Challenging due to its length and elevation gain, this backpacking trip allows you to discover the many facets of Thabor over the course of 16 nights in mountain huts.

Description

DAY 1: From Névache to the Buffère mountain hut.
1 hr 30 min · +480 m · 1,596 m → 2,076 m

From Névache Ville Haute, cross the Clarée River at the Outre Bridge, then follow the river upstream on the right bank, passing by the magnificent Desbaret Waterfall before reaching the Rately Bridge. Leave the river on your right as you continue along the GR57 (red/white markers), climbing steeply through a beautiful larch forest to the hamlet of Le Serre, where you can take in the view of the valley. From here, the trail levels off until you reach the Buffère mountain hut.

(Just above the village, you can head left up the Vallon de Cristol; after a steep climb through the forest, just before reaching 2,100 m, take the beautiful Côte Rouge balcony trail, which will take you to the Buffère refuge in 2 hours and 30 minutes).

DAY 2: From the Buffère Refuge to the Chardonnet Refuge.
4 hrs 30 min · +400 m · −250 m · 2,076 m → 2,227 m

From the Buffère Refuge (2,076 m), take the trail that descends toward La Souchère.
Once you reach the valley floor, stay on a well-maintained trail along the right bank. 500 meters further on, look for a path that climbs to the left toward the Chardonnet Refuge (sign). You’ll join the trail that climbs from Fontcouverte to the Laraux chalets. Follow the gully-like trail to the Chardonnet Refuge (2,227 m).

DAY 3: From the Chardonnet Refuge to the Ricou Refuge.
2 hrs · +250 m · −180 m · 2,227 m → 2,115 m

You can make a round trip to the Col du Chardonnet at 2,638 m (+400 m, 3 hrs) before continuing on to the Ricou Refuge. Cross the plateau west of the refuge to reach the trail that descends to Fontcouverte via the Queyrellin chalets.
Pass by La Fruitière (food available) and cross the Clarée River. The trail leading up to Ricou branches off to the left, 20 meters past the bridge. The Ricou refuge (2,115 m) can be reached in 45 minutes without difficulty.

Two fairly long and sometimes alpine routes lead directly to Laval or the Drayères refuge.

- Alternative Route 1: Climb to the Col du Chardonnet and descend on the other side, on the Cerces side. You can reach the Col du Chardonnet from the Halte de Roche Robert, at Alpe du Lauzet, on the Guisane side. Pass by an old mine (steep sections) and reach a long stretch of flat trail heading toward the Col de la Ponsonnière. Below Les Béraudes, take a fairly steep trail to the right that leads, via some slightly alpine sections, across to Lac des Béraudes. Descend toward the lake, then head to Laval, where the road ends (total 4 hours). From Laval, you can reach Les Drayères via the trail, or Ricou via the Chemin de Ronde and Lac de la Cula. You can also (a magnificent and less difficult, though longer, 5-hour route) head to the Col de la Ponsonnière (2,613 m), then to Lac des Cerces, the Col des Cerces (2,574 m), and descend to Les Drayères via the Chemin des Rochilles.

- Option 2 (off-trail): From Le Chardonnet, ascend toward the Col du Chardonnet and head right, following the limestone ridge of the Queyrellin. You’ll pass not far from the Lacs de la Casse Blanche. From there, you can climb directly up a steep grassy slope that leads to a pass on the eastern ridge of the Tête de la Cassille, then to the summit itself (3,069 m) via a trail along the ridge. Descend via the same route or down the steep scree of the north face into the Combe du Lac Rouge. From Lac Rouge, it’s an easy walk to Laval. From the Casse Blanche lakes, you can also reach the pass immediately to the left of Queyrellin via a steep grassy slope. Then follow the Crête de la Casse Blanche (rocks, scree) and descend as best you can over sometimes unstable rocks toward Lac Rouge and Laval (4 hrs).

DAY 4: From the Ricou Shelter to the Laval Shelter.
6 hrs 30 mins · +1,000 m · −1,000 m · 2,115 m → 2,010 m

From the Ricou Shelter, ascend toward the Laramon and Serpent Lakes, then to the Pic du Lac Blanc (2,995 m), and descend toward the Chemin de Ronde (trail junction, 2,291 m). Head north on the Chemin de Ronde, which offers a magnificent view of the Cerces. You’ll pass below Lac de la Cula, then, after a small pass (2,400 m), descend toward Laval. You can then reach the Laval Refuge (2,010 m) in the hamlet.

DAY 5: From the Laval Refuge to the Drayères Refuge.
6 hrs 30 mins · +1,000 m · −1,000 m · 2,010 m → 2,180 m

From the Laval refuge, cross the Moutet Bridge toward Lac des Béraudes (2,504 m). Cross the Col des Béraudes at 2,800 m (+800 m). Descend to join the GR®57. Head southwest to reach the Col de la Ponsonnière (2,613 m). Follow the GR®57 to the Col des Cerces (2,574 m) and continue to the Drayères Refuge via Lac de la Clarée.

