The Best Alpine Climbing Trails in France

Pointe de la Réchasse (3.212 m)

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

12.55mi

Elevation +

5377f

TrailRank

57

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Les Fontanettes parking - refugio del Col de la Vanoise - Pointe de la Réchasse (3.212 m) and return. Clear, signed trails to Col de la Vanoise then rock cairns marking route to the summit. Moderate rating as some glacie...

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Senda de Camille - Lescun, Linza, Borda Bisaltico, Lizara, Somport, Arlet

Alpine Climbing

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stevecracknell

Distance

69.19mi

Elevation +

19964f

TrailRank

56

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The Senda is a cross-border circuit which takes in part of the Pyrenean Haute Route and the Spanish Senda Pirenaica (GR11), and touches the French Pyrenean Way (GR10) at Lescun. If you follow the standard trek it will ta...

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Champagny le Haut - Refuge du Plan des Gouilles - La Sauvire summit (2696m) - Le Laisonnay

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

7.03mi

Elevation +

4718f

TrailRank

53

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Champagny le Haut - Refuge du Plan des Gouilles - traverse to La Sauvire summit (2696m) - descend down Plan du Pré to Le Laisonnay parking area. Rated as an alpine route because there are sections off trail requiring ro...

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Pointe de la Vallaisonnay (3020m) and Rocher Noire (2931m) loop

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

11.06mi

Elevation +

5013f

TrailRank

53

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Pointe de la Vallaisonnay (3020m) and Rocher Noire (2931m). From the car park, cross the Torrent de Champagny in the direction of Laisonnay d'en Haut (refuge), then past the Refuge de la Glière and its Chapel. I headed...

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Grand Tuf du Plan Sery via Col du Plan Sery

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

8.66mi

Elevation +

4049f

TrailRank

53

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Clearly marked, scenic hiking path up to the Col du Plan Sery. From the Col there is no path or route markers though the peak provides a clear guiding reference point. After an attempt up the back I found the most straig...

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Roc du Soufre (2940m)

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

12.83mi

Elevation +

4131f

TrailRank

53

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Les Prioux (from Pralagnon) - Col du Soufre - Roc du Soufre (2940m) and return. Clear, signed trails up to Col du Soufre though I took a “short-cut” from the GR to Lac Blanc which shortened the route by approx. 2-3 km. T...

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Petit Vignemale

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

16.24mi

Elevation +

5108f

TrailRank

53

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Petit Vignemale summit day trip. Pont d’Espagne - Lac de Gaube - Refugi de Oulettes de Gaube - Col de la Hourquette d’Ossoue- Petit Vignemale summit and return. Beautiful scenery and technically easy though good fitness ...

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Col des Saulces - Passage de Plassa - Col de Mey - Breche Portetta - Col de la Grande Pierre - Pralagnon

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

9.35mi

Elevation +

4987f

TrailRank

52

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Pont de Gerlon - Col des Saulces - Passage de Plassa - Col de Mey - Breche Portetta - Les Glacerets - Col de la Grande Pierre - Le Plan, Pralagnon I would rate it as a difficult hike due to length and elevation if you d...

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Pic Ardiden

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

9.99mi

Elevation +

5151f

TrailRank

52

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La Fruitière - Refuge Russell - Pic Ardiden and return. Beautiful views and although a busy time of year, after turning off the main path to Lac d’Estom I didn’t see a single person for 7 hours! The route is fairly clear...

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Refuge Pietra Piana - Refuge Manganu, GR20 Corse France, June 2018

Alpine Climbing

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omriqo1

Distance

6.27mi

Elevation +

2054f

TrailRank

51| 4.33

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Best day on the GR20: high mountains, glacier lake, mountain passes and snow. Though, long and beautiful. The day starts with a short climb and than relatively flat corsses a few snow section with high mountains and lak...

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Pont de la Peche - Lac Blanc - Col du Grand Infernet - Lac du Mont Coua - Rock des Eaux Noires summit - Col Rouge loop

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

13.25mi

Elevation +

4472f

TrailRank

51

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Pont de la Peche - Lac Blanc - Col du Grand Infernet (2,840m) - Lac du Mont Coua - Rock des Eaux Noires summit (2947m) - Col Rouge (2,731m) - return The route to Col du Grand Infernet is straightforward on established p...

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Col du Genepy (2907m) - Col du Vallonnet (2652m) - Roc du Blanchon summit (2747m) Loop

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

10.93mi

Elevation +

5154f

TrailRank

51

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Parking du Pont de la Peche - Ritort - Col du Genepy (2907m) - Col du Vallonnet (2652m) - Roc du Blanchon summit (2747m) - Plan des Bos - return Starting at Pont de la Peche parking, I followed the Col d’Aussois signed...

