The 3 Passes – Stage 1 – From the Pont de la Pêche car park to the Péclet-Polset refuge

Set off for 3 days around the Pointe des Corneillers. 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.

Guidebook with maps/step-by-step :

Start : Pont de la Pêche car park 1755m / DAY 1 :
D+: 717m / Walking time: 3h30
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)