DAY 6: From the Drayères Refuge to the Terre Rouge Refuge.
7 hrs · +660 m · −1,060 m · 2,180 m → 2,182 m

Leaving the Drayères Refuge, follow the Lakes Trail (Lac Rond and Lac du Gran Ban). Note the old boundary marker that once separated France from the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia upstream from the trail. Turn right toward the Col de la Plagnette. Then follow a fairly long, sloping path that leads to the Pas des Griffes (2,554 m), where you’ll enter the Neuvache Valley.
The path descends toward the Neuvache River, and you’ll see the Terre Rouge mountain hut in the center of the valley. You’ll then need to head south toward the Chalet des Barmettes, in the direction of Lake Curtalès, to cross the river via a wooden bridge. After the bridge, the trail leads to a beautiful peat bog area, which you’ll skirt to the right until you reach the refuge.

DAY 7: From the Terre Rouge refuge to the Marches refuge.
4 hrs 30 min · +543 m · −495 m · 2,180 m → 2,230 m

From the Terre Rouge shelter (2,180 m), head north toward Notre-Dame des Neiges, follow the trail to La Loza, climb up the valleys to Lake Roche Noire, and then join the trail to the Col des Marches (2,725 m). Descend toward Lac de Bissorte, then follow the trail to the right toward the Marches Shelter (2,230 m).

DAY 8: From the Marches Shelter to the Thabor Shelter.
3 hrs · +620 m · −300 m · 2,230 m → 2,502 m

From the Marches Refuge, head north up the Bissorte valley until you reach the Col des Bataillères at 2,804 m (+620 m), passing by Lac des Bataillères. Then head to the Thabor Refuge (-300 m) via the Sainte-Marguerite Lakes.

DAY 9: From the Thabor Refuge to the Refuges de la Vallée Étroite.
7 hrs · 2,502 m → 1,780 m

From the Thabor Refuge (2,501 m), descend to the Col de la Vallée Étroite. At the pass, take the trail on the right and cross level toward Lac du Peyron (2,440 m).
Walk along the lake and follow the trail that climbs and skirts the rocky ridge overlooking the lake. You’ll reach the Col des Méandes (2,720 m), where you’ll join the “classic Italian route” to climb Mont Thabor. From here, follow the Stations of the Cross leading to the summit (3,178 m).
The descent follows the same route back to the Col des Méandes. From the pass, take the trail that descends into the Vallon du Dîner to the small footbridge at Prat du Plan (Grand Serrus is on the left). After crossing the footbridge, turn left. The Fonderie Bridge and the Granges de la Vallée Étroite are not far ahead.

DAY 10: From the mountain huts in the Vallée Étroite to Rochemolles (Chalet della Guida).
4 hrs · +348 m · −450 m · 1,770 m → 1,600 m

Leave the hamlet and follow the signs for “Bardonecchia” (near the fountain).
Continue along the paved road and cross the Miglia Bridge. Immediately after the bridge (near the barrier blocking vehicle traffic), turn left toward the river. Cross the Ranfoure Bridge and continue down the trail on the left bank. This trail passes beneath the Montagne des Rois Mages (on the left) and the imposing Paroi des Militaires (on the right).
You are now on the Vourzenet floodplain (willow trees). From here, the view of the Rois Mages massif and the Militaires cliff face is breathtaking.
Continue along the trail past the Pian del Colle campgrounds. At the junction with the departmental road, turn left and continue for 200 m to the start of the Rouas via ferrata. Cross the departmental road and follow it to the Mélezet ski lift parking lot. After the parking lot, cross the bridge and continue along the road for 100 m. Turn left and follow the signs for the Sentiero Paradiso, a scenic trail that leads to Borgo Vecchio. Follow the signs for “Via Medail.” As you walk down this street, you’ll find most of Bardonecchia’s shops (1,315 m). At the end, cross the pedestrian underpass beneath the railroad tracks. Once you emerge, continue straight ahead until you reach the national highway to Turin.
Cross it, then take the pedestrian crossing on the left that leads uphill to the Millaures road. Follow it, pass under the road and then under the highway; at the first house, take the trail on the left that climbs to Prérichard.
Enter the village; at the fountain, turn left and follow the trail to a fork where you must turn left.
Take the trail to the right and follow it (at the river, do not go up to the left, but instead cross the river and continue on the flat section) until you reach the Church of Saint-André (worth a visit).
Walk past the cemetery and a small playground, taking the trail that climbs to the left.
At the first intersection, turn left and head toward Les Granges Medau (Medail); turn left again to pass beyond Les Granges Garnier.
At the hairpin bend, cross the bridge and follow the trail (do not take any detours to the right or left)—first slightly uphill, then on level ground—which eventually leads downhill to the parking lot across from Rochemolles.

