Holiday Plan: The Vanoise

The Vanoise

Refuge du Vallonbrun (July 2008)

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Date	Daytime	Overnight	Alternatives/Notes
Day 1 Sat 12 Jul	06:00 T2 flight KLM1072 arr. Amsterdam 08:25. 09:40 flight KLM2025 arr. Lyon 11:20. 12:46 TGV arr. Chambery Challes 13:43. 14:05 ordinary train arr. Moûtiers 15:15. 15:30 bus arr. Pralognan (1418m) 16:40.	Hôtel de la Vanoise *** 04 79 08 70 34 One double and one twin half board, €70 pppn, 25% deposit paid
Day 2 Sun 13 Jul	Walk 4-4½ hrs to Refuge de Péclet-Polset (2474m).	Refuge de Péclet-Polset (CAF, 84 places) 04 79 08 72 13 CAF = Club Alpin Français	Short evening stroll to Lac Blanc.
Day 3 Mon 14 Jul	Walk 3½ hrs via Col de Chavière (2796m) to Refuge de l'Orgère (1935m).	Refuge de l'Orgère (PNV, 56 places) 04 79 05 11 65 PNV = Parc National de la Vanoise	Other hut nearby: Refuge de l'Aiguille Doran (1860m, private, 30 places) 06 80 72 46 63 This walk replaces the last and first days (to/from Modane) in the guidebook.
Day 4 Tue 15 Jul	Walk 4½ hrs via Col du Barbier (2287m) and Pont de la Séttéria (2206m) to Refuge du Plan Sec (2320m).	Refuge du Plan Sec (private, 64 places) 04 79 20 31 31	Three other huts nearby: Refuge de la Fournache (2330m, private, 37 places) 06 09 38 72 38. Refuge de la Dent Parrachée (2511m, CAF, 40 places) 04 79 20 32 87. Refuge du Fond d'Aussois (2350m, CAF, 42 places) 04 79 20 39 83.
Day 5 Wed 16 Jul	Walk 5½-6 hrs to Refuge de l'Arpont (2309m).	Refuge de l'Arpont (PNV, 92 places) 04 79 20 51 51
Day 6 Thu 17 Jul	Walk 5 hrs to Refuge-Porte du Plan du Lac (2364m).	Refuge-Porte du Plan du Lac (PNV, 42 places) 04 79 20 50 85	The lake is a ten-minute walk away.
Day 7 Fri 18 Jul	Walk 6 hrs via Refuge de Cuchet (2160m, 4 hrs, lunch?) to Refuge du Vallonbrun (2270m).	Refuge du Vallonbrun (PNV, 27 places) 04 79 05 93 93
Day 8 Sat 19 Jul	Walk 4½ hrs via Bessans (1705m, 2¼ hrs, lunch) to Bonneval-sur-Arc (1787m).	Hotel À la Pastourelle ** 04 79 05 81 56
Day 9 Sun 20 Jul	Walk 5½-6 hrs via Col d'Iseran (2764m, 3½ hrs, lunch) to Val d'Isere (1809m).	Hotel in Val d'Isere.
Day 10 Mon 21 Jul	Walk 6-6½ hrs via Pas de la Toviére (2252m), Tignes (2093m), Val Claret (2102m, 2¾ hrs, lunch), and Col de la Leisse (2758m) to Refuge de la Leisse (2487m).	Refuge del la Leisse (PNV, 32 places) 04 79 05 45 33	Long day, could be shortened by taking a bus or taxi to Tignes.
Day 11 Tue 22 Jul	Walk 6 hrs via Col de la Vanoise (2517m) with its Refuge (3½ hrs, lunch) to Pralognan (1418m).	Hôtel de la Vanoise *** (again)
Day 12 Wed 23 Jul	Day walk or relax.	Hôtel de la Vanoise *** (again)
Day 13 Thu 24 Jul	Taxi to Moûtiers. 08:41 train arr. Chambery Challes 09:50. 10:01 train arr. Lyon Part Dieu 11:16. Bus or taxi to airport (15 miles). 13:45 flight AF7643 arr. Paris CDG 14:55. 16:05 flight AF2568 arr. Manchester 16:35.

