|
[General Map ] [Local Map ] [E-Mail]
Click on the map
|
 |
This route will take you all the way around and up the Grand Argentier. There is no difficulty if you stay on the paths. Altitude difference: 1400m with two ascents, 5 hours. For a shorter walk, you can drive all the way up to the Pas-du-Roc (bad trail)
Start
Le Lavoir (1905m), reached by car from Le Charmaix.
Route
From Le Lavoir, drive or walk up to the Pas du Roc (2323m). There, leave the trail to your left and walk on flat ground to reach an obvious path at the foot of the Col du Petit Argentier(2400m). Go towards the Col du Fréjus. Just before the col, find an old winding track and follow it to two old bunkers. The path then vanishes. Walk up some grassy patches strewn with white rocks, then on to dark and steep scree slopes. Cross a small stream (in Spring) and, drawing left, find a steep path coming straight from the Col du Fréjus. The upper slopes are less steep. At a col, turn right and follow an easy ridge to the top of the Grand Argentier (3046m). Fine circular view on the Thabor Hut , on the Sarrasins Range and Italy.
Continue on the wide and flat north-west ridge. When the ridge goes up again, take a path to the left. It goes down across steep scree slopes towards the Col de la Roue, which can be seen much farther down. Follow a succession of cairns leading to grassy slopes and the ruins of a small building (2490m). There, draw right and, without losing altitude, follow the foot of the steep western cliffs of the Grand Argentier, staying at about 2400m. A path soon appears, and an old bunker, before reaching the foot of the grassy slopes that lead to the Col du Petit Argentier. Follow an old path to the col(2599m). From the col, walk down to the Pas-du-Roc and the Lavoir trail. The walk up the Col du Petit Argentier can be avoided (see map).