Crossing the "3000" mark in hiking

The summit of Rateau offers a fairly easy 3000 to climb in the middle of summer. The majority of the circuit goes through a perfectly marked high altitude path.
From the parking of the Plan d'Amont dam, take the direction of the Pont de la Sétéria (2 206 m) then follow the GR5 which climbs steeply to a landing (the very beautiful "Plateau du Mauvais Berger" with its grassy carpets dotted with erratic boulders, playground of the marmots). The trail then continues in twists and turns towards the Col de la Masse (2,923 m). At this point, you may have the chance to see female ibexes, which 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 not marked but many cairns guide you to the summit where a real forest of cairns unfolds and where you have a panoramic view to the Mont-Blanc.

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

A hike without technical difficulty taking you to the Pointe de l'Observatoire via the Col d'Aussois (2,916m). A "real summit", well pointed at the top, a nice "observatory" post on the valleys of Aussois, the big summits of the Vanoise and the Mont-Blanc. It marks the passage between the Tarentaise valley and the Maurienne valley.

Except for the off-trail part to reach the Pointe from the Col d'Aussois, the path is well marked and not technical. The itinerary starts from the dam of the lake of Plan d'Amont and continues on the peaceful plateau of Fond d'Aussois, in the heart of the preserved environment of the Vanoise National Park, an ideal place to discover the fauna (especially the marmots) and the flora.

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

Departure / arrival : Plan d'Amont parking lot, Aussois
Difference in altitude : +1000 m/-1000 m
Distance : 11 km

A 3000 without too much difference in altitude? The Pointe des Fours! The departure is indeed at about 2 700 m, at the Pont de la Neige, just below the Col de l'Iseran. From the parking, the path is perfectly marked. It climbs quickly at first and then more gently to the Grand Fond lake. The Col des Fours is just above and you just have to follow the ridge to the Pointe. Be careful on this last passage which is quite airy.

At the entrance of the Vanoise National Park, the Pointe des Fours invites you to a beautiful and short hike in a mineral universe of high mountain. It is not uncommon to come across chamois and marmots.

An ultra fast 3000, ideal for a limited time slot. Be careful though, there are still snowfalls until mid-July and you have to use special equipment to get over them. Moreover, the final passage between the Col des Fours and the Pointe requires to put your hands down.

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

Le Grand Méan 2876 m

A grandiose hike to the glacial lake of Grand Méan which offers a spectacle worthy of the greatest expeditions. Starting from the hamlet of l'Ecot (2,000 m) above Bonneval sur Arc, a path rises steadily to the splendid Cirque des Evettes and the eponymous refuge. Built by the architect Jean Prouvé in the 1970s, this building with its atypical design allows hikers to take a gourmet break near marmots and ibexes. A last effort and the Grand Méan lake appears at 2 876 m of altitude, revealing a landscape of the end of the world. The glacier ends abruptly with an impressive ice cliff that plunges directly into the clear waters where icebergs float... Surrounded by peaks of more than 3000m, it is an unforgettable view! And with a bit of luck, you will also be able to admire a herd of ibex that often spends the summer in this area.

The Point and Lakes of Lanserlia 2909 m

A less frequented itinerary than the classic climbs over the Col de Lanserlia. The off-path part is not very difficult and the itinerary forms a complete loop. The Antecime 2886 dominates in a spectacular way the Plan du lac and the Rochers de Lanserlia, a real explosion of towers and ruinous bell towers in a detrital decor. The three lakes of Lanserlia, with their curiously different colors, are nestled in a cirque covered with a beautiful alpine lawn with the imposing Grand Roc Noir (3 582 m) and the Pointe du Vallonet (3 372 m) in the background. A wild hike in the heart of the preserved environment of the Vanoise National Park from the Bellecombe parking above Val Cenis-Termignon.

The Point of Tierce 2973 m

Located at the entrance of the Avérole valley and the Ribon valley, the Pointe de Tierce offers an exceptional 360° panorama. The view on the Avérole valley is striking : 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 its cross! Every year, on July 16th, a pilgrimage takes place to the chapel of Notre-Dame du Mont-Carmel: writings situate the origin of this high mountain chapel before 1446, certainly one of the oldest in Europe.
The cross located 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 trail that leads to the Ribon valley and turn left at the oratory-shelter Sainte-Anne. The path crosses first a forest of larches and then a mountain pasture with sheep. Be careful, the whole path is narrow and steep. But the efforts are rewarded: an unforgettable hike as the view on all the big summits of the sector is present.