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Simply Savoie

Guided walking – snowshoeing – via ferrata in the French Alps with Mark Tennent

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A Sunday afternoon Via Ferrata near Chambery

Yesterday, as the sunny autumn weather continued, I set off with a number of friends on a Sunday afternoon stroll – Savoyard style; or should I say Maurennais style as the common bond was links with the Maurienne.

Above Chamb?ry there are imposing limestone cliffs and two via ferrata find there way up in this vertical environment.

Le Ptchi Via Ferrata Chambery-Bauges
Autumn sunshine on Le P’tchi via ferrata above Chambery.

The route we took was called Le P’tchi the less athletic of the two.

The Grotte ? Carret has some very strenuous sections and is the scene of calls for help as arms run out of strength.

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Incredible Autumn Weather in the Beaufortain

The autumn has been very dry and sunny in Savoie.

Yesterday we went to Grand Naves, above the villages of Petit Coeur in the Tarentaise. We wanted to make the most the superb weather with this south-facing valley over-looked by the summit of the Quermoz (2300m).

We climbed steadily through the alpine pastures, with the grass now brown. A path led through the “arcosses” to the Chalet de Bozon and the broad ridge. We stopped for a picnic with a huge panoramic view extending from the Italian frontier hills, Mont Pourri, La Grande Casse, La Grand Motte, through the Dome de Chasseforet. The path climbed gently along the ridge to the summit where several other small groups were enjoying the sunshine, views and warmth despite the altitude. It was a convivial moment with coffee and genepi being shared. The descent started along a narrow-ish ridge before a col gave access to a good path descending steadily to the valley below the refuge Nant du Beurre. From here we followed a variant of the Tour du Beaufortain back to Grand Naves.

Save Bonneval-sur-Arc under Threat from Liaison with Val d’Isere

Once again the beautiful, unspoilt Haute-Maurienne is under threat from being linked with the ski resort of Val d’Isere. The “Disneyland des Alps” and the vested financial interests of huge companies and their shareholders is being placed in front of the irreversible destruction of an environment appreciated for it’s peace and quiet. Visitors to Bonneval, one of the prettiest villages in the Alps, go there for the authenticity and natural beauty. If this project sees the light of day this will be irrevocably changed. I hope that Mountain Wilderness and other groups will vociferously oppose this myopic project.

Collect Mushrooms at Your Peril – Man Shot

A tragedy has just taken place. A man out collecting mushrooms shot dead by hunters in the department of l’Ain. I find it incredible that these tragedies occur almost every year in France. Can’t they tell the difference between a man and a wild boar! Do they shoot without thinking about the “back drop” to where they shoot? Naturally there’s a police enquiry. http://www.ledauphine.com/savoie/2011/11/06/l-adjoint-au-maire-tue-alors-qu-il-ramassait-des-champignons

Views from Mont Mirantin (2460m), Beaufortain

The day dawned with clear skies and we headed for the Beaufortain. We stopped off to buy some fresh bread in Beaufort and some great pate from the butchers; a real professional with pride in his product. We managed to drive up to the Plan Villard and then followed the path up through some open woods amongst dwarf rhodedendron and myrtille. The views to the north over Areche increased as we gained height and Mont Blanc’s bulk was soon evident. We stopped for a drink and snack at the Chalet du Lac. The next section took us up to the Pas de l’Ane and the final scrambly ridge. Snow was evident on the north-facing slopes below. A final scramble took us to the summit cross and the only other person we met on the mountain.

Autumn Colours in the Beaufortain

We decided to make the most of the continued good weather and headed for the Beaufortain. Leaving my house we headed for La Grande Journee. On the drive up on narrow winding roads the colours of the trees were stunning and I couldn’t resist stopping to try to capture the colours on my camera. You can see some of them in the photos. We parked up at the end of the forest and headed along a track made for the alpagistes. After a short distance we headed off on a path heading for the Lac de Soulflet. The original intention wasn’t necessarily to reach the summit but the weather was wonderful and there was enough daylight despite the change from summer to winter time. We passed the lake and headed on towards the summit with a few patches of fresh snow. Reaching the ridge the shaded north-facing slopes were much more snow-covered but the ridge was clear and after about 10 minutes we reached the summit, alone. On the descent we stopped several times to take in the views and the changing light. A final sighting of a large chamois was a nice ending to the day.