Vanoise Ski Touring

This guidebook provides an introduction to ski touring in France's Savoie and covers the Vanoise National Park and surrounding area. 11 routes across all the major areas of the region including tours of all levels of difficulty and styles, from one-day trips to multi-day, hut-to-hut journeys, plus the best ski-mountaineering ascents.

This guidebook provides an introduction to ski touring in France's Savoie département and covers the Vanoise National Park and surrounding area. Routes across all the major areas of the region including tours of all levels of difficulty and of all styles, from one-day trips to multi-day, hut-to-hut journeys. Skiing exploded in Savoie in the 1960s and 1970s, when every mountain village wanted to exploit the 'white gold' that fell every winter. Despite the massive development of ski resorts, including some of the biggest and best in the world, many areas remained untouched and became the reserve of ski tourers. It is in these untouched areas that you will find the real 'white gold' of Savoie. The guide is aimed at skiers who find the magnificent, unspoilt scenery and peace and quiet of the mountains as exhilarating as the thrill of a perfect descent. The tours that have been chosen reflect the variety of landscape and skiing that makes ski touring in Savoie so special. The guide is divided into 12 chapters, which describe 63 days of skiing, with over 100 additional alternatives and variations. Many of the tours start from resorts and can be combined with a resort-based ski holiday.

CHAPTER ONE: The LauzièreDay 1: The Pointe de Combe BronsinDay 2: Traverse of Mont BellachaDay 3: The Grand ArcDay 4: Traverse of the Pointe des Marmottes NoiresDay 5: The Pic du RognoletDay 6: The Grand Pic de la LauzièreAlternativesCHAPTER TWO: The BelledonneDay 1: La Bourgeat Noire to the Refuge de l'OuleDay 2: Traverse of the Col de Comberousse and the Col de la ValloireDay 3: Traverse of the Col de l'Eglise and the Col de MorétanDay 4: Tour of the Pic Nord du MerletDay 5: Tour of the Grand MorétanAlternativesCHAPTER THREE: The BeaufortainDay 1: Granier to the Refuge de la CoireDay 2: Tour of the Crêt du ReyDay 3: Traverse of the Col du Mont Coin and the Col du BressonDay 4: Traverse of the Col du Grand Fond and the Col de la NovaDay 5: Traverse of the Mont RossetAlternativesOther ItnerariesCHAPTER FOUR: ValloireDay 1: Traverse of the Pointe des RaticièresDay 2: The Aiguille de l'EpaisseurDay 3: The Col des Aiguilles d'ArvesDay 4: Traverse of the Crête d'ArgentièreAlternativesOther ItinerariesCHAPTER FIVE: The Tour of the Mont ThaborDay 1: Traverse of the Col de Fontaine FroideDay 2: Traverse of the Col de l'Etroit du Vallon and the Crête de MomeDay 3: The Pic du Lac BlancDay 4: Traverse of the Rocher de la Grande TempêteDay 5: The Roche ChâteauDay 6: Traverse of the Mont ThaborAlternativesCHAPTER SIX: The North VanoiseDay 1: Le Bois to the Refuge de PlaisanceDay 2: The Dme des PichèresDay 3: Traverse of the Pointe de VallaisonnayDay 4: The Col de la Grande CasseDay 5: The Col du TougneAlternativesOther ItinerariesCHAPTER SEVEN: The Glaciers de la VanoiseDay 1: Les Prioux to the Refuge de la ValetteDay 2: Traverse of the Dme de ChasseforêtDay 3: Traverse of the Col du MoineDay 4: Traverse of the Pointe de l'ObservatoireDay 5: The Dme de PolsetAlternativesCHAPTER EIGHT: Val d'IsèreTour ADay 1: Val d'Isère to the Refuge de PrariondDay 2: The Pointe de la GaliseDay 3: The Grande Aiguille RousseAlternativesTour BDay 1: Val d'Isère to the Refuge du Fond des FoursDay 2: Traverse of the Pointe de Méan MartinDay 3: Traverse of the Pointe de la SanaAlternativesCHAPTER NINE: The Ambin ValleyDay 1: The Le Suffet to the Refuge d'AmbinDay 2: The Mont d'AmbinDay 3: The Pointe SommeillerDay 4: The Pointe FerrandDay 5: Traverse of the Petit VallonAlternativesOther ItinerariesCHAPTER TEN: AvéroleDay 1: Bessans to the Refuge d'AvéroleDay 2: The Col de la BessanèseDay 3: The Ouille d'ArbéronDay 4: Traverse of the AlbaronAlternativesOther ItinerariesCHAPTER ELEVEN: Carro/EvettesDay 1: Ecot to the Refuge du CarroDay 2: The Levanna OccidentaleDay 3: The Grande Aiguille RousseDay 4: The Carro-Evettes TraverseDay 5: The Petite CiamarellaDay 6: The Pointe FrancesettiAlternativesOther ItinerariesCHAPTER TWELVE: Ski MountaineeringThe Aiguille des GlaciersThe Aiguille de la Grande SassièreThe Mont PourriThe Grande Casse