Col de la Tourne which provides an alternative route down the eastern side of the ridge to Lac de Tignes. This route is joined about 10 minutes below the hut, is much more wild on the western side and considerably less trodden than that of Palet.
Vallée du Doron de Champagny
South of the Vallée du Ponturin the Doron de Champagny cuts a major east-west valley through the Tarentaise mountains from its headwaters below the north face of La Grande Casse, to Moutiers where it swells the Isère. From Bozel, however, having already been joined by the Doron de Pralognan at Le Villard, the river is known as the Doron de Bozel. (Doron, incidentally, is the Savoie dialect word for stream, or river.) Spreading to the south of Bozel the ski grounds of Courchevel not unnaturally deflect the walker’s attention elsewhere, while at Le Villard another road breaks away to the south-east towards Pralognan where there is much to concentrate the mind. We will return to this particular valley shortly. But east of the small resort of Champagny-en-Vanoise the D91 road squeezes through the Gorges de la Pontille to enter the upper Champagny valley where there are several attractive hamlets and increasingly dramatic scenery that will repay a visit by all who are inspired by nature in its raw, untamed state. La Grande Motte looks especially fine at the head of the valley. Accommodation is limited, but there are modest bases to be had at Champagny-en-Vanoise, Champagny-le-Haut where there’s another PNV porte du parc (Refuge du Bois) and a campsite, and at the roadhead and National Park boundary at Laisonnay d’en Haut with a gîte d’étape (Refuge du Laisonnay) from where the lovely Cascade du Py is seen above to the left. Another mountain hut exists to the south of, and about 900 metres higher than, Champagny-le-Haut. Here Refuge du Plan des Gouilles (2350m) provides climbers with a base for routes on the north flank of the Grand Bec (Refuge du Grand Bec on the west flank is accessible from Pralognan). Refuge de Plaisance occupies a glen to the north of Laisonnay d’en Haut (visited earlier by a route from Entre le Lac in the Vallée du Ponturin), and the little Refuge de la Glière nestles at the head of the valley. La Glière is owned by the Commune de Champagny and has only 21 beds. But there is a guardian in summer who serves meals, and self-catering facilities are provided as in most CAF and PNV huts. In a stone building nearby locally made cheese is usually for sale, as are drinks for passing walkers.
Hut-to-Hut from the Champagny Valley
Hut-to-hut routes from the Vallée du Doron de Champagny mostly cross cols to the north leading into the Ponturin valley, routes that were outlined in the reverse direction within the Vallée du Ponturin section above. By linking several of these huts enjoyable two- or three-day circuits could be achieved. With the Sommet de Bellecôte as the hub, for example, a tour beginning at Champagny-le-Haut would lead north across Col de Frête and through the Nant Benin glen to Nancroix, then along the route of GR5 to Rosuel and Refuge d’Entre le Lac, or as far as the hut on the west side of Col du Palet. From both Entre le Lac and Col du Palet there are return routes to the Champagny valley via Col du Plan Séry, Col de la Grassaz or Col de la Croix des Frêtes. Depending which crossing is made you’ll reach the bed of the valley either at Refuge de la Glière, or Laisonnay d’en Haut.
A shorter, and in many ways a better tour, could be made by simply crossing Col du Plan Séry and Col de la Grassaz, using the Refuge du Laisonnay gîte as the starting point. Two days should be sufficient for this, spending the intervening night at Refuge d’Entre le Lac. The first stage climbs north of Laisonnay d’en Haut on a good path, passing in view of the Cascade du Py, and goes to Refuge de Plaisance. The trail then swings to the right and switchbacks up to the meadows of Plan Séry before climbing again in order to cross the col at 2609 metres. The descent begins quite steeply, the trail partially eroded, but it improves lower down. About 20 minutes before gaining the hut a junction of trails is reached; the right-hand option being the one to take on the next stage to Col de la Grassaz (it also offers a way to Refuge du Col du Palet). There’s a third option here where a path heads left up to the Lacs du Plan Richard in a hanging valley below the aiguille of l’Aliet. The return stage from Refuge d’Entre le Lac has already been outlined under the Vallée du Ponturin section, and has as its highlight those tremendous mountain views from Col de la Grassaz, views that continue all the way down to La Glière. A two-day outing such as this is immensely rewarding, and would make a first-rate introduction to the delights of hut-to-hut trekking for newcomers to the Alps.
