Hike to Tête Noire, Tête Ronde & Tête de l'Arpettaz
Last Autumn, I went on a hike to the so-called “3 Têtes” of the Bornes mountains: Tête Noire, Tête Ronde and Tête de l’Arpettaz.
Last Autumn, I went on a hike to the so-called “3 Têtes” of the Bornes mountains: Tête Noire, Tête Ronde and Tête de l’Arpettaz.
At the end of the summer of last year, I went on a hike to Col d’Anterne and Lac de Pormenaz, in the Giffre mountains not far from the Mont Blanc. I basically followed this itinerary (in the other direction).
After Vallon du Fier, I continued walking and, after a detour through a trail along Nant de Calvi, I reached Poisy, a village northwest of Annecy. My goal was to cross the Montagne d’Âge, a small mountain that is part of the Jura mountains, from the north to the south on the way to Château de Montrottier and Gorges du Fier in Lovagny.
Last summer, I went on a hike near Chamonix to the Baraque Forestière des Rognes, a tiny emergency hut located between the much bigger Refuge de Tête Rousse, where most mountaineers stop on their way to the summit of Mont Blanc, and Nid d’Aigle, a hut at the terminus of Tramway du Mont Blanc. I followed this trail direction (except I started and ended at the Bellevue cable car station): Sentier des Rognes on the way up and a path along Glacier de Bionnassay on the way down.
The Château de Miolans (Miolans Castle) is a fortress in the Bauges mountains above Saint-Pierre-d’Albigny, Savoie. It was built during the Middle Ages and was converted to a prison by the Duchy of Savoy after they acquired it in the 16th century. Its most famous prisoner was probably writer (and notorious pervert) Marquis de Sade: He was arrested in 1772 in Chambéry and placed under guard at Miolans, until he escaped a few months later.
Last summer, a few weeks after riding my bike from La Féclaz to Albens, I came back to the Bauges mountains. This time, I rode from the Semnoz plateau to Saint-Pierre-d’Albigny in Savoie.
The Église Saint-François de Sales is a catholic church built in the 17th century and located in the old town of Annecy, near the Thiou canal. It is consecrated to Saint Francis de Sales, who grew up in Annecy. The church used to host his shrine but the tomb is now located in the Basilique de la Visitation.
Starting from the Savoie Technolac in Bourget-du-Lac, I walked on the Voie Verte along Lac du Bourget towards Aix-les-Bains. On the way, I made a detour through Base de Loisir des Mottets in Viviers-du-Lac.
The Cathédrale Saint-François-de-Sales de Chambéry (Chambéry Cathedral) is a Catholic church in the old town of Chambéry (Savoie), dedicated to Saint François de Sales. The building dates from the 15th century, when it was constructed as a Franciscan chapel and is decorated with the largest ensemble of trompe l’oeil painting in Europe, made by artist Casimir Vicario in 1834.
The Fort de Tamié is a military fortress built by France starting in 1872 with the goal of defending the Albertville valley. It is located on Col de Tamié, in the Bauges mountains between Albertville and Faverges. Beyond its historical interest, it offers a great view on Albertville and the surrounding mountains.