Hiking in Provence: Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise

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!

Camille: We had just started the second half of hike and I was already hot and thirsty.

Dad: Hiking up through the forests. We would soon be above the trees, and remain in Alpine grasses until the very last day.

Camille: Almost there!

Camille: Arriving in the Refuge des Barmettes. This was a short and easy walk.

Camille: I was very happy to get there. I could finally sleep!

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!

Dad: my favourite part of the meal.

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: I was still tired but I did it anyways.

Camille: This is probably one of the best views I've ever seen 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!!

Dad: at the river we stopped to take off a layer of clothes and to make a braid in Camille's hair. A nice hiker took our picture.

Camille: the water from the Lac des Vaches was so cold that after 2 seconds I couldn't feel my feet.

Camille: great picture right?

Dad: a steady climb above the Lac des Vaches. This seemed easier than last year.

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.

Camille: there was not a lot of water, so I went right into it.

Dad: the plateaus on which stand the Refuge de la Vanoise are magnificent, lush green, filled with Alpine lakes and surrounded by glacier-capped mountains. Camille did not want to enter the refuge right away: she was happy to enjoy the scene, and search for marmots.

Camille: Dad told me that I was going to get cold, so we went into the refuge de la Vanoise.

Camille: But we went back outside 20 seconds after...

Camille: Dad taught me how to play poker, I loved it!

Dad: I'm sure that my fries were really good, but I didn't really get any, because Camille ate them. That's ok: I ate her crêpe and salad.

Camille: It's not my fault if my food was disgusting!

Dad: Beginners' luck 😢

Camille: you're just bad, no offense.

Dad: while over a hundred people were crowded in the new building, Camille and I had the privilege of staying in the historic Felix Faure refuge, just a few paces away. It's where the guides get to stay to have some peace...

Camille: Just dreaming about marmots...

Dad: Camille and I napped for two hours before dinner!!!

Camille: It was sooo cold!⛄

Camille: We were watching the marmots. I made myself some friends

PS: all babies

George

Fred

Anonymous

Dad: Camille was willing to search far and wide for some new friends.

Camille: I was playing chess with dad when a boy came and looked at us play. Dad asked him if he wanted to play. So I played with "Stanislas".

DAY 3: REFUGE DU COL DE LA VANOISE to REFUGE DE L'ARPONT

HIKING TIME: 5 hours

Dad: after a good night's sleep, and among beautiful green pastures and mountain lakes, Camille took the lead. She passed everyone, and walked at a pace that surprised even me. I told everyone that she put special stuff in her breakfast.

Camille: I knew that it was going to be a long walk so I wanted to make good time.

Camille: it was beautiful and I wanted to stay there forever!

Dad: We descended gently for an hour and a half before turning towards the south...

Dad: ... and heading over a bit of tricky terrain.

Camille: I was getting tired and I slowed down. My legs were burning, I think that if a snail was beside me, he would be ten times faster. 🐌

Dad: Luckily, we found the perfect picnic spot at a small mountain lake, looking at the immense Vanoise glacier. Today's hike brought us closer to the glaciers than any other.

Dad: up until here, the walk had been mostly downhill, but after crossing the river we began a long but steady climb on bare rock. Camille was tired, but never complained... though something was about to cheer her up!!!

Camille: I saw something on the path but I didn't know what it was.

Camille: IT WAS AN IBEX!!!!!!!!

Camille: he pooped and peed while he was running.

Camille: I wanted to have him as a pet but dad didn't want to (no one knows why).

Dad: Camille got all her energy back, and even did an elaborate dance for the ibex, before it descended out of sight.

Dad: after hiking for over 4.5 hours, Camille was feeling great, and the refuge was quickly approaching.

Camille: with an other group, we started looking for the refuge de l'Arpont, we finally spotted it and walked down to it.

Camille: we had to wait a bit outside, so we waited on the roof, it was very nice up there!

Dad: new and like a spaceship, we enjoyed our meal in the common room, though VERY LOUD!!

Dad: and we got our very own little room!

DAY 4: REFUGE DE L'ARPONT to REFUGE DE LA DENT PARRACHEE

HIKING TIME: 7.5 hours

Dad: this was going to be the big one: over 7 hours and a half of hiking, some 20km, and close to +1000m in total elevation gain. But I knew Camille was up for the challenge. She was a bit tired through some stretches of yesterday's hike, but never really in difficulty. It also helps to have these breathtaking mountain views, always staying over 2000m.

Dad: our hike took us through taller alpine grasses and more luxuriant vegetation as we descended, and then back up into the Alpine pastures.

Camille: I was very excited to do the hike, I wanted to know my limits. But it was easier then I thought. The previous hike was harder.

Camille: it was BEAUTIFUL!!!

Camille: it was more and more foggy going up but I still thought that it was very pretty.

Dad: heading southbound, still high up on the mountain trail, the first signs of "real" civilization appeared, after more than 3 days of hiking. In the valley to the east, in the town of Aussois came into view.

Dad: wildflowers aplenty in the Alpines grasses, and pretty easy, and undulating terrain.

Camille: a nice couple stopped to tack a picture of us ( I love that photo ).

Camille: so CUTE and FLUFFY !!!

Camille: we stopped at a nice spot with the family that we met and stayed there for a long time.

Dad: we had a nice and long rest a bit more than halfway through the hike, and met a wonderful family here, with whom we would share the rest of our adventure.

Camille: Edelweiss, the Alps's flower. I had never seen one before.

Camille: there was a little village down the mountain we were climbing. There was only 10 or 15 houses.

Dad: several mountain refuges made their apparition just above the village of Aussois. Though we didn't choose the first one to stay overnight, we chose the first one for a timely snack and a loooooooong pause.

Camille: we went for our stop in the refuge du plan sec. I was finally going to eat !

Camille: it felt soooo good to drink some Schweppes and eat spéculos crepe.

Dad: best Coke ever.

Dad: although the tracks and trails were easy underfoot, the day was very long. In the picture above, Camille is pointing to the Refuge de La Dent Parachée -- on the top of the hill -- where we'd spend the night.

Camille: we continued the hike with the family that we eat with earlier...

Camille: this is me and one of the children.(Elisabeth)

Dad: the very last pause before reaching the refuge. Since meeting the family at our picnic spot, Camille was walking with the children; in conversation and happy, Camille forgot that we were undertaking the hardest hike of her young life.

Camille: we played a bit before dinner. It was a lot of fun.

Dad: arrival at the Refuge de la Dent Parachée. The ambiance was festive and relaxed, and this was the only night we needed to sleep in a crowded dormitory. A bit stinky!