DAY 11: From the Chalet della Guida mountain hut to the Scarfiotti mountain hut.
5 hrs 45 mins · +1,017 m · −512 m · 1,630 m → 2,165 m

Cross the bridge leading to the parking lot and take the trail that climbs to the left.
At the first intersection, continue straight ahead (east). After a few turns, at a hairpin bend to the right, go straight ahead (east) toward the Granges de Mouchecuite.
Cross the Valfredda stream at the Etan Bridge.
Pass to the left of the Notre-Dame des Neiges Chapel (1,863 m), turn right onto the Gentiane Trail, and reach the mule trail (1,927 m). You can see the route of the old Decauville railway line, which was used for the construction of the Rochemolles Dam.
Follow the flat trail as it crosses the Col du Sommeiller road and the Almiane stream, passing through a tunnel to reach the base of the dam.
Turn right onto the road leading to the caretakers’ house until you reach the Col du Sommeiller road again; cross it and follow it for a few dozen meters before heading up the mule trail to the left (north/northeast) of Grange Almiane
(2,129 m).
At Grange Almiane, turn right and take the trail (south/southeast) that passes upstream of Grange Selle (2,225 m); follow the valley to reach the Col d’Almiane (2,677 m).
Descend the scree slope on the north side and rejoin the road at Pian dei Morti (approximately 2,470 m).
Continue along the road until you reach the point just before the first bend in the descending trail (on the left bank of the Rio Fond), then follow its switchbacks to the last bend.
Follow the road downhill for fifty meters, then take the trail on the right (downstream) on the northwest side toward the Rio Balma.
Cross the stream and turn right (northeast) toward the Fond waterfall; follow the mule trail that leads to the Scarfiotti refuge.

To reach the Decauville track, at the point where the road to La Croix Barn and Valfredda begins—coming from Rochemolles—there are three options:

1) Cross Rochemolles heading west and, when you reach the last houses, take the mule trail on the right which, after crossing the stream, leads to the Sommeiller road not far from the San Rocco Chapel (10 min).
Continue along the mule trail, which, after skirting the chapel, climbs to the Mouchecuite barns, crossing the road three times.
Once you reach the barns, cross the village until you reach the Madonna della Neve Chapel and, immediately afterward, take the mule trail heading south to reach the Decauville track directly across from the junction with the road to Valfredda (1 hr 10 min).

2) From the main route, at the second intersection (1,775 m), leave the mule trail and take the path heading east. Cross the Etan Bridge over the Valfredda Stream and join the route for Variant 1 at the Madonna della Neve Chapel; from there, follow the Decauville track (1 hr 15 min).

3) From the main route, at the intersection with the Gran Bea trail (1,885 m), leave the mule trail and take the Gran Bea trail heading east. Follow it to a junction where the left fork leads to the Decauville track before the Valfredda Bridge, and the right fork, slightly downhill, leads to the Etan Bridge (1 hr 20 min).

DAY 12: From the Scarfiotti Hut to the Levi-Molinari Hut.
7 hrs · +839 m · −1,154 m · 2,165 m → 1,850 m

Walk toward the Fond Waterfall and head up the Balma River valley to a large boulder where the trail crosses the river and reaches the road leading to the Sommeiller Pass. About 50 meters before the first curve, continue straight ahead on the trail toward the Fond River. The trail turns right (southeast) and follows all the hairpin turns of the road until it reaches the bridge crossing the Rio du Fond.
After the bridge, turn right (southeast) and head up the Fond valley along the stream through meadows. Follow the trail to Pian dei Frati to rejoin the road.
From a hairpin bend at approximately 2,540 m on the right (east/southeast), the trail to the Pas de Fourneaux Nord (3,137 m) begins.
From the Pas de Fourneaux, a short detour takes you to the Pointe du Sommeiller (3,332 m) (1 hr 20 min). From the summit, the panoramic view takes in the entire range of the Western Alps. (Recommended).
From the Pas de Fourneaux Nord, descend south toward Lac Galambra.
Upstream from the lake, the trail turns left (east), passing downstream from the abandoned barracks. Head toward the Sigot bivouac (3,020 m) to reach a clearing (3,004 m), where the descent toward Lake Monache (2,567 m) begins to the left (northeast). Watch for the fork in the 2000 trail; take the right fork (southeast).
From the lake, continue southeast (stay to the left at the two intersections where the trail to Mont Chabrière branches off) to reach the Levi-Molinari Shelter (1,850 m).

