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Location
France / Switzerland
Rhône-Alpes/Valais
Haute-Savoie
Samoëns
Haut-Giffre / Dents du Midi

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Stage point (start or end of stage)
Intermediate accommodation possibility
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Pass
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Catering
Doctor
Chemist
Bakery / grocery
Hardware / sports shop
Post
Bank / cash dispenser
Train
Coach
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Open automobile access

A Tarred or paved road
B Dirt track
C Mule trail
D Mountain trail
E Equipped trail (cables, ladders)
F No trail

Stroll / tourism (broad, non-exposed trail)
Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R109 Cabane de Susanfe » Refuge Tornay-Bostan
  |   7h40   |   18.9 km   |   1058 m   |   1394 m

Leave the Susanfe hut via the Encel pass, shortly afterwards turning onto the northern side of the Dent de Bonavau peak. Pass Bonavau to reach Barme, from where the trail heads via Croix d'Incrène to the Cou pass. The trail crosses the French border and descends through the pastureland towards the Golèse pass along the GR 5 before climbing back uphill to the Tornay-Bostan hut.

Point Segment
Name Services Information Marking
Cabane de Susanfe
2095 m
| D  3.2 km / 1h10
Bonavau
1555 m
| D  4 km / 1h40
Barme
1498 m
| D  2.2 km / 0h50
Croix d'Increne
1808 m
| D  2.1 km / 1h10
Col de Coux
1913 m
| D  2.9 km / 0h30
X GR 5 / Tour des Portes du Soleil
1437 m
| D  1.1 km / 1h00
Point 1480 m
1495 m
| D  1.5 km / 0h35
Col de la Golèse
1670 m
| D  1.9 km / 0h45
Refuge Tornay-Bostan
1757 m
Detailed route description
Natural and cultural heritage
Useful topographic maps
Useful guidebooks
  • Unterwallis / Waeber/Steinbichler ~ Bergverlag Rudolf Rother GmbH (ISBN 3-7633-4128-5)
  • Du Léman à Sion / André Beerli ~ Editions Ketty & Alexandre (ISBN 2-88114-026-2)
  • Du Léman au Mont Blanc ~ Fédération Française de Randonnée (ISBN 2-85699-807-0)
Comments

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  • benandlara - 2023-11-26
    If heading west from Ref Bonavu in bad weather consider taking their service road down and traverse the roads below Barmaz to climb to the old 4WD that is the GR5 crossing into france ... it bypasses the climbing of some passes so the altitude loss is less apparant and it may be several hundred metres below the cloud on a better trail
  • Alpinisten - 2015-08-16
    Achtung: die Leute von der Gite Chardonniere haben Wegweiser entfernt, damit man beim Abstieg bei ihnen vorbei kommt…das haben wir im Refuge de Golèse erfahren- das war ein dummer Umweg- der X GR5 führt über eine Wiese quer am Hang.
    Automatic translation [Google]
    Warning: the people of the Gite Chardonniere have signs removed, so that one comes to visit you on the way down ... we have erfahren- in Refuge de Golèse that was a silly detour of X GR5 leads through a meadow across the slope.
  • tof - 2015-02-08
    Trieste-Monaco le 12/9/14

    Parti de Van d'en haut, maginifique ambiance minérale au col de Susanfe.

    Refuge CAS ouvert.

    Superbe défilé au Pas d'Encel, toujours un peu humide.

    Nuit à Bonavau: 40 CHF 1/2pension pas de douche. Bon accueil, joli chalet avec quelques lectures culturelles intéressantes sur le patrimoine bâti (les toits en "sifflet" de Champéry).
    Automatic translation [Google]
    Trieste-Monaco on 12/9/14 Van Party from above, maginifique mineral atmosphere Susanfe pass. Refuge open CAS. Superb parade Encel pass, still a little damp. Bonavau night: 40 CHF 1 / 2pension no shower. Welcome, lovely cottage with some interesting cultural readings on built heritage (roofs "whistle" Champéry).
  • Elisabeth - 2014-12-10
    Au refuge Tornay-Bostan, j'ai bu le plus délicieux (et copieux) chocolat de tous ceux que l'on m'a servis depuis Trieste !
    Automatic translation [Google]
    The refuge Tornay-Bostan, I drank the most delicious (and plentiful) Chocolate everyone that I was served from Trieste!
  • Joc - 2014-10-28
    La Cantine de Barmaz est sympa et on y mange très bien. Dortoir ou chambres.

