Holidays) But the Tour of the Vanoise chooses to ignore Entre Deux Eaux on this occasion, and instead rises to the south over hillsides thick with shrubs until a more open pastureland is reached which leads easily to the PNV’s Refuge du Plan du Lac with its memorable outlook west to the Glaciers de la Vanoise across the depths of the unseen gorge.
Stage five leads to another PNV hut, Refuge du Vallonbrun. It’s a varied day’s walking of about six hours, heading south from the start and soon passing alongside the sparkling lake of Plan du Lac (spectacular reflected views looking north), then down to Bellecombe at the limit of access for private vehicles on the road from Termignon. At this point a trail cuts off to the east, crossing rolling pastures and soon leading round a huge open pastoral cirque sparsely dotted with simple farms below the Crête de Côte Chaude. The southern end of this cirque comes at the Turra de Termignon, a fine viewpoint on a spur of the Crête de la Turra (an extension of the Côte Chaude crest), which overlooks the deep valley of l’Arc. A small summer-only farmhouse nestles here under the ridge in a dramatic situation. The trail drops past it and continues to descend steeply through natural rock gardens and dense forest. Coming to a forest track the way eases on what becomes a long eastward traverse; the track eventually giving way to a footpath that climbs to the unmanned Refuge du Cuchet, then resumes its belvedere course below the Grand Roc Noir all the way to Vallonbrun.
Refuge du Vallonbrun to Val d’Isère
From Vallonbrun to Bonneval-sur-Arc is an undemanding stage in which the Tour of the Vanoise explores flower-rich meadows in the bed of the Haute-Maurienne. A short distance upvalley from Refuge du Vallonbrun, by the side of a small chapel, a path descends through pastures, creeps alongside yet more ruined buildings, and continues in a series of steep zig-zags to Le Collet, a small hamlet crowded on the Col de la Madeleine. From here to Bonneval the trail remains on the north bank of l’Arc. It passes through meadows, visits Bessans and Le Villaron (both of which have accommodation), followed by a gentle walk to Bonneval for a night’s lodging. There are hotels in Bonneval and nearby Tralenta, a CAF chalet-refuge, and another privately-owned hut (Refuge du Criou) which stands on the mountainside to the south-east.
Bonneval is linked with Val d’Isère by a road that crosses Col de l’Iseran. The Tour of the Vanoise also uses the Iseran, but fortunately manages to avoid the road for all but a very short stretch, in so doing wanders through the charming Vallon de la Lenta and a narrow rocky gorge crossed in one place by a more or less permanent snow bridge. In order to gain the Vallon de la Lenta a sharp ascent is made of the hillside above and behind Bonneval. There follows a brief stretch along the Iseran road, then a gentle amble through the Lenta glen where a few stone chalets enjoy a vision of great beauty, gazing back as they do across the Maurienne to the Albaron and Ciamarella group of mountains. A footbridge spanning the Lenta stream brings another trail in from the left – an alternative high-level route used by a variant of the GR5 from near Bessans by way of the unmanned Refuge du Molard and the Vallon amphitheatre.
Soft pastures in Vallon de la Lenta are soon exchanged for the narrow gorge, emerging at its northern end by the road bridge of Pont de la Neige. The road is ignored as a trail continues along the left-hand hillside, rising steadily to the Col de l’Iseran. Here the road is crossed and a narrow trail followed down through the scoop of Vallon de l’Iseran, unhappily littered with ski machinery. However, all this is soon left behind and Val d’Isère reached by a fragrant forest trail; the best way to enter this bustling resort.
