Vanoise National Park

Capital of the Vanoise National Park, Pralognan has a territory that is 70% in the heart of the park, covering 535 km². Created in 1963 to protect the Alpine ibex, the Vanoise National Park constitutes a vast reservoir of biodiversity and reveals an extremely rich fauna and flora (ibex, deer, roe deer, chamois, mountain hare, marmot, fox, bats, golden eagle, bearded vulture, black grouse, common frog, black bee, Apollo… are among the hundreds of species that populate the Park).

Furthermore, twinned since 1972 with the Gran Paradiso National Park in Italy (14 kilometers of common border), the Vanoise National Park is part of the largest protected area in Western Europe (1,250 km²).

Bordered by the two high valleys of Maurienne and Tarentaise, near the Italian border, the Vanoise National Park encompasses high mountains – more than 100 peaks exceed 3,000 meters in altitude – on which numerous glaciers remain, penetrated by pastoral valleys opening onto wide passes, easily accessible.

With 400 km of marked trails, from 1,280 metres to 3,855 metres above sea level and a large network of staffed refuges, the Vanoise National Park offers an incredible range of possibilities for walkers, from family walks to long-distance hiking (Vanoise Glaciers tour, Via Alpina, GR 5 and GR 55, which cross the park).

At the gateway to the Vanoise National Park, the hiking and snowshoeing trails of Pralognan offer sublime views, in the heart of unspoiled nature. Marked and secure, these paths, designed for walking or snowshoeing, allow you to disconnect in contact with nature, admire the landscapes, breathe the fresh air and enjoy the surrounding calm. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the majestic nature of Pralognan, the wildlife and the forest environment, during supervised snowshoe outings.

Looking for a skiing adventure in the heart of the Vanoise National Park? Among the most beautiful ski touring sites in France, Pralognan offers ski mountaineering enthusiasts 9,000 hectares labeled Terre d’Alpinisme (Land of Mountaineering). From the first snowfall, the guides of Pralognan-la-Vanoise offer a varied ski touring program, from beginners to advanced skiers (day trips to the Col de la Vanoise and the Chavière Valley, the glaciers and surrounding peaks).

The path leading to the Col de la Vanoise, in the eponymous sector, follows the salt road , which once linked the Tarentaise, Maurienne and Piedmont for the trade of salt, cheese or cattle. After walking along the dry stone walls, cross the Lac des Vaches by ford , on a cut stone path. At 2320 meters, the panorama from the high mountain lake is worth the detour in itself!

Then continue towards the Col de la Vanoise, via Lac Long. On arrival, the view from the refuge at the foot of the Grande Casse, the highest peak in the Vanoise massif and the department (3,855 m), is breathtaking. A route steeped in history and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hikes in Savoie .

Lac des Vaches and Col de la Vanoise hike : departure from Fontanettes, 12.5 km (5h30 round trip) – Elevation gain: 875m (1640 m – 2515 m). Possibility of taking the Génépi chairlift, to reduce the walking time by around 1h30. Find out more

Located at an altitude of 2,518 m, next to the old Félix Faure refuge, the oldest refuge in the Vanoise (rehabilitated in 2018), the Col de la Vanoise refuge offers a magnificent panorama of the Grande Casse and its glacier , the Arête de la Réchasse, the Grande and the Petite Glière… Labeled “Esprit Parc national de la Vanoise”, the refuge is ideally located between the Maurienne and Tarentaise valleys, on the GR 55 route, the Tour des glaciers de la Vanoise and the Tour de la Grande Casse .

At the Vanoise refuge, amateur hikers, families, mountaineers and guides meet, observe the edelweiss, marmots and ibex, share a good meal (organic and local), a blueberry tart or a night in a high mountain atmosphere. A unique experience accessible to all , in a breathtaking mountain setting.

In the heart of the Vanoise National Park, in the upper Chavière valley, the hike to the Péclet-Polset refuge offers a striking perspective on the Vanoise glaciers. Located on a large plateau, at an altitude of 2,474 meters, overlooking the pastoral valley of Chavière (where you will come across many marmots and dairy cows) and close to Lac Blanc , the Péclet-Polset refuge offers hikers a typically mountain atmosphere, at the foot of the Gébroulaz glacier. A stage of the Tour des glaciers de la Vanoise , the Péclet-Polset refuge is also the starting point for many climbs: Dôme and Aiguille de Polset, Polset and Péclet ridges, Pointe de l’Échelle, etc.

Péclet-Polset refuge hike : departure from the Pont de la Pêche car park, 15 km (5.5 hours round trip) – Elevation gain: 710 m (1,764 m – 2,474 m). Lac Blanc promontory variant: + 30 minutes round trip (elevation gain: 95 m). Find out more

Located on the Tour des glaciers de la Vanoise , at an altitude of 2,585 metres, the Valette refuge is nestled on the mountainside, at the foot of the glaciers. Labelled Vanoise National Park, this welcoming refuge, made up of 3 small wooden chalets, offers a magnificent viewpoint over the Chavière valley , the Grande Casse, the Grand Bec and the Péclet and Polset needles… Around the refuge, keep your eyes open, the site is ideal for the flights of the Park’s birds of prey (golden eagles, bearded vultures, etc.)! A legendary red-class hike in Pralognan-la-Vanoise.

Valette refuge hike : departure from the Prioux car park, 10 km (5 hours round trip) – Elevation gain: 875 m (1710 m – 2585 m).
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In summer and winter, the Maison du Parc de la Vanoise in Pralognan offers a reception and information point , a shop, an exhibition space and an activities room. A warm and lively place, where the reception staff and rangers of the Vanoise National Park are keen to share their passion for nature and their knowledge of the region.

On the ground, “nature activities” are also offered by Park agents: game workshops around biodiversity and naturalist outings to observe wild fauna and flora.