Tour of the Vanoise

A guidebook for the Tour of the Vanoise, a 10-12 day trek in the mountains between Mont Blanc and the Écrins, with suggestions for four additional multi-day tours in the region. The 150km Tour is described in 11 easy day stages counter-clockwise from Modane in the valley of Arc. A great introductory route to Alpine trekking.

The Tour of the Vanoise circuit of the national park is a fantastic hut-to-hut journey through the heart of one of France's finest mountain regions. Describing the trek in a counter-clockwise direction, beginning and ending at Modane in the valley of the Arc, this guidebook contains all the information trekkers will need on a day-by-day basis. As the 150km route takes between 10 and 12 days to walk, it fits comfortably within a fortnight's holiday, and numerous strategically placed huts enable trekkers to travel light and stay in simple comfort at the end of each stage. Easily accessible by train or bus from Chambery and Grenoble, the Vanoise National Park neighbours that of the Gran Paradiso in Italy, with Mont Blanc to the north and the Ecrins to the south. The Tour of the Vanoise explores the very best of this scenically spectacular region of 3000m peaks, glaciers, lakes, waterfalls and flowering meadows, and provides plenty of opportunities to study marmots, chamois and ibex along the way.

Introduction The Route
Suggested Itineraries
Accommodation
How to Get There
When to Go
Notes for Walkers
Equipment
Recommended Maps
Safety in the Mountains
The Vanoise National Park
Wildlife and Alpine Flowers
Using the Guide
Tour of the Vanoise
Part 1 Modane to Bonneval-sur-Arc (Maurienne)
Stage 1 Modane to Refuge de l'Orgère
Stage 2 Refuge de l'Orgère to Refuge de Plan Sec
Stage 3 Refuge de Plan Sec to Refuge de l'Arpont
Stage 4 Refuge de l'Arpont to Refuge du Plan du Lac
Stage 5 Refuge du Plan du Lac to Refuge du Vallonbrun
Stage 6 Refuge du Vallonbrun to Bonneval-sur-Arc
Part 2 Bonneval-sur-Arc to Modane (Tarentaise)
Stage 7 Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'Isère
Stage 8 Val d'Isère to Refuge de la Leisse
Stage 9 Refuge de la Leisse to Pralognan-la-Vanoise
Alternative Stage 9: Refuge de la Leisse to Refuge d'Entre-Deux-Eaux and Refuge de la Femma
Stage 10 Pralognan-la-Vanoise to Refuge de Péclet-Polset
Stage 11 Refuge de Péclet-Polset to Modane
Short Tours in the Vanoise
1 Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise
2 Tour de la Grande Casse
3 Tour de Méan Martin and du Grand Roc Noir
4 Traverse of the Vanoise
Appendix A Accommodation
Appendix B Useful Addresses
Appendix C Bibliography
Appendix D Basic French for Trekkers
Appendix E French-English Glossary