December 1, 2014

Hike from Plan de la Lai to Col des Fours & Ville des Glaciers

The hike from Plan de la Lai to Ville des Glaciers was one of the best hikes I did this summer. It starts at the Refuge du Plan de la Lai, between Beaufort and Bourg Saint-Maurice, in the Beaufortain. It then goes through the Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme, a usual stop on the Tour du Beaufourtain, then continues to Col des Fours, before finally going down to the Vallée des Glaciers. I basically followed this itinerary (with map), with a detour to Rocher du Vent and the Roches Merles at the beginning and through the Têtes Nord and Sud des Fours near Col des Fours.

November 29, 2014

Montenvers - Mer de Glace

After getting back to the valley from my hike to La Jonction, it was still relatively early so I took the bus to the village of Chamonix and tried to go the Aiguille du Midi, using the ropeway. Unfortunately, it was full for the rest of the day. So instead, I took the train to Montenvers to have a look at the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), France’s largest glacier (7km long, 200 m thick). The Ice Cave had already closed when I got there however.

November 28, 2014

Hike to La Jonction des Glaciers (Mont Blanc)

La Jonction (The Junction) is a rocky area below the Mont Blanc where the Glacier des Bossons and the Glacier de Taconnaz meet. The first successful ascent of the Mont Blanc by Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard in 1786 was made through there: The hiking trail goes past the rock formation (known as Gîte à Balmat) where the 2 men stayed at some point during that ascent. I followed this itinerary.

November 25, 2014

Hike on Plateau du Semnoz

During the summer, I took my bike on the SIBRA summer shuttle to the top of the Semnoz. My goal was go down to Lake Annecy using the paved road (there are tracks for downhill mountain bikes as well): It is an almost uninterrupted downward slope until the lake with relatively little car traffic. Before going down, I spent some time on the plateau, which serves as cross country skiing tracks during winter. I also went to the summit (Crêt de Châtillon). There was a good view on the Mont Blanc from up there. Finally, I took the road to Leschaux, then went down the Route du Col de Leschaux until I reached the lake at Sévrier.

November 24, 2014

Hike to Pointe Percée

At 2750m, Pointe Percée (Pierced Peak, so named because of this hole) is the highest peak in the Aravis range. It is also a very popular hike in the area, although it can be challenging. I followed this itinerary (Cheminées de Sallanches on the way up, standard trail on the way down).

November 22, 2014

Along Lac du Bourget by bike

After getting back to Aix-les-Bains from Mont Revard, I took my bike on the Voie Verte du Lac du Bourget, a bike lane (actually shared with roller skaters and pedestrians) next to the lake. Lac du Bourget is the biggest lake in France and the bike lane only goes along a small part of its shore. When I arrived at Bourget-du-Lac at the southern shore of the lake, I took the Avenue Verte Nord de Chambéry, which is another separate bike lane that goes all the way to Chambéry.

November 21, 2014

Belvédère du Mont Revard

After the hike to Croix du Nivolet, I made a stop at the nearby Belvédère du Mont Revard. It is a viewpoint that provides a great view on the Lac du Bourget below and the surrounding mountains. I then took my bike down the mountain back to Aix-les-Bains.

November 20, 2014

Hike to Croix du Nivolet

The Croix du Nivolet is a giant christian cross (22 meters high) at the summit of the Dent du Nivolet, in the Bauges Massif. Its size and location make it highly visible from Chambéry and the surrounding towns. It offers a great view on the valley below, as well as the Lac du Bourget. The path to get there is pretty easy (although sometimes muddy) and is therefore very popular. This itinerary was the inspiration for the path I followed.

November 18, 2014

Hike to Tête Pelouse & Trou de la Mouche

A few weeks after my hike to Pointe de Tardevant, I came back to La Clusaz to walk another 2 of the 5 Combes des Aravis: Combe de Bella Cha and Combe du Grand Crêt. On the way, I also reached the summit of Tête Pelouse, between the two combes, as well as the Trou de la Mouche (Flyhole), an arch formed by rocks, located between the Combe du Grand Crêt and Combe de Paccaly. Unfortunately, there was a lot of fog at the higher altitudes so there was not much of a view… Here is a description of an itinerary similar to the one I followed.

November 17, 2014

Hike to Tête de la Mandallaz

The Mandallaz is a small mountain located at the north-west of Lac d’Annecy, between Annecy and Geneva. This page has an itinerary (although not the one that I followed) that starts in the village of Balme de Sillingy. It gives a good view of the fault mirror at the base of the mountain.