refuge de Larrieux.

▲ Crêt des Tervelles.

▲ Vallée de Thônes.

▲ Back in Vallon du Cruet.

▲ Dent du Cruet.

▲ Limestone.

▲ On the trail to Dent du Cruet.

▲ At first, the trail goes down.

▲ Ruin of a chalet, with Pointe de Talamarche in the background.

▲ Final part.

▲ On the ridge, looking at Lake Annecy.

▲ Plaine du Fier, Montagne de Lachat and Mont Téret.

▲ La Tournette and Pointe de Talamarche.

▲ Montagne de Cotagne.

▲ Towards the summit. I tried to find a way but it looked very dangerous.

▲ Col des Aravis and Mont Blanc.

▲ Tête à Turpin and Mont Téret.

▲ La Tournette.

▲ Lake Anency, Col de Bluffy and Mont Baret.

▲ On the way down, using the same as trail as on the way up.

▲Looking back at Dent du Cruet.

▲Back on the main trail to Pointe de Talamarche.

▲ At the summit of Pointe de Talamarche, looking at Alpage de l’Aulp Riant Dessus and La Tournette.

▲ Chalets de l’Aulp Riant Dessus.

▲ La Tournette.

▲ Dents de Lanfon.

▲ On the way down to Alex.

▲ Towards Pas de l’Aulp.

▲ Lanfonnet.

▲ Alpage de l’Aulp Riant Dessous and Dents de Lanfon.

▲ Looking back at the Lanfonnet.

▲ Dents de Lanfon.

▲ Pointe de Talamarche above.

▲ Last rays of light at Chalets de l’Aulp Riant Dessous.

▲ On the road to Alex.

▲ Parmelan and Mont Téret.

▲ At Villards Dessus in Alex.

▲ Sunset above Mont Baret.

▲ Dent du Cruet.

▲ In Bluffy.

▲ Bus stop at Col de Bluffy.

▲ Looking at Dents de Lanfon while waiting for the bus.