Walking in the Alps. Kev Reynolds

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СКАЧАТЬ and chamois, marmot and ibex roam undisturbed. While a number of roads penetrate its outer limits, the heart of the Vanoise retains a semi-wild purity of immense appeal to the mountain walker.

      The park’s western limits edge the vast Courchevel and Méribel ski grounds, with a short buffer zone of the Réserve Naturelle du Plan de Tueda running up to the summit of Mont du Borgne. A high ridge, nowhere dropping below 2989 metres, projects south from there to Aiguille de Péclet (3561m) which, with the neighbouring Aiguille de Polset (3531m), looms over the Chavière and Gébroulaz glaciers. A CAF hut (Refuge de Péclet-Polset) occupies a very wild landscape on the eastern side of this ridge, with Col de Chavière (2796m) a short distance to the south providing a link for walkers between the Tarentaise and Maurienne. Crossed by GR55, Col de Chavière is the highest point reached by any Grande Randonnée trail.

      The Maurienne

      A gentle glen, wild and rough in its upper reaches, but more homely lower down, drains the south side of Col de Chavière with the Ruisseau de St Bernard easing beyond the park’s southern boundary into steep forests that clothe hillsides walling the Maurienne above Modane. The Maurienne, or valley of l’Arc, effectively forms the southern limit of the Parc National de la Vanoise. It’s a fine valley, and one which provides rail access with the rest of France by way of Chambéry and, via a tunnel above Modane, with Turin. Modane, therefore, acts as a useful gateway to the southern Vanoise. It has a handful of modest hotels and a campsite. From it buses serve a string of villages further upstream; villages and hamlets like Aussois, Termignon, Bessans and Bonneval-sur-Arc that provide accommodation (including gîtes d’étape in some cases) and access to glens which form knuckle indents to the main Vanoise massif.

      Refuge de l’Orgère

      One such glen directly above Modane is that of Orgère which flows parallel with, and to the east of, the Ruisseau de St Bernard from which it is separated by the block of Tête Noire. At its the entrance is a comfortable refuge, or porte du parc, provided by the National Park authority. Overlooking Refuge de l’Orgère is the attractive Aiguille Doran (3041m), a towering rock peak that is a prominent feature of the view from Modane. The northern end of the glen is effectively blocked by this aiguille, but trails climb to either side; that which forces a route along the flank of Tête Noire heads for Col de Chavière, while the path which veers to the east of Aiguille Doran crosses Col de la Masse (2923m) as a challenging route across the mountains to Plan d’Amont in the next glen to the east.

      Walkers based for a day or two at Refuge de l’Orgère have several options open to them. There’s a pleasant nature trail that eases along the eastern flank of the valley, beginning just below the hut where a track rises from the few stone chalets of l’Orgère hamlet, and heads north towards Aiguille Doran, crosses just below it and returns down the western side of the glen. A longer and more rewarding day’s outing could be won by climbing immediately above the hut on a steep forest trail that eventually shafts right and makes a splendid belvedere working north to a high plateau below Col de Chavière. From this plateau, with the little Lac de la Partie tucked in a basin to the right, another trail cuts off left. This is GR55 which is then followed southward, descending through the St Bernard glen to Polset where a narrow service road is joined. This leads directly back to Refuge de l’Orgère.

      A third day’s outing is rather more demanding than those previously outlined, for it crosses Col de la Masse north-east of Aiguille Doran, descends very wild terrain to the next glen to the east, then returns to l’Orgère by way of the GR5 trail that crosses the grassy Col du Barbier (2287m) high above the Maurienne. This makes for a magnificent day’s mountain walking, with some very fine scenery to enjoy throughout.

      Refuge de l’Orgère is not the only accommodation available here, for an alternative, privately-owned refuge exists on a shelf of meadowland just south of the Orgère chalets. Refuge de l’Aiguille Doran has forty places and, being situated just outside the National Park boundary, allows camping in its grounds (camping is forbidden by the park authorities, other than at selected huts where lightweight tents are permitted on a transitory overnight basis between 7.00pm and 7.00am).

      Aussois

      The village of Aussois is found, not astride the main N6 that links most of the Maurienne communities, but north of it and below a delightful glen containing two artificial lakes, Plan d’Amont and the lower Plan d’Aval overlooked by La Dent Parrachée (3697m). Aussois is a minor resort with modest opportunities for skiing in winter and, through road access to the two dammed lakes, popular for walking in summer. As for accommodation, an 18th-century fortress just outside the village, one of the five Forts de l’Esseillon, has been converted as another porte du parc. With a cobble-stone courtyard, double walls and surrounding moat, Fort Marie-Christine has an atmosphere all its own.

      Within the Aussois glen three mountain huts provide lodgings for climbers and walkers in rather more remote settings than that of Fort Marie-Christine. Refuge du Fond d’Aussois and Refuge de la Dent Parrachée are both owned by the CAF. The first lies deep within the glen beside a stream, while the second is located on a spur of hillside at 2511 metres, and is patronised by climbers tackling the voie normale on the Dent Parrachée which ascends through the Vallon de Fournache. The third hut is a converted farm which, with outhouses turned into dormitory accommodation, is situated on a natural shelf on the east side of the glen overlooking the two lakes which lie several hundred metres below. Refuge du Plan Sec is privately-owned and popular with walkers tackling the Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise, Tour of the Vanoise and the GR5.

      Short day walks are available from the roadhead below the upper lake, while longer routes are possible from a base in one of the above-mentioned huts. At the head of the glen Col d’Aussois (2916m) offers a way over the mountains to the Chavière valley which flows down to Pralognan-la-Vanoise (this col is crossed in the opposite direction by one of the options on the Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise), while the rocky little Pointe de l’Observatoire which juts above the col to the west, is a fine viewpoint reached in about 30 minutes.

      A clockwise circuit of the glen is another option worth considering. When taken from Aussois a steep climb becomes inevitable from the start in order to gain the GR5 just north of Col du Barbier. The trail heading along the west flank is narrow and stony in places, but there are no major difficulties to contend with under normal summer conditions, and views are consistently fine. Midway along the glen the route climbs to a high point, then levels across an open moorland cut by numerous streams. Continuing northward the way climbs again to a junction with the path that heads west to Col de la Masse and Orgère. At this point GR5 swings to the right following a few low cairns where the path is thin on the ground, then descends among alpenroses to a track at the northern end of Plan d’Amont. Off to the left the glen continues towards its head, but to complete the circuit involves crossing a stream and following a narrow trail eastward. This eventually joins another track, or dirt road, which heads south past Refuge du Plan Sec to a few ski tows, then drops steeply to Plan d’Aval and Aussois.

      Overlooking the Maurienne, Col du Barbier is on the route of the Tour of the Vanoise

      Plan du Lac mirrors the Grande Casse in the heart of the Western Graians

      Upvalley from Aussois the little village of Sardières is set among meadows below the 93 metre tooth of rock known as the Monolithe de Sardières, which juts from the forest and attracts both climbers and general tourists alike. A gîte d’étape in the village provides another accommodation option in this part of the Maurienne.

      Valley of the Doron

      Termignon sits in a loop of the Arc river by its confluence with the Doron. The Doron flows from the north, СКАЧАТЬ