Les 3 Cols – 3-day itinerant walking tour

Set off for 3 days around the Pointe des Corneillets. Each stage is magnificent, with beautiful lakes and sublime views of the glaciers.

The first day is an invitation to discover the mountain pastures.

Following a shady path with a refreshing stream, you will gradually climb up to the Montaimont mountain chalets, which bear witness to ancestral farming practices. In fact, before the advent of electricity, the halls of Montaimont were used for milking cattle, sheltered from the elements. With a little discretion, admire the marmots that live here….. After crossing the torrent, you’ll arrive at the cosy Roc de la Pêche refuge, where you can enjoy a drink and contemplate the surrounding mountain scenery… For the more curious, a visit to the Motte chapel is a must! You’ll discover sculptures by Michel Chanoz (the chapel was restored in 1994). The trail continues with a typical mountain atmosphere that will accompany you throughout this pastoral route: the whistling of marmots, the clarines and bells of the dairy cows (of the Tarine and Abondance breeds, the only ones “authorised” to make Beaufort at the Ritord mountain pasture), and finally the soothing silence of the altitude. The Péclet-Polset refuge, built in 1912, is only discovered at the very last moment.

The second day is a succession of magnificent high mountain landscapes…. The turquoise waters of Lac Blanc, the ascent to the Col du Soufre under the Gébroulaz glacier and then the mineral descent to the refuge du Saut.

This final day still has plenty of surprises in store…. A mineral trail to the Col de Chanrouge, the Lac du Pêtre and the ascent to the Petit Mont Blanc, which is only small in name!
The Petit Mont Blanc is classified as a “State Biological Reserve” because of the variety of plant habitats that can be found along its many access paths.From the summit, you can admire Pralognan below, the Vanoise glaciers and the highest peaks in Savoie and Haute Savoie: Grande Casse (3,855 m) and Mont Blanc (4,807 m).A 360° orientation table awaits you at the summit to help you appreciate the geography of the Alps!
Descend via the Col du Mône, through alpine meadows and forests, to the pretty village of Les Prioux, where two typical mountain restaurants with south-facing terraces await you!
The end of the journey is just around the corner, with just a 10-minute walk to the start car park.

Guidebook with maps/step-by-step :

Start : Pont de la Pêche car park 1755m / DAY 1 :
Park at the Pont de la Pêche car park, in the Vallée de Chavière / Take the path on the left towards Les Halles de Montaimont / Descend to the river, cross the footbridge and climb back up to the Refuge du Roc de la Pêche. /If the Motte chapel is open, stop to admire the sculptures by Michel Chanoz (chapel restored in 1994) / Continue on an easy path towards the Ritord Alp, where Beaufort cheese is made, and then on to the Peclet-Polset refuge (green path) / D+: 750m/Walking time: 3h / DAY 2 : From the refuge, head for the Col du Soufre, passing Lac Blanc / All along this path, you can contemplate the magnificent Glacier de Gébroulaz / From the pass, descend into the valley to the refuge du Saut / D+: 320m / D-: 720m / Walking time: 4h30 / DAY 3: From the refuge, take the path to the Col de Chanrouge, then descend to Lac du Pêtre.
Then climb up to the Col du Mône and the summit of Petit Mont Blanc, where you can admire the magnificent view of the Vanoise glaciers and Mont Blanc / Return to the Col du Mône, then follow the Sécheron path back down to the pretty village of Les Prioux / The car park where you are parked is a 5-minute walk from the village, following the road on the right / D+: 400m / D-: 750m / Walking time: 6h

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