Grassy summit above Saint Julien Montdenis and Saint Jean de Maurienne. A very popular goal for ski-mountaineers, it deserves a summer visit. Climbable on almost every side, several of its routes are interesting. IGN map TOP 25 3433 ET.

360° panorama from the top of Cime de Lancheton

From Champessuit

This route does not see many walkers but makes for an original traverse. It is a fairly complex route, especially its lower section. Fine views on the valley at places. 1300m of ascent for about 4h. No difficulty, except the route-finding on pathless ground. Some sections are steep.

Start

Champessuit (or "Champsuit"), at the end of a road that starts from Hermillon. Leave the car when the road ends (1141m), next to a signpost "Champessuit".

Route

Walk up the dirt and grass trail through Champessuit, turning left twice. After the last house, take a path to the right. Climb about 150m, and leave to your right the Grenis path (signpost), which you will arrive from on your way down. Higher up, cross the Grenis forest trail and go straight on to a wide path that climbs regularly. After two bends and a clearing in the forest (fine views on Pic du Frêne and Grand Miceau), the path becomes level. Turn left and go north to reach a bend to the right.

Three possibilities:

1 - Walk straight on to an old trail that soon narrows into a pleasant path. At the end of the forest, set foot on a wide grassy ridge that has to be climbed straight up to reach the Lancheton south ridge at alt. 2150m (long). Go left for the summit (2419m, beautiful views on the surrounding massifs and the valley. In the south-east direction, do not miss the Croix des Têtes range ).
2 - Turn right and go up the steep trail. 20 metres after the following bend, turn right on to a good path that winds up the last wooded slopes. You soon reach a grassy tract, then traverse left after two hairpins to join the wide grassy ridge 150m higher (see previous route).
3 - Go straight up the grassy tract on route 2. A very steep passage is avoided by traversing right on a path/ledge under the last trees. Negotiate a succession of steep climbs to reach the Lancheton ridge towards 2080m (bits of path here and there). Turn left on the ridge for the summit. The last route offers the best views. It is also very sustained.

Descent

Walk down to Montdenis. Several possibilities on almost pathless but easy ground, the most interesting by far being the south ridge. At an obvious col (1706m on IGN), turn right on a good path and join Montdenis (1435m). The road that ends in Montdenis turns right once as you go up. That bend is the start of a very restful path (white-green marks) that will take you down to Grenis, following a route more or less parallel to the road. The path comes out near a bend on the road (alt. 1225m). 30 metres under a signpost ("Telegraphe"), turn right on a level grass trail, and walk past a signpost ("Champessuit 20 min."). At the end of the trail (stay left), start a very pleasant forest path traverse that will take you back to Champessuit and the car.

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Via Plan du Cuir

Drive up to Montdenis and the end of the road. Walk between the last houses, past a signpost ("Plan du Cuir") and up a comfortable stony path. Pass near La Tovière (ruins) and Ste Brigitte's Oratory, reach the bottom of the coomb, cross a stream and traverse up right to Plan du Cuir (1898m). Superb viewpoint to the south. There, go up the trail to the chalet de la Grande Biesse and draw left to reach the summit or, more interesting, go straight up the pathless grassy ridge that comes down from map point 2263. The top is within easy reach up grassy slopes and a ridge. Descent: see previous route.

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From Tourmentier

Before driving into Montdenis, turn right and go down the Tourmentier trail. It crosses a stream at Pont des Moulins and goes up again towards Tourmentier, a very secluded and quiet mountain village. Drive up to the end of the forest trail in Les Essarts and leave the car. Keeping on the trail at the bottom of the gorge, reach the Barbole ONF hut after a 40-minute walk in very wild and impressive surroundings. Just before the chalet, turn left and go up the grassy slopes above Barbole on a good path that will take you to Plan du Cuir and the previously described route.

Grand Traverse via la Platière (from Champessuit)

It is possible to make a full traverse of Côtes de Lancheton by going up the Col du Bonnet du Prêtre route starting in Champessuit. On arriving under Croix des Citrées, walk up to a plateau (alt. 2411m) and start a roughly level southward traverse towards Roches Rouges (2551m), which mark the beginning (or the end) of the Lancheton ridge. This last section is part of the sentier balcon. Walk then up and down the easy ridge towards Cime de Lancheton. The traverse is long (6 to7h), but can be shortened if a car is left in Montdenis.

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