    La cabane Susanfe est sympa. Excellente tarte raisinée.
    Automatic translation [Google]
    The Canteen Barmaz is friendly and the food is very good. Or dorm rooms. Susanfe cabin is nice. Raisinée excellent pie.
  • Thierry M - 2013-12-23
    Monaco - Trieste

    Many trails from Samoens Les allamands, refuge Bostan can be bypassed.

    1- Refuge du Folly, Col des chambres 2338m,refuge de la Vogealle and Tete des Ottans to reach cabane Susanfe CH Valais.
    2- GRP by refuge Bostan.
    3- Parking du Cret - Col de la Golese about 1h30 by Chavonnes

    Samoens - Parking du cret 1000m should be about 1h30

    Col de la Golese - Col de Coux 1h45 : down then up, water about half way

    Col de Coux - Barmaz about 1h30 down, superb ridge trail, awesome view. Possible with MTBs

    Barmaz - cabane Susanfe is about 3hours going up, Bonavau chalet/restaurant in between those 2

    Cabane Susanfe have a great location. Fabienne the keeper is very friendly. Treated like a guest there.Worth stopping by.

    It takes an extra 3hours to reach Col Susanfe and then down to lac de Susanfe where there is a refuge an an opened chapel (July 2013 open may be close now because the refuge owner caught me sleeping inside and was not happy about it)
  • Jean-Louis GIRAUD - 2013-05-20
    Aprés BONAVAU, il y a une autre possibilité d'hebergement directement sur l'itinéraire vers le Col de COUX :
    Cantine de BARMAZ
    9 Route de BARME
    Tel : 00 41 (0)24 479 11 63
    Mobile : 00 41 (0)76 438 11 64
    Email : cantinebarmaz@bluewin.ch

    Dans l'aprés midi, pris dans le mauvais temps lors de la montée du dernier col, j'ai fait étape pour la nuit au Refuge de la GOLESE situé sur l'autre versant, à proximité du chemin. Accueil cordial et agréable. Ce soir là, Il n'y avait que trés peu de randonneurs dans ce grand refuge de 80 places !
    Douches chaude et repas de qualité.
    Tel : 04 50 90 59 53
    Email : info@refuge-golese.com
    Automatic translation [Google]
    After Bonavau, there is another possibility of lodging directly on the route to the Col de Coux: Canteen Barmaz 9 Road BARME Tel: 00 41 (0) 24 479 11 63 Mobile: 00 41 (0) 76 438 November 64 Email: cantinebarmaz@bluewin.ch In the afternoon, caught in bad weather when climbing the last pass, I stop for the night at Refuge Golèse located on the other side, close the way. Cordial and friendly welcome. That evening, there were only very few hikers in this great refuge for 80 people! Hot showers and great food. Tel: 04 50 90 59 53 Email: info@refuge-golese.com
  • Via Alpina International Secretariat - 2011-08-15
    @Janek: Thanks for your note, we'll check the data. As regards the detailed description, unfortunately none of the texts for the French stages has been released, due to intellectual property issues which should hopefully be resolved soon... Nathalie, Via Alpina International Co-ordinator
  • Janek - 2011-07-21
    THe time to cover the distance between Croix d'Increne and Col de Coux is around 35 minutes - it's only 2km and 100 of ascent.
    Also the detailed description ends near Col de Coux. Some of the missing text can be found at the "natural and cultural heritage" text
  • Martin Schreiber - 2011-03-20
    It's possible to make the trip from Auberge de Salanfe to Rif. Bostan-Torney in one day.
    The omlette at Bonavau was really good. Try it! :-)
    In case that you ask yourself about the meaning of the red line crossed by a white one when hiking in France, don't make the mistake as I did! The meaning is that there's NO HIKING PATH!!! :-)
  • Daniel - 2010-10-17
    I was warned that Susanfe was full -it often is. Heading east, I tried Bonaveau. A very pleasant place run by Chistine and her entirely female crew. The place is very tidy and the a la carte meals well prepared. Have a look at their natural refrigerator.
  • Daniel - 2010-10-17
    Refuge de Bostan has a very friendly warden. He let me try a local Edelweiss-liquor while the marmots were crawling around the house in the evening.
Last update : 2019-12-17