Petit tour du Mont Thabor
A hike full of kilometres, both in length and in elevation!
Enjoy a spectacular 360° view of Mont Thabor between Vanoise and Ecrins.
Enjoy a spectacular 360° view of Mont Thabor between Vanoise and Ecrins.
Route details
Description
Park in the hamlet of Combaz, between Valmeinier 1500 and 1800, at the start of the trail.
(D/A) Take the direction of the bottom of Valmeinier. Reach the Inversins chairlift.
(1) Follow the path along the Névache river to the right. At the crossroads after the car park, continue along the river. Walk past the Alpages chalets to reach the Sausse mountain pastures.
(2) Take the path on the left leading to the Notre Dame des Neiges Chapel.
(3) In the chapel, contemplate the glacial cirque of Thabor. Reach the footbridge spanning the Ruisseau des Perches.
(2) Continue in a South-East direction, along Lake Caspi. Continue to reach the Pierre du Déjeuner.
(4) Continue towards Tabor. At the foot of the massif, take a path that goes up a slightly unstable but above all very steep scree. Reach the Col de la Chapelle.
(5) Bypass the Pointe des Angelières and find the GR®57 under the summit of Thabor.
(6) Take it to the left to access the summit and its chapel which can serve as a refuge.
(7) Join the GR® crossroads by the same path.
(6) Start the descent, follow the 3 crosses before reaching the Col des Méandes.
(8) Take the left branch of the GR®57. Start a good descent to reach Lac du Peyron.
(9) Describe a wide right bend and start a short climb to reach the Col de la Vallée Étroite, a major crossroads of GR® and GRP®. Here arrives the GR®5 linking Modane to the Vallée Étroite, the GR®57 goes to the right towards the Vallée Étroite and the GRP® Tour du Mont Thabor goes to the left towards the Refuge de la Vallée Étroite.
(10) Turn left to access the Refuge.
(11) Continue west, passing between the Ste Marguerite and Long lakes before starting the steep climb to the Col des Bataillières.
(12) Descend to the eponymous lake.
(13) Make a large bend at the end of the lake and in a constant north direction find the Refuge des Marches.
(14) Continue on the GRP® of the Tour du Thabor to begin the climb ending at the Col des Marches.
(15) Start the last descent, dry at the start then easier. Reach under the Inversins chairlift.
(16) Extend the descent to the Jeux chairlift overlooking Valmeinier 1800. Turn left, join Valmeinier 1800, take another left to find the first crossroads at Désert d'en Haut.
Take the outward journey on the right to return to the start (D/A)
(D/A) Take the direction of the bottom of Valmeinier. Reach the Inversins chairlift.
(1) Follow the path along the Névache river to the right. At the crossroads after the car park, continue along the river. Walk past the Alpages chalets to reach the Sausse mountain pastures.
(2) Take the path on the left leading to the Notre Dame des Neiges Chapel.
(3) In the chapel, contemplate the glacial cirque of Thabor. Reach the footbridge spanning the Ruisseau des Perches.
(2) Continue in a South-East direction, along Lake Caspi. Continue to reach the Pierre du Déjeuner.
(4) Continue towards Tabor. At the foot of the massif, take a path that goes up a slightly unstable but above all very steep scree. Reach the Col de la Chapelle.
(5) Bypass the Pointe des Angelières and find the GR®57 under the summit of Thabor.
(6) Take it to the left to access the summit and its chapel which can serve as a refuge.
(7) Join the GR® crossroads by the same path.
(6) Start the descent, follow the 3 crosses before reaching the Col des Méandes.
(8) Take the left branch of the GR®57. Start a good descent to reach Lac du Peyron.
(9) Describe a wide right bend and start a short climb to reach the Col de la Vallée Étroite, a major crossroads of GR® and GRP®. Here arrives the GR®5 linking Modane to the Vallée Étroite, the GR®57 goes to the right towards the Vallée Étroite and the GRP® Tour du Mont Thabor goes to the left towards the Refuge de la Vallée Étroite.
(10) Turn left to access the Refuge.
(11) Continue west, passing between the Ste Marguerite and Long lakes before starting the steep climb to the Col des Bataillières.
(12) Descend to the eponymous lake.
(13) Make a large bend at the end of the lake and in a constant north direction find the Refuge des Marches.
(14) Continue on the GRP® of the Tour du Thabor to begin the climb ending at the Col des Marches.
(15) Start the last descent, dry at the start then easier. Reach under the Inversins chairlift.
(16) Extend the descent to the Jeux chairlift overlooking Valmeinier 1800. Turn left, join Valmeinier 1800, take another left to find the first crossroads at Désert d'en Haut.
Take the outward journey on the right to return to the start (D/A)