Five hikes to discover in Vanoise

Nestled in the heart of the French Alps, between Tarentaise and Maurienne, ideal for hiking, Vanoise forms one of the most emblematic massifs of Savoie. It is a mountain of altitude, lakes and hanging valleys. The mountain pastures follow the glaciers among the largest in France, and where the villages still retain an authentic face. Here, the atmosphere is more mineral than elsewhere, but also wilder, more vast. We walk there for a long time, often in silence, in unspoiled nature.

The Vanoise region is also a deeply mountainous region. Local specialties speak to this connection with the land: Termignon blue, Savoy volume, gratin crozet, farce, polenta, smoked meats…After the effort, the refuge tables or valley inns remind you that the mountain, here, is also experienced through the plate.

But what makes Vanoise unique is its National Park, created in 1963 — the very first in France. It forms, with the Italian park of Grand Paradis, a huge protected area of over 1,250 km². This park is home to exceptional alpine wildlife: ibexes, chamois, golden eagles, bearded vultures, marmots. And an equally rich flora, gentians to edelweiss, of the larches to high altitude lichensThe regulations are strict, but they allow nature to exist without noise, without overcrowding, in a fragile and remarkable balance.

In this article, I take you to 5 of my favorite hikes in Vanoise. Routes chosen for the beauty of the landscapes, the diversity of the atmospheres and the emotion they provide: Plan du Lac, Avérole Valley, Bramanette valley, Évettes Circus, Mount Froid.Places that are sometimes well-known, sometimes secret, but always memorable.

If you enjoy the photographs on this page, feel free to take a look at my section. PicturesWhy not browse my black and white mountain photosYou can order a print on poster, canvas or framed print of each of the photos you will find here.

The Évettes Circus

If you only have time for one hike in the Vanoise area, head straight to the Cirque des Évettes. It's a stunning glacial cirque accessible by hiking from the village of L'Écot, a 30-minute drive from Lanslebourg. You can even extend your hike with a visit to the glacial lake of Grand Méan. Interestingly, this lake didn't exist twenty years ago, as a glacier covered this very spot!

The day hike I'm proposing isn't technically difficult but is quite long, with around 900 meters of elevation gain. The path to the glacial lake (optional) is partly off-trail, so be careful and bring a GPS. For a full description of the route, see my dedicated page. Évettes Circus.

The Averol Valley

Another magnificent and incredibly secluded spot in the Vanoise is the Avérole Valley near Bessans. You park your car at the entrance to the valley. A superb trail then unfolds before you, winding through a valley teeming with marmots, vultures, and ibex, alongside towering glaciers. Plus, you can stop at the Avérole refuge on the way back; they make excellent tarts.

The route I suggest is technically easy. You can walk as far as you like in this valley (it's so deep that reaching the end is quite difficult), then simply retrace your steps. To see the complete route description with GPX files, you can visit my page at hiking in the Avérole valley.

Plan du Lac: a winter hike in Vanoise

Plan du Lac is a true classic hike in the Vanoise region. Probably one of the best-known and most popular hikes in the area. It's easy to see why: an easily accessible alpine pasture, not very steep, and with breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks such as the Grande Casse (a photo with its reflection in the lake is a must) or the Dent Parrachée.

You can go and discover this place in the summer (I passed through it during my long hike of Guillestre to Mont Blanc (in a tent). But in this guide, I suggest exploring this area when it dons its magnificent winter coat. Access is, of course, less easy than in summer, as the access road can be closed quite low down depending on the snow cover, but it's well worth the effort! Snowshoes are essential for hiking in winter when snow conditions are good (I recommend these snowshoes(These are the ones I use). The Plan du Lac area has the advantage of not being at risk for avalanches.

Plan du Lac in winter will reward you with breathtaking, Himalayan-like landscapes, without the summer crowds. It's possible to sleep in the very comfortable winter refuge, which is open when the main refuge closes. For a full description of my route with GPX files, you can visit my page at [link to page]. hiking in Plan du Lac in winter.

The Bramanette valley

Starting from the village of Bramans, you can take a lovely hike that leads through all the layers of alpine vegetation: deep forest on the north face, alpine pastures, then scree slopes and snowfields. The Bramanette refuge has a really friendly atmosphere; you immediately feel at home.

The hike I'm suggesting is a long loop that traverses the entire Bramanette valley, offering superb panoramic views of the surrounding peaks. However, it's also possible to shorten it and simply hike up to the refuge and back. In any case, the route presents no technical difficulties. To see the corresponding route description, visit my page at [link to page]. hiking in Bramanette.

Mount Froid

The Mont Cenis Pass is an excellent starting point for all kinds of hikes. I suggest a route that takes in Mont Froid (2,822 m) and its fortifications, built at the beginning of the 20th century. The panorama from the summit is exceptional on a clear day.

The route presents no particular difficulties. It passes through a stunning landscape consisting mainly of gypsum dissolution sinkholes on the Petit Mont Cenis pass. To find the route description, you can visit the website ofAltituderando.

Conclusion: Enjoy five hikes in Vanoise

These five hikes are among those that have left the greatest impression on me in Vanoise — by their landscapes, their light, their silence, or sometimes just a moment experienced along the way. The Vanoise sometimes has nothing spectacular about it in the tourist sense of the term. It is more subtle. More raw. It is discovered slowly, by walking, by listening, by taking the time.

If these itineraries inspire you, I invite you to explore the rest of my hiking suggestions, available on the site. And if you want to extend the emotion of these landscapes at home, you can also discover my mountain photography gallery, taken largely in the French and Italian Alps. Some of these images are available in art prints or in posters in limited edition.