Val d’Isère to Entre Deux Eaux
Although lacking the kind of tranquillity experienced in mountain refuges adopted for overnight accommodation elsewhere on this tour, it has to be said that for such a busy resort Val d’Isère is not entirely without grace, and it provides an ideal opportunity to restock with provisions for the next stage or two which return the route to the confines of the National Park across Col de la Leisse. However, before the delights of the Vallon de la Leisse may be won, a cross-country trail is taken to the ski grounds of Lac de Tignes and Val Claret. Headed by an easy saddle, Vallon de la Tovière makes an innocent link, but all who love wild places will scurry past Tignes and Val Claret as fast as their rucksacks allow, in order to regain uncluttered landscapes. Col de la Leisse provides that renewal, although on the slopes of La Grande Motte, soaring high overhead, a string of cableways can be seen, and even in summer skiers, tiny in the distance, weave patterns on snowfields gleaming in the sunshine. Descent into Vallon de la Leisse allows spiritual refreshment through the harsh colours of nature’s raw artistry. Bare rock walls, boulders patterned with green and khaki lichen, dusty screes, meandering streams and grey marsh, plus a tarn or two, black when cloud-shadows drift across, take the trail to the tent-shaped Refuge de la Leisse; three buildings, in fact, overlooking the lower western end of the glen that curves out of sight to the left. Edelweiss star the slopes around the hut, and chamois and marmot inhabit the grasslands lower down.
Stage nine of our circuit crosses Col de la Vanoise on the way to Pralognan, but walkers with sufficient days in hand may be seduced into diverting from the main tour in order to explore the delights of the Rocheure glen that runs east to west on the far side of the Vallon de la Leisse’s southern wall of mountains. There are two overnight options to consider. The first is Refuge de la Femma, a PNV hut charmingly situated deep inside the Vallon de la Rocheure; the second is Refuge d’Entre Deux Eaux already described on the stage from Arpont to Plan du Lac. If the latter is chosen, the following day’s walk to Pralognan will not be quite so demanding, and it also means that the Rocheure glen can be wandered without a rucksack – or at least, with an even lighter ‘sack than normal. Assuming this to be the case, leave Refuge de la Leisse and walk downvalley on a good path that remains on the left bank of the stream as far as the humpbacked Pont de Croé-Vie, a stone bridge that takes the main trail to Col de la Vanoise. Ignore the bridge and continue down the left bank as far as Entre Deux Eaux, and there book a bed for the night and leave any non-essential baggage, before continuing beyond the hut to cross the Rocheure torrent a short distance below. Over the stream bear left through the glen to Refuge de la Femma, reached in a little over two hours from Entre Deux Eaux. It’s a fine, undemanding walk, with gentle views upvalley, and more challenging views back to the west to be enjoyed on the return. And the hut itself is both comfortable and welcoming, providing an enjoyable interlude.
Entre Deux Eaux to Modane
The continuing tour across Col de la Vanoise, resumes its uphill course on the west side of the Pont de Croé-Vie, twisting among alpenroses, then easing a little among boulders before entering the high, bleak trough that runs between Pointe de la Réchasse and La Grande Casse. This trough can be quite a wind-funnel, but on calm days the almost level trail may be enjoyed at leisure, while mountain walls rising on either side add an air of wild grandeur. Cushion plants do their best to brighten the way, and once they’ve lost the ice flows of spring, a couple of small tarns near the col itself cast reflections of sharp aiguilles. In three and a half hours from Refuge de la Leisse (a little less from Entre Deux Eaux) you should arrive at the Refuge du Col de la Vanoise, then decide whether to take the main trail down to Pralognan via the north side of the Aiguille de la Vanoise and Lac des Vaches, or follow a longer and less-trodden way past Lac des Assiettes and below the Glacier and Grande Aiguille de l’Arcelin.
It would be possible for fit walkers to reach Modane in a single day from Pralognan by way of Col de Chavière. In certain cases it may be necessary to do so, but it would be a shame to rush this final crossing for there’s still plenty on the tour to absorb and enjoy. The alternatives are to either plan a short day’s walk as far as Refuge de Péclet-Polset, or continue over the Chavière, but instead of going all the way down to Modane, spend a last night in Refuge de l’Orgère. Should you have a train to catch next morning, it would still be feasible to do so after breakfast at Orgère, for it’ll only take a couple of hours to reach the station from there.
Leaving Pralognan the trail to Péclet-Polset goes through forest for a while on the east bank of the river, then crosses to the other side at Pont de Gerlan. A track is then followed to Les Prioux, a small hamlet with accommodation in the Chalet-Refuge le Repoju. Immediately beyond Les Prioux it becomes necessary to walk for a short distance along the valley road as far as an unsurfaced parking area near Pont de la Pêche. Back on the west bank once more the route follows a track for some way through pastures with bare