DAY 13: From the Levi-Molinari Shelter to the Arlaud Shelter.
6 hrs · +960 m · −980 m · 1,850 m → 1,764 m

From the Levi-Molinari Refuge (1,850 m), descend to the bridge below.
At the parking lot, take the trail on the left (Fenils-Salbertrand) and follow it toward Grange Soullier. Continue toward Salbertrand until you reach Borgo Combes, 1,240 m – Deveys.
Cross the national highway (Strada Statale) and continue on a path that descends onto the small road leading to the bridge in the village of Champbons-sur-la-Doire (886 m). At the village fountain, take the trail that climbs through the woods to the Chenal stream (990 m). Cross the stream, continue, then turn left onto the trail that leads directly to Case Sapé (1,188 m). Continue along the forest road leading to Salbertrand. After the “Casa del Parco” (road sign), follow the “Sentiero dei Franchi” (S.F.) to the trail junction (1,054 m) that climbs to the Arlaud Refuge at Montagne Seu (1,764 m).

DAY 14: From the Arlaud Refuge to the La Chardousë Refuge.
5 hrs 30 mins · +750 m · −850 m · 1,764 m → 1,650 m

From the Arlaud Refuge, follow the forest road toward Monfol. In the final stretch, near a curve, take the path that descends directly to Monfol (1,662 m). After passing the houses, take the path on the right that descends to the village of Gad. Follow it down to an elevation of 1,000 m and cross the Rio Gran Comba stream over a small wooden bridge. Cross horizontally and follow the Collet-Cotantin trail toward Oulx (signposted) until you reach a descent to the right toward the national highway (strada statale).
Just past the “Le Baite” supermarket, leave the path and take the trail that continues on level ground. After a short climb, continue to a large ENEL power pole. From there, a short descent leads to Via Roma at the entrance to the village of Oulx (1,100 m). Continue along Via Roma through the old town of Oulx (bar, bakery, pastry shop, etc.).
At the bridge leading to the Oulx train station, cross it, and a short incline (the road to Cotoliver) leads to the start of the trail that reaches Pierremenaud/Vazon (1,650 m).

DAY 15: From the La Chardousë mountain hut to the Guido Rey mountain hut.
4 hrs 30 mins · +1,000 m · −700 m · 1,650 m → 1,761 m

From Vazon (1,650 m), follow the signs for Lozet (1,745 m) and head to Grange Millaures (1,712 m). Continue through the Desertes valley to Plan de la Selle (1,954 m) (ruins of a former military building). To the right, toward the Cotolivier ridge (northeast), follow the mule trail leading to Case Pourachet (2,027 m) and, shortly after, Colletto Pourachet (2,052 m) on the ridge separating the Desertes valley and the Beaulard slope; continue along the ridge trail to the Madonna du Cotolivier (2,105 m), where a magnificent panorama unfolds. Return to Colletto Pourachet and descend the trail toward Château Beaulard to the Rio Supire stream at 1,614 m. Head due west on the Sentiero Balcone (signposted) toward the Guido Rey refuge (1,761 m).

DAY 16: From the Guido Rey Refuge to the refuges in the Vallée Étroite.
6 hrs 30 mins · +990 m · −971 m · 1,761 m → 1,770 m

From the Guido Rey refuge (1,761 m), follow the trail to San Giusto – Madonna della Sanità – Passo della Mulattiera (2,412 m) – Col des Acles (2,217 m). Descend either to Pian del Colle/Melezet (1,441 m).
Reach the Pian del Colle campground (1,445 m) via the departmental road and take the pedestrian trail on the left toward the Étroite Valley. This trail ascends the valley along the left bank of the Étroite Valley stream. At the far end of the Paroi des Militaires plateau, at La Bergerie (1,711 m), cross the stream and continue along the road to Les Granges de la Vallée Étroite and the two mountain huts (I Re Magi and Terzo Alpini).

DAY 17: From the Vallée Étroite mountain huts to Névache.
3 hrs 30 mins · +900 m · −600 m · 1,770 m → 1,595 m

From the Granges de la Vallée Étroite, ascend via a beautiful, easy trail toward the Col des Thures (2,194 m), then descend to Névache through the gently sloping, grassy valley from the summit and then via the heavily traveled switchbacks on the Clarée side (fairy chimneys). You’ll arrive at Le Roubion. From there, head back up the Clarée Valley to Névache (free shuttle service available from Le Roubion to Névache from mid-July to mid-August).

Complément accueil

At the start of the season, an ice axe and crampons may come in handy.

Environments

Forest location
Mountain rental
Village centre
In a nature reserve
Sensitive Natural Area

Prices

Prices not available. Paid overnight stays at mountain huts.
It is strongly recommended that you book your overnight stays at the mountain huts well in advance.