Vallée du Doron de Pralognan
Long respected as a mountaineering centre, Pralognan-la-Vanoise is one of the best-known resorts in the Western Graians, although it remains quite modest in size as its growth is naturally restricted by the geography of the valley. Hemmed in by abrupt crowding mountains that define the western extent of the Vanoise massif, it makes some claim to be a minor ski resort, yet has managed to retain a traditional village atmosphere with far greater success than many of its rivals by banning all high-rise development. It has just one cableway (the Mont Bochor téléphérique) and a limited number of ski tows and chairlifts. Reached by bus from Moutiers, Pralognan sits at the junction of three valleys and has much to offer as a base for a walking holiday with several modest hotels, gîtes d’étape and campsites, and access to a variety of mountain huts. Trails abound, and in the height of summer they can be very busy indeed, with accommodation at a premium in Pralognan and the surrounding huts.
The main valley flows roughly northward downstream of the resort to Le Villard and the Doron de Champagny, its upper reaches leading to wild country headed by Col de Chavière, while a steep tributary glen enters Pralognan from the east over which the Grande Casse reigns supreme. The National Park boundary crosses the summit of the Grand Bec, a mountain that effectively separates Pralognan’s valley from that of Champagny, chooses a serpentine course around the east of Pralognan itself and, working southward, edges the right flank of the Chavière valley whose upper reaches it encloses by veering west and north to include Aiguille du Fruit, thereby setting a limit to the outlying Courchevel-Méribel ski playgrounds.
Col de la Vanoise
Of all walks from Pralognan perhaps the most popular is that which climbs steeply to Refuge du Col de la Vanoise (2517m), otherwise known as Refuge Félix Faure after the French president who visited the site in 1897. As its name suggests, the hut is situated at the col, a long trough in full glorious view of the Grande Casse and a choice selection of aiguilles and blank slab walls nearby. With a difference in altitude of some 1100 metres between Pralognan and the col, it is surprising the amount (and shape, size and age) of tourists who make the climb. Admitted, it’s possible to drive as far as Les Fontanettes, thereby saving 200 metres of height-gain, and there’s the téléphérique too (use of this involves descent from the top station in order to get onto the trail), but even so there remains a lot of fairly steep uphill to contend with. Red faces in early summer invariably match the brilliant alpenroses that grow beside the trail.
As a destination in its own right, the Col de la Vanoise is well worth devoting a day of one’s holiday to; never mind the crowds – although, of course, it’s better if you can avoid them by setting out early. The standard route from the roadhead car park at Les Fontanettes follows a dirt track/broad trail through forest, then past Refuge les Barmettes and across the Glière torrent to enter the National Park. Now the way steepens again in many footpath braidings among low-growing shrubs and marmot burrows, mountains growing in stature all around. The shallow Lac des Vaches is traditionally crossed on stepping stones with the great slab face of Aiguille de la Vanoise soaring above to the right, and as the trail continues from the north-eastern end of the tarn, so a close view is given of climbers at work on that face. As the way curves towards the south so the Glacier de la Grande Casse is seen hanging above to the left. The way becomes increasingly stony as it switchbacks up to Lac Long, seen below to the left shortly before gaining Refuge du Col de la Vanoise, about three hours from Les Fontanettes. High above the lake soars the Grande Casse, which looks impressive from the hut, as do the Aiguille and Pointes de l’Epéna, and Pointe de la Grande Glière to the north. The refuge, which consists of more than just one single building, is owned by the CAF, has over 150 places and a guardian in residence from mid-June to the middle of September when meals are provided. Needless to say, it’s well patronised by the crowds who toil up the track during the day, but who go no farther. Those walkers in search of tranquillity will do better by continuing south-eastward through the long, fairly level trough of the col where more lakes, screes, meandering streams, alpine flowers