Breaking the "3000" barrier on a hike

The Rateau summit offers a 3000-meter peak that's easy enough to climb in high summer. The majority of the route takes you along a well-marked high-level path.
From the parking lot at the Plan d'Amont dam, head for the Pont de la Sétéria (2,206 m), then follow the GR5 as it climbs steeply to a landing (the beautiful "Plateau du Mauvais Berger", with its carpet of grass dotted with erratic boulders, a marmot's playground). The trail then twists and turns towards the Col de la Masse (2,923 m). Here, you may be lucky enough to come across the female ibex, who often spend the summer in this area with their young (the éterlous).
At the Col de la Masse, continue south to the summit. On this final ascent, the path is unmarked, but numerous cairns guide you to the summit, where you'll find a veritable forest of cairns and a panoramic view all the way to Mont Blanc.

Start/finish point: Parking du Plan d'Amont, Aussois
Difference in altitude: +1100 m/- 1100m
Distance: 11.5 km

A hike with no technical difficulties taking you to the Pointe de l'Observatoire via the Col d'Aussois (2,916m). A "real summit", well pointed at the top, a pretty "observatory" overlooking the Aussois valleys, the great Vanoise peaks and Mont-Blanc. It marks the transition between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys.

Apart from the off-trail section to reach the Pointe from the Col d'Aussois, the route is well marked and not technically demanding. The route starts from the dam at Lac de Plan d'Amont and continues on the peaceful Fond d'Aussois plateau, in the heart of the unspoilt environment of the Vanoise National Park, an ideal place to discover the fauna (especially marmots) and flora.

The Fond d'Aussois hut, at the end of the valley, awaits you for a gourmet break before climbing to the pass and summit.

Start/finish: parking du Plan d'Amont, Aussois
Difference in altitude: +1000 m/-1000 m
Distance: 11 km

A 3000 without too much ascent? The Pointe des Fours! It starts at almost 2,700 m, at the Pont de la Neige, just below the Col de l'Iseran. From the parking lot, the trail is perfectly marked. It climbs rapidly at first, then more gently to the Lac du Grand Fond. The Col des Fours is just above and all that remains is to follow the ridge to the Pointe. Be careful on this last section, which is quite airy.

At the entrance to the Vanoise National Park, the Pointe des Fours invites you to take a short, beautiful hike in a high-mountain mineral world. It's not unusual to come across chamois and marmots.

An ultra-fast 3000, ideal for a limited time window. Beware, however, as there will still be a lot of snow until mid-July, and you'll need special equipment to negotiate it. What's more, the final passage between the Col des Fours and the Pointe requires you to put your hands down.

Start/finish point: Pont de la Neige, route de l'Iseran, Bonneval sur Arc.
Difference in altitude: +550 m/-550 m
Distance: 6 km

A grandiose hike to the glacial lake of Grand Méan, offering a spectacle worthy of the greatest expeditions. Starting from the hamlet of l'Ecot (2,000 m) above Bonneval sur Arc, a path climbs steadily up to the splendid Cirque des Evettes and the eponymous refuge. Built by architect Jean Prouvé in the 1970s, this atypically designed building offers hikers a gourmet break close to marmots and ibex. One last effort and the Lac du Grand Méan appears at an altitude of 2,876 m, revealing a landscape at the end of the world. The glacier ends abruptly in an impressive ice cliff that plunges straight down into the crystal-clear waters where icebergs float... Surrounded by peaks over 3000m high, it's an unforgettable sight! And if you're lucky, you might even spot a herd of ibex that often spends the summer in this area.

A less-frequented route than the classic Col de Lanserlia climbs. The off-trail section is not very difficult and the route forms a complete loop. Antecime 2886 dominates the Plan du Lac and the Rochers de Lanserlia, a veritable explosion of ruiniform towers and bell towers in a detrital setting. The three Lanserlia lakes, with their curiously different colors, are nestled in a cirque covered in beautiful alpine grass, with the imposing Grand Roc Noir (3,582 m) and Pointe du Vallonet (3,372 m) in the background. A wild hike in the heart of the Vanoise National Park 's unspoilt environment, from the Bellecombe parking lot above Val Cenis-Termignon.

Located at the entrance to the Avérole and Ribon valleys, the Pointe de Tierce offers an exceptional 360° panorama. The view over the Avérole valley is breathtaking: the Pointe de Charbonnel (3,752 m), the Bessanèse (3,592 m), the Albaron (3,637 m), the Pointes de l'Ouillarse (3,435 m), the Ouille Allegra (3,130 m). A mythical summit with its chapel and cross! Every year, on July 16, a pilgrimage takes place to the chapel of Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel: writings trace the origins of this high-mountain chapel back to 1446, making it one of the oldest in Europe.
The cross 50 meters below the chapel overlooking the village of Bessans was erected to protect it from avalanches in winter. To reach the Pointe from Bessans, take the track leading to the Ribon valley and fork left at the Sainte-Anne oratory-shelter. The trail first passes through a larch forest, then through a sheep pasture. Be careful, the whole path is narrow and steep. But the effort pays off: an unforgettable hike with views of all the great peaks in the area.