Date

Daytime

Overnight

Alternatives/Notes

Day 1
Sat 12 Jul

06:00 T2 flight KLM1072 arr. Amsterdam 08:25.
09:40 flight KLM2025 arr. Lyon 11:20.
12:46 TGV arr. Chambery Challes 13:43.
14:05 ordinary train arr. Moûtiers 15:15.
15:30 bus arr. Pralognan (1418m) 16:40.

Hôtel de la Vanoise ***
04 79 08 70 34
One double and one twin half board, €70 pppn, 25% deposit paid

Day 2
Sun 13 Jul

Walk 4-4½ hrs to Refuge de Péclet-Polset (2474m).

Refuge de Péclet-Polset (CAF, 84 places)
04 79 08 72 13

CAF = Club Alpin Français

Short evening stroll to Lac Blanc.

Day 3
Mon 14 Jul

Walk 3½ hrs via Col de Chavière (2796m) to Refuge de l'Orgère (1935m).

Refuge de l'Orgère (PNV, 56 places)
04 79 05 11 65

PNV = Parc National de la Vanoise

Other hut nearby:
Refuge de l'Aiguille Doran (1860m, private, 30 places) 06 80 72 46 63

This walk replaces the last and first days (to/from Modane) in the guidebook.

Day 4
Tue 15 Jul

Walk 4½ hrs via Col du Barbier (2287m) and Pont de la Séttéria (2206m) to Refuge du Plan Sec (2320m).

Refuge du Plan Sec (private, 64 places)
04 79 20 31 31

Three other huts nearby:
Refuge de la Fournache (2330m, private, 37 places) 06 09 38 72 38.
Refuge de la Dent Parrachée (2511m, CAF, 40 places) 04 79 20 32 87.
Refuge du Fond d'Aussois (2350m, CAF, 42 places) 04 79 20 39 83.

Day 5
Wed 16 Jul

Walk 5½-6 hrs to Refuge de l'Arpont (2309m).

Refuge de l'Arpont (PNV, 92 places)
04 79 20 51 51

Day 6
Thu 17 Jul

Walk 5 hrs to Refuge-Porte du Plan du Lac (2364m).

Refuge-Porte du Plan du Lac (PNV, 42 places)
04 79 20 50 85

The lake is a ten-minute walk away.

Day 7
Fri 18 Jul

Walk 6 hrs via Refuge de Cuchet (2160m, 4 hrs, lunch?) to Refuge du Vallonbrun (2270m).

Refuge du Vallonbrun (PNV, 27 places)
04 79 05 93 93

Day 8
Sat 19 Jul

Walk 4½ hrs via Bessans (1705m, 2¼ hrs, lunch) to Bonneval-sur-Arc (1787m).

Hotel À la Pastourelle **
04 79 05 81 56

Day 9
Sun 20 Jul

Walk 5½-6 hrs via Col d'Iseran (2764m, 3½ hrs, lunch) to Val d'Isere (1809m).

Hotel in Val d'Isere.

Day 10
Mon 21 Jul

Walk 6-6½ hrs via Pas de la Toviére (2252m), Tignes (2093m), Val Claret (2102m, 2¾ hrs, lunch), and Col de la Leisse (2758m) to Refuge de la Leisse (2487m).

Refuge del la Leisse (PNV, 32 places)
04 79 05 45 33

Long day, could be shortened by taking a bus or taxi to Tignes.

Day 11
Tue 22 Jul

Walk 6 hrs via Col de la Vanoise (2517m) with its Refuge (3½ hrs, lunch) to Pralognan (1418m).

Hôtel de la Vanoise ***
(again)

Day 12
Wed 23 Jul

Day walk or relax.

Hôtel de la Vanoise ***
(again)

Day 13
Thu 24 Jul

Taxi to Moûtiers.
08:41 train arr. Chambery Challes 09:50.
10:01 train arr. Lyon Part Dieu 11:16.
Bus or taxi to airport (15 miles).
13:45 flight AF7643 arr. Paris CDG 14:55.
16:05 flight AF2568 arr. Manchester 16:35.

Rebecca and Peter approaching Col de Chavière (July 2008)

A dog guarding the sheep in the mist (July 2008)