Chamonix Mountain Adventures. Hilary Sharp
walks described here also all involve some use of cables or chains along the way. These ‘equipped’ sections do not require technical gear, but they will almost certainly induce the odd frisson, even in experienced hikers, and it goes without saying that if you don’t like walking near drop-offs, or if exciting steps and airy ridges make your stomach churn, then this is probably a section you want to skip. It equally goes without saying (almost) that if children accompany you on these walks, they shouldn’t be very young and they should be steady on their feet and protected where necessary. As for dogs – forget it!
These walks are generally long and strenuous and none of them should be attempted early in the summer season as remaining snow (névé) can make certain slopes extremely dicey.
CLASSIC WALKS
Mont Joly
| Start/Finish | Pont de l’Ile 1000m |
| Distance | 10km |
| Time | 7hr |
| Terrain | Steep tracks and small paths, some of which can be muddy and some of which are very eroded near the summit. |
| High point | Mont Joly 2525m |
| Altitude gain | 1525m |
| Map | IGN Top 25 3531 OT Megève |
| Parking | Turn off the main road at a sign to La Chapelle. Follow the road around right to Les Hoches. Park at the bridge just beyond – Pont de l’Ile. |
Mont Joly is seen from so many places in the Arve valley that it goes without question that it must be a fine belvedere and indeed it is one of the best. It’s almost true to say that what you can’t see from here isn’t worth seeing – close up are the Dômes de Miage and the Aiguilles de Tré-la-Tête, de Bionnassay, du Goûter and des Glaciers, Mont Blanc, of course, and beyond are the Beaufortain, Vanoise and Ecrins massifs.
Sadly, the walk itself isn’t quite so prestigious as it takes wide tracks and small paths through an area largely sacrificed to skiing. However, the views really do make this route worthwhile, so enjoy the nice parts (notably some pleasant pastoral hamlets) and ignore the rest.
It is possible to continue on from the summit along the narrow ridge. However, the route as a there and back is already long enough for most people.
On the Mont Joly Ridge (photo: Pete Marland)
From the car park take the track signed to Pocherey, heading west. This leads up through meadows and soon arrives at the pretty hamlet of Le Carteyron. Don’t be distracted here – it’s very easy to miss the signpost indicating a steep four-wheel drive track which is signed to Pocherey and takes off from behind the chalets.
Keep following the track and eventually you’ll reach the ridge that separates Les Contamines from Megève. The immediate surroundings are rather compromised by ski lifts and associated junk, but lift your eyes and admire that fabulous view of the massif.
Head up the ridge, at first on a good steep path, which becomes less worn after a path heads off rightwards. Stay on the small ridge path to a flat area where a wide track heads off right. Don’t take this, go on to the top of a chairlift. Beyond this is a wooden hut and the path goes left of this up the ridge – it’s not obvious until you get on it, but despite being very eroded there are some paint flashes and, although steep, it’s still a proper path and soon it reaches the summit of Mont Geroux (2288m) on a nice flat and grassy ridge. This is a good place to catch your breath before continuing along the all too obvious ridge path to a final ascent to Mont Joly and its rather fine orientation table.
Return by the same route.
Le Prarion
| Start/Finish | La Côte 1131m |
| Distance | 5km to the cable car; 9km if the descent is done on foot |
| Time | 5hr 30min–6hr |
| Terrain | Good path all the way, with just a few sections near the ridge protected by hand-lines for those of a nervous disposition. |
| High point | Le Prarion 1969m |
| Altitude gain | 850m |
| Map | IGN Top 25 3531 ET Saint-Gervais-les-Bains |
| Parking | At La Côte. There is parking at the Amis de la Nature building, or just further up the road on the left. |
| Note | If you plan to take the lift down, then it might be best to park and start at the Prarion lift car park. In this case walk along the Route des Chavants to the Chemin des S’Nailles on the left. Go up this then onwards up the Chemin de Bovresse to emerge again on the Route des Chavants. From here follow signs right along the road to Charousse. |
Le Prarion is a peak that doesn’t come close to attaining even half the height of most of the lofty summits that surround it, but as is so often the case with these small non-glaciated tops, it occupies a privileged position on the edge of the Mont Blanc massif and therefore offers superlative and wide-ranging views, making it one of the best belvederes in the Chamonix valley.
Now, you can get these views without all the sweat and toil of walking uphill by taking the Prarion cable car, but no walker would want to miss out on the wonderful and unlikely route to the Prarion summit (which is not where the lift goes to). Starting in Les Chavants the trail first takes you to the beautiful hamlet of Charousse, then the forested shade of the Col de la Forclaz and finally climbs the rugged summit ridge.
The lift offers the best descent option (especially for those with creaky knees).
Summit sacs
From La Côte take the track through the beech forest to Charousse and take a few minutes to marvel at this perfect alpine hamlet. Continue onwards (signed to Col de la Forclaz) around the hillside under the shaly slopes of Le Prarion. After an easy track, the path on the right heads up steeply in the woods to emerge onto another track and the Col de la Forclaz (1533m) is soon reached.
Now comes the real gem of the ascent – the trail up the broad north ridge of Le Prarion. At first views are tantalisingly brief as the path winds through forest, but once above the treeline the panorama is superb, alternately Mont Blanc, the Chamonix Aiguilles and the Aiguilles Rouges to the left, and the Arve valley and the Aravis range to the right. This excellent trail continues (occasionally protected by hand-line cables) through a carpet of alpenrose, past a small col to reach the long, rounded summit where the high point is marked by a cairn.
The descent path, clearly marked continuing along the ridge heading south, winds its way down through rocks and shrubs to the top of the Prarion cable car. Hop in to save the knees.
There are two options for descent on foot. The easiest option is to continue south-east along the signed trail to the Col de Voza. Before reaching the col, take the well-signed track down – preferably the one going towards Maison Neuve if you want to return to La Côte.
More direct, but less knee-friendly, is to descend under the ski drag-lift, which is between the Prarion cable car and the Prarion hotel/restaurant. Follow these grassy slopes all the way down to the top of the Maison Neuve lift where you’ll join the track described above coming down from the Col de Voza. Turn left along the track. This leads all the way down to Les Houches, but to return to La Côte it’s best to take a path that soon goes off left, signed to Les Baux/Charousse. This descends diagonally and very pleasantly through the woods to an unsigned junction with a mountain bike symbol for the right-hand way. You’ll come out on the road at the Amis de la Nature building car park. To return to the cable car parking, go along the Route des Chavants, then turn left down the Chemin des Bovresse and continue along the Chemin des