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Col Rouge (2731m) - Roc des Eaux Noires (2994m)

Alpine Climbing

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Aviva.laub

Distance

10.27mi

Elevation +

3839f

TrailRank

49

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Pont de la Peche parking (1767m) - Col Rouge (2731m) - Roc des Eaux Noires (2994m) and return. A hike on established trails up to Col Rouge then a relatively short (~1km) alpine scramble to the summit of Roc des Eaux N...

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My Pyrenean Haute Route - HRP - Alta Ruta Pirenaica 2016

Alpine Climbing

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stevecracknell

Distance

527.45mi

Elevation +

154892f

TrailRank

44

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Please note that this is my personal version of the Haute Route, walked over one summer (2016) in 57 days. It avoids certain standard stages which I have already done (Carlit and Canigou) because I wanted to discover new...

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Gouter - Mont Blanc - Nid d'Aigle

Alpine Climbing

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machbohu

Distance

7.86mi

Elevation +

3645f

TrailRank

43

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Pub ideas are usually stupid. This was one of them. But on the other hand it was awesome experience and a dream that came true. In the year 2016 we bound to the first attempt (2014, http://www.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do...

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Perdiguère 3222m border-hike and -scramble

Alpine Climbing

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tommmartens

Distance

3.51mi

Elevation +

2172f

TrailRank

40

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Start: Col inférieur de Literole 2983m (see the Pyrenean Haute Route to get there) Distance: 5,64 km (circular route) Total ascent and descent: 662m Alpine grade: F+ Recommended months: Mid-July to September/October ...

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Aiguille de la grande sassière

Alpine Climbing

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bart.leeten

Distance

3.74mi

Elevation +

4790f

TrailRank

37

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Peak on the French-Italian border, highest peak in the Alps that you can do without tech gear in august.

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Tete de Gaulent

Alpine Climbing

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philingle

Distance

6.00mi

Elevation +

3451f

TrailRank

37

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The craggy summit of Tete de Gaulent (2867m) can easily be seen from the front of our house and I have been keen to make my way up it for some time now. I managed to tempt David Monteith, an Alpine Club member, who was s...

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Mont Blanc 4810m, 31 July 2023

Alpine Climbing

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Florian Sini

with

Distance

13.04mi

Elevation +

8169f

TrailRank

37

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Mont Blanc meaning "white mountain" is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, and the highest mountain in Europe outside the Caucasus mountains, rising 4,810 m above sea level, located on the French-Italian...

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TMB: Chamonix - Chalet de Cerro - Point de Vue - Glacier Bossons - Les Bossons - Les Houches (10/10)

Alpine Climbing

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agorf

with

Distance

8.68mi

Elevation +

2864f

TrailRank

37

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WARNING: The ascent to get a close view of the Bossons Glacier is very steep and at some parts technical. Also, the point you end up is below and in the middle of the whole glacier, which in case of collapse may be fatal...

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Refuge Ciottulu di i Mori - refuge Tighiettu, GR20 Corse France July 2018

Alpine Climbing

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omriqo1

Distance

4.59mi

Elevation +

1319f

TrailRank

37

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A short section along the GR20. The day starts at the bottom of Paglia Orba and descends to the valley. The Descent is rough, on rocks, and requires some scrumbling. The views back to Paglia and Tafunatu and down to the ...

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Taillon and Breche de Roland from Goriz, Ordesa NP Spain Sept 2018

Alpine Climbing

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omriqo1

Distance

11.14mi

Elevation +

4636f

TrailRank

35

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A long half-loop from Goriz refugi to the Spain-France border ridge. The trail starts on the black-mountains area arounf Goriz and reaches first the port in the wall - the magnificent Breche de Roland. Before reaching i...

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Refuge l'Onda - refuge Petra Piana highlevel, GR20 Corse France June 2018

Alpine Climbing

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omriqo1

Distance

4.79mi

Elevation +

2536f

TrailRank

35

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Highlevel variant of the GR20 trail, following the ridge instead of the valley. Relatively short day, starting with a long climb and than quite flat with a short descent to Petra Piana. Once on the ridge there are nice ...

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Viozzavona - refuge l'Onda, GR20 Corse France June 2018

Alpine Climbing

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omriqo1

Distance

7.43mi

Elevation +

3921f

TrailRank

35

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A long day out starting from thr village Vizzavona and ending at the refuge. The first and longer part of the day follows the valley of Agnone climbing up all the way from the forest to point Muratello. This part of the...

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Aiguille du Tour

Alpine Climbing

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bob__stones

Distance

12.57mi

Elevation +

6916f

TrailRank

35

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There and back in a day from the valley floor. Not the best you spend 12.5hrs moving for about 1.5hrs of reasonable fun. There’s no easy mountains in Chamonix if you’re not using lifts & huts!

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