Vanoise Mountains
This selfguided walking holiday in the beautiful Vanoise National Park of the French Alps is a trekking tour which circles the Glaciers de la Vanoise – hence its other name – “Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise”. This walking tour starts and finishes at Pralognan-la-Vanoise.
The Tour of the Vanoise is a circular trek that allows you to be at close quarters with elegant high mountain peaks and stunning alpine glaciers. Less frequented than the Mont Blanc range, this stunning alpine region in the Savoie (Savoy) known as the Vanoise offers a quieter but no less spectacular alternative. Designated a National Park in France, the Vanoise offers an ideal natural, unspoiled wilderness for walking and trekking holidays where souring alpine peaks with pristine glaciers rise majestically above wild, remote valleys.
The Vanoise National Park is home to a great many alpine peaks over 3400m including a few that rise above the Vanoise glacier, the largest glacial plateau in western Europe. Your week’s trekking takes you past some outstanding mountain scenery, including the sheer Aguille de Vanoise, the Grande Casse, and La Dent Parrachée. The highest point of this part of the Alps is the resplendent Grande Casse which sits at the head of the valley from Pralognan, a traditional alpine village, unspoiled by modern development. It’s an amazing location surrounded by immense rock walls which glow pink in the evening sun.
Don’t forget your binoculars, as there are a host of protected species including the famous alpine bouquetin (ibex), chamois, bearded vulture and the golden eagle. Among the nationally protected plants in the Vanoise National Park are about ten species of androsace, the Alpine aquilegia, different sedges, Alpine Bells, Queen of the Alps, various mountain primroses and the last French stronghold of the twinflower.
Accommodation & Meals
Two nights in comfortable three star hotel in private rooms before and after the trek in Pralognan-la-Vanoise and 5 nights in high mountain huts (dormitory style accommodation). Get to know more about mountain huts in our blog post. Full board whilst on trek and B&B in Pralognan-la-Vanoise.
Navigation, Walking Notes & Maps
This walking holiday follows for the most part two long-distance trails, the GR55 and GR5 which are waymarked with red and white markings. On the whole, the trail is straightforward to follow but because you are in the Alps and the terrain is rocky you may need to pay attention when crossing scree slopes and streams to make sure you follow the best line. In addition, you need to pay particular attention during poor visibility to make sure you stay on the trail.
We provide you with detailed walking guides and maps at a scale of 1:25,000. You should know how to read the map and have some orientation skills.
Travel Options
By Air
There are scheduled flights to Geneva, Turin, Lyon, Chambery and Grenoble. Lyon, Geneva and Turin have the most regular services. The airlines Easy jet, Flybe and British Airways have scheduled flights from the UK – Luton, Birmingham, Gatwick, Edinburgh and Heathrow – to Lyon St Exupery airport.
All have rail links with Modane and Moutiers via Chambery. There are bus services running from Moutiers to Pralognan la Vanoise. You will need to take a taxi from Modane to near the refuge Orgere if you wish to start the tour in the south.
By Train
Eurostar and the TGV provide a relaxing journey from London to Lyon Part Dieu direct and changing at Lille or Paris. Local services then run to Modane or Moutiers via Chambery. Please use Rail Europe’s train finder in our travel store to organise your train journey. There are bus services running from Moutiers to Pralognan la Vanoise. You will need to take a taxi from Modane to near the refuge Orgere if you wish to start the tour in the south.
Self Drive
Channel ferry crossings from Dover are provided by several operators including P&O Ferries & DFDS seaways. Crossings are also provided by train with Eurotunnel.
Once in France, the journey from Calais to the Vanoise area takes about 9 hours (excluding long breaks).
Tolls amount to about 60 euros each way. Free parking is available in Pralognan and near the refuge Orgere above Modane.
More information can be provided at the time of booking and we would be happy to help you make your travel arrangements.
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