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Val d'Isere Hiking & Walking Trails
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Val d'Isère, is located at the entrance of the Vanoise National Park and this is the perfect place for starting easy walks or outings of several days in the mountains. On the pathways, you will find "indication signs" that show you your position, the area, and the approximate walking time left. The hikes are graded according to their difficulty in the same colours as the pistes in the winter with green being the easiest, followed by blue, red, and finally the steeper, longer black hikes. A "Hiking guide" presenting over 40 itineries is for sale at the Tourist Office. |
| Vanoise National Park |
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Four kilometres out of Val d’Isere in the Fornet direction is Le Pont Saint-Charles where the path into the Vanoise National Park begins. This can be followed along the Malpasset gorge for approximately 45 minutes all the way to the scenic Prariond plains. The walk starts off fairly steep but the path levels out fairly quickly and it then becomes a very steady walk in beautiful scenery. This is the best place to spot wildlife – keep an eye out for Chamois and Bouquetin as well as several Marmottes. After the Prariond refuge where you can stop for a cup of tea or a bite to eat, the path to the left heads to le col de la Galise – where Val d’Isere meets Italy. It becomes a climb from here on in but again, the scenery is stunning with the Galise glacier in view. The Col is 2 hours up this path but the only way back is along the same path so you can always assess the walk as you go and turn back to the car-park at any point! |
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last updated 3-Dec-2007 |
| Bellevarde Hiking Trails |
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For anyone who has skied Val d’Isere, it is really interesting to ascend a piste you have skied and know well – it is amazing how different it is with no snow cover! One of the most challenging runs to ski – and obviously therefore to walk is the Face. Starting just behind the Club des Sports is a black hiking trail which zig-zags its way up the piste under the Olympique cable car. It is a constant climb for the first 45 mins or so before a short rest at the foot of the Loyes lift where the ground is a bit flatter. Shortly after this, however, the path takes the route of the piste itself and the second half of the walk is steep and relentless up to the top of the cable car itself. This part of the hike is also very exposed so be prepared for some colder conditions. It is a huge sense of achievement to reach the top where you can take the Olympique cable car down to save that last bit of energy or there are two red routes down to the left and right of the Face back to the bottom of Bellevarde. |
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last updated 3-Dec-2007 |
| La Daille Hiking Trails |
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One of the prettiest routes from La Daille is up La Vallée Perdue to the bottom of the Tommeuses. This is a blue hiking trail that follows the gorge all the way up the valley. The gradient is fairly shallow all the way up and there are several bridges laid out as you criss-cross the stream during the ascent. The walk is nice and sheltered and the scenery absolutely stunning. From the top, there is a steady 45 minute descent along the Lavachet wall into Tignes Le Lac, or a red route – ‘GR5’ – which takes you back down Triffolet to La Daille. |
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last updated 3-Dec-2007 |
| Solaise Hiking Trails |
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For a red route hike, the ascent up Solaise on ‘Plan’ is worth walking. It begins at the top of the Savonette drag lift and from there, there are signs marking the route up the Solaise face through the forest initially and then across the Rhone Alpes piste before opening out onto Piste M. It is a climb most of the way with a few flatter respites including close to the summit where there is a view across the Manchet Valley. Once at the top of the Solaise Express chairlift, keep going up for another 200m to the L’Ouillette Lake which is an ideal place for a picnic or lunch stop in L’Ouillette restaurant. The Solaise Express is 5.50€ for a one-way trip so you can always take the lift down and soak up the scenery that way – or alternatively, there are some easily accessible paths back down the hill. A blue walk runs all the way down the Piste L valley, or for a slightly steeper descent, a red trail starts at the lake and finishes in the Manchet Valley where a short road walk beings you back into Val d’Isere. |
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last updated 3-Dec-2007 |
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