Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R121
Le Monal » Le Lac de Tignes
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3h45 |
15.6 km
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792 m
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569 m
On leaving the listed hamlet of Le Monal, the trail links several traditional alpine hamlets facing the Mount Pourri glaciers before crossing the Tignes dam. After the modern hamlet of Les Boisses, it heads up the mountainside to the Tignes lake, the heart of the ski resort by the same name and the stage destination.
From Le Monal hamlet take the path in front of the chapel. Walk near the Combaz climbing centre and reach the road which allows you to reach Chenal hamlet. Pass in front of the chapel and walk on till Nancruet hamlet. Descend into the gorges and climb up again along the path on your left until the hamlets of Nazonde first, and then Orsière, to reach at last the ruins of Davie (2050 metres). Continue along the panoramic path till the “le Saut/le Chevril” crossroads. Turn right and walk down for about 100 metres before turning left towards Chevril hamlet. Reach the 902 provincial road and cross the Tignes dike to reach the village of Boisses (1813 metres). Then reach the path skirting the scything meadows near the wood, continue using wooden foot-bridges and ladders to go up to the Tignes lake. (Henri Emprin, CDRP 73)
Natural and cultural heritage
On leaving Le Monal, cross the hamlet of La Combaz, Chenal, and then Châtelard before arriving at Nantcruet, which in local dialect means “little watercourse”. Here, at the end of the Nant-Cruet valley, you can admire the Aiguilles de la Sassière peaks: Petite (3,672 m) and Grande (3,747m) on the border with Italy and above the glacier by the same name. From the other side of the Isère, stretching between Mount Pourri (3,779m) and Dôme de la Sache (3,601m), are the Gurraz and Savinaz glaciers (by the name of the hamlets buttressing them), situated in the central zone of the Vanoise national park. The avalanche corridor between the two hamlets is very impressive due to the altitude difference between the end of the valley at 1,300m and the summit of Mount Pourri some 2,500m higher. The trail continues along the slope, passing the ruins of the Davie chalets overhanging the Brévières village, before arriving at the Chevril dam and the giant painted on the concrete of this hydroelectric structure. The domestication of hydraulic energy has not always been without conflict, as is testified by the history of this dam, built against the will of the Tignes inhabitants at the time. As the production of “white coal” could not put up with any complications, the old village of Tignes-les-Boisses was engulfed by water in 1952 and the old baroque church was moved. Above the dam, after the passage to the Les Boisses, the view over the little valley and the Grande Sassière is remarkable. This reserve of great floral interest is almost an extension of the Park’s central zone. It is completed by the Bailletaz reserve, which compensated the Park for the loss of the Iseran valley to the Espace Killy ski-lifts. This history of compromise in country planning is completed by the same type of “exchange” of the conceded Grande-Motte glaciers situated in the Tignes-Champagny reserve to summer skiing for the creation of the new Grande Sassière reserve in 1973. Today, the latter is a site of international cooperation for monitoring the cross-border migration of the ibex between the Vanoise national park and the Grand Paradis national park in Italy, of which it is the emblem. From Tignes, where the Val Claret district in particular attracts your attention, you can also see the Aiguille Percée (2,778m) and discover, downhill from Le Lavachet village, the “Gouille de Salin” spring, a resurgence of Chevril lake. Today, the Espace Killy is one of the biggest skiing areas in Europe and unites the communities of Tignes and Val d’Isère, which previously formed only one community. (Nicolas Aubertin, Gilles Chappaz, Grande Traversée des Alpes)
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
Houdayer Alain - 2022-09-07
Etape Valgrisenche à Les Boisses. Camping de Tignes ou l'accueil est parfait
Berta - 2018-07-28
Wir haben die 2 Etappen zusammen gelegt und haben in Lac de Tignes über booking com ein Zimmer im Hotel Langley reserviert. Direkt am See, Geschäfte und Pizzeria gleich daneben, extrem freundliches Personal, kleines aber sehr schönes und funktionelles Zimmer. Es hat uns so gut gefallen, das wir sogar eine Nacht verlängert haben um zu rasten. Doppelzimmer ohne Frühstück 60€, Frühstück 9€ pro Person. Wirklich empfehlenswert.
