Over 6 days of hiking, Camille and I covered 60km of magnificent Alpine trails around the Vanoise Glacier, stayed in five remote mountain huts, and climbed over 3000m in total elevation.
DAY 1: PRALOGNAN LA VANOISE to REFUGE DES BARMETTES
HIKING TIME: less than 2 hours
Dad: After a 4-hour drive from Avignon, and through some pretty heavy storms, we arrived in Pralognan La Vanoise, ready to take on our first hike. Luckily the skies cleared as we began walking, and we would have beautiful weather all week.
Camille: I was excited but also scared because this was going to be a very long hiking tour.
Camille: Yay! Half of the first hike finished.
Dad: Pause and selfie!
Dad: Hiking up through the forests. We would soon be above the trees, and remain in Alpine grasses until the very last day.
Camille: Arriving in the Refuge des Barmettes. This was a short and easy walk.
Camille: A very small but cozy room: 3 beds but it was just us two.
Camille: Here we had a beautiful view of the mountains.
Dad: enjoying our mountain hut Crocs, provided by every refuge along the way.
Dad: a view of the valley from the restaurant window
Camille: The soup was fine...
Camille: but the tartiflette was BETTER!
DAY 2: REFUGE DES BARMETTES to REFUGE DU COL DE LA VANOISE
HIKING TIME: 2 hours
Camille: After a good breakfast, I filled my bottle at the small and cute fountain, and I was very motivated because I knew we were going to see the Lac des Vaches.
Camille: This is probably one of the best views I've ever had with the river and the mountains.
Dad: you can see our first refuge below, where we began our hike. Our first two hikes were nothing but climbing: it's a good thing they were both short!!
Camille: the water from the Lac des Vaches was so cold that after 2 seconds I couldn't feel my feet.
Dad: a steady climb above the Lac des Vaches.
Camille: I was so happy to see the snow that I tried to ski. I fell and my butt was very cold.
Dad: Arriving at Lac Long, just below our destination.
DAY 3: REFUGE DU COL DE LA VANOISE to REFUGE DE L'ARPONT
HIKING TIME: 5 hours
DAY 4: REFUGE DE L'ARPONT to REFUGE DE LA DENT PARRACHEE
HIKING TIME: 7.5 hours
DAY 5: REFUGE DE LA DENT PARRACHEE to REFUGE DU REPOJU
HIKING TIME: 6 hours
DAY 6: REFUGE DU REPOJU to PRALOGNAN
HIKING TIME: 1 hour
