Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise

Set against this idyllic backdrop, we invite you to join us on the mythical Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise, starting from Modane. Five days of roaming in bivouacs, in the heart of the Vanoise National Park, for a total immersion experience in the heart of nature. Do you want a lift?

From Modane station, nestled deep in the valley, we take a bus to Aussois(line S52). After around 20 minutes, the bus drops us off in front of the Tourist Office, at the top of the village. From there 2 options: take the Grand Jeu chairlift to avoid 500 m of D+ or take the path. It's the start of the trip, we're motivated, it's decided, we're off! The ascent through the forest is pleasant and not technically difficult, with the added bonus of the lovely scent of pine trees, reminiscent of the south (which is normal, as we're right next to Italy and the Southern Alps!).

After a good hour's walk, we reach the Plan d'Amont dam. Located above the resort ofAussois, it marks the real starting point of our itinerary. After enjoying the view, we take it easy with a short 5km stage to the Fond d'Aussois refuge.

After about an hour's hike, we arrive at Fond d'Aussois, where we take a snack break before pitching our tent: blueberry pie and local beers, facing a magnificent panorama, between the cirque where a stream meanders quietly, and the mountains of La Norma. In this magnificent valley, we're whistled at every 10 meters... by marmots! As we pass, they run off to hide in their burrows, but we still manage to snap a few nice photos. Heartfelt smiley faces guaranteed on the networks.

After dinner, night gently sets over the bivouac, offering a cameo of colors in the sky, a view we take with us to lull us to sleep.

Behind the mountains, the sun gradually rises, bathing the landscape in golden light. After a leisurely breakfast, we set off for the Col d'Aussois, the first stage of our second day's trek. Flirting with 3000m altitude, this pass marks the highest point of the route.

After a gentle ascent to the summit, a 360° view of the valley and peaks awaits us, with Aussois and the Plan d'Amont dam below, from where we set off the day before. For the more courageous, from the pass, climb another hundred meters or so, and find yourself at the summit of the Pointe de l'Observatoire, which culminates at 3,015m. A summit at 3,000 for your 2nd day of hiking, not bad!

For fans of altitude, or of challenges, discover other "3,000" accessible by hiking at Haute Maurienne Vanoise.

After a last look south towards Aussois, we cross the pass to change valleys: goodbye Maurienne, hello Tarentaise.

The descent from the pass then takes us back to the valley floor, where we pass through the charming village of Montaimont, nestled cozily in the mountains, with its breathtaking views of the Vanoise glaciers.

We stop here for a break, before resuming our ascent to reach our stopover point for the night: the Valette refuge. Here, too, we pitch our tent in a breathtaking setting, on a grassy plateau facing the giants.

After dismantling our tent at first light, we head for the Col de la Vanoise, where we'll spend our third night. From the Col de La Valette, we head for the Col du Grand Marchet, a crossing point that rises steeply between the peaks.

Following this scree-sided path, you reach the pass, which rises almost vertically above the Grand Marchet cirque. At the top, a simple ridge just a few meters wide, and a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains.

The descent then takes us above the village of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, from where we start climbing the second pass of the day: the Col de la Vanoise.

With the glaciers still in the background, this ascent once again offers a magical view, and once again it's a gentle one. After this sporting stage, we take a snack break at the refuge, before settling in for the night. After a long day, we'd still like to enjoy the Milky Way and the shooting stars, but... we fall asleep almost immediately.

Back to the Maurienne and on to the Arpont refuge for the fourth stage of this Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise. For a warm-up, the day begins quietly, flat, between lakes and river.

The verdant scenery then gradually gives way to a scree slope, from which you can enjoy the view of the Val Cenis mountains in front of you. We continue on this balcony path until we reach the magnificent Lozières lakes, with views of the Dôme de Chasseforêt.

A few more kilometers of walking, still with a breathtaking view, and we reach the Arpont refuge, perched on a mountainside. From its huge terrace, we can admire the unfolding mountain range in front of us, and behind it, the Vanoise glaciers, which have been towering over us ever since we left.

From the refuge, it's a short climb up to Lac de l'Arpont, a lake that didn't exist a few decades ago. It was formed by the retreat of the glacier due to climate change. Above, the Vanoise glacier dome remains impressive. In fact, it's the largest ice cap in the Alps.

After four days on the Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise, it's time to head back, with a 17km stage to bring us back to our starting point.

Once again, the path is magnificent, all on a balcony, and without any great technical difficulty. Here again, marmots are everywhere. And we're also flown over by a lammergeier, an immense vulture that nests in the vertiginous gorges below Arpont.

One more effort and we end up with a view of the Aussois ski lifts, and little by little, the Plan d'Amont dam, our final destination. At the end of 5 days, we're both in the groove and we'd love to keep going for a while longer, but... it's time to call it a day.

At the bridge, we return to the path we took on the outward journey, which will take us back to the parking lot to conclude this mountain adventure.