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We put the 2 stages together and booked a room at Hotel Langley in Lac de Tignes via booking com. Right on the lake, shops and pizzeria next door, extremely friendly staff, small but very nice and functional room. We liked it so much that we even extended one night to rest. Double room without breakfast 60 €, breakfast 9 € per person. Really recommended.
Ended up walking from "Refuge de la Leisse" to "Camping Tignes les Brevieres." This path took me off the Via Alpina, and is only recommended if you cannot find anywhere else to stay. This route takes you down into the valley, which you must climb back up to continue on the Via Alpina. Besides this, "Camping Tignes les Brevieres" is a great camping place, with very friendly people. If you decide to take this route, you can complete "Refuge de la Leisse" to "Camping Tignes les Brevieres," and then do "Brevieres to "Refuge de Archeboc."
Now that the Gite de Chenal and the Youth Hostel in Boisse are definitely closed, there is almost nothing between Le Monet and Refuge de Leisse. Perhaps in Upper-Boisse I saw some cheaper looking hotels, but in Tignes the few open hotels are very expensive.
tof - 2015-02-08
Trieste- Monaco le 23/9/14
Arrivé à Tignes le lac (par GR5 hors Via depuis Samoens) et pas de logement à prix intéressant: une chambre certes confortable chez l'habitant mais 30 euros ! Pas grand chose d'ouvert. Heureusement les 2 superettes permettent le ravitaillement.
L'OT conseille de faire du stop pour redescendre sur Les Boisses pour un logement. Au pire possibilité d'installer son matelas dans un abribus en bois (pas de service de bus à cette période....). A cette période il commence à geler la nuit.
Note: je suis arrivé par le col du Palet. Refuge d'hiver ouvert au col avec du bois. Tronc pour mettre de l'argent. A 1h30 max du lac de Tignes pour les motivé-e-s.
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Trieste- Monaco on 09/23/14 Arrived in Tignes le Lac (for off Via GR5 from Samoens) and no interest cost housing: an admittedly comfortable homestay but 30 euros! Not much open. Fortunately, the two mini-markets enable refueling. The OT advised to hitchhike back down on Les Boisses for housing. At worst option of installing a mattress in a wooden bus shelter (no bus service at this time ....). At this time it begins to freeze at night. Note: I got the puck pass. Winter shelter open at the collar with wood. Trunk to put money. 1h30 max of Lake Tignes for motivated es.
Youth Hostel in tignes les boisses can get you a BB for 21euros. it is old but the door is usually open all the time and the owner will come in within 15min if you are there before 6pm (great if raining if if you are cold)
this youth hostel is old but in the area it is still a cheap option for indoor accommodation
was clean in June 2013, Germans are picky..it is dirty in august probably because people who came are dirty..it is an old place but the boss there is cool..he let me used the Youth hostel private washing machine for free. Breakfast is a nice buffet where you can even pick up lunch and dinner :-)
enjoy this place before it disseper
Bernhard - 2013-08-01
Im Hostel in Le Boisses kann man billig Übernachten und das Essen ist gut. Die Zimmer sind aber sehr schmutzig.
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In the hostel in Le Boisses can stay cheap and the food is good. The rooms are very dirty.
Via Alpina France - 2013-04-18
Le gîte d'étape le Chenal est fermé pour raisons personnelles jusqu'à nouvel ordre.
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The rest house is closed for the Channel personal reasons until further notice.
Tippel - 2011-07-30
We felt like at home at "Gite d'Etappe de Chenal"! (Tel. +33 4 79 06 93 63). It's more comfortable than Monal.
From Chenal we followed the path to La Davie - it's about 30 min. further then through the forest, but the view is much nicer.
From Les Boisses to Val Claret we couldn't figure out a path - instead of following the ugly road for 2 hrs we hitchhiked. Yes, Tignes and Val Claret are crowded and ugly.
Avoid staying in Tignes since this is a crowded town. It's usually no problem to join this short trip with the next one.
In case that you need Internet: There was an open hotspot in the 'Spar' Supermarket in 2010.
Neko - 2011-01-23
Am Lac de Tignes haben wir in einem Restaurant mit Terrasse direkt am See sehr gut gegessen; der Laden öffnete erst um 16:00 (Sommer 2010)
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The Lac de Tignes we have in a restaurant with a terrace directly on the lake ate very well, until the store opened at 16:00 (summer 2010)
|
3h45 |
15.6 km
|
792 m
|
569 m
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.