Hiking to the Col d'Arves

An emblematic silhouette in Maurienne. The Aiguilles d'Arves dominate the Arvan valley. The prettiest trilogy of the Alps according to the british Coolidge who was the first to officially ascent it in 1878.The highest of needles peaks at 3514 meters, it is the Southern Needle. Others are named the Central Needle (3513m) and the Northern Needle also called The Head of Cat (3 358 m and 3 364 m). Accessible out of the snowy period and depending on the weather conditions. Information about the access and weather forecast : contact the tourist office. In winter, the site of Le Chalmieu is inevitable to practice snowshoeing in our Mountains of Arvan-Villards. 3 ideas of hikes in summer : - The Easy Walk of Discovery The Savoy Les Aiguilles d'Arves: Easy walk. Accessible to strollers and people with reduced mobility. Duration: 1h30/2h. Circuit marked by interactive bornes : discovery of high mountain pastures and th life of the alpine inhabitants. - The Foot of Les Aiguilles d'Arves: departure hamlet Le Chalmieu 73300 Albiez-Montrond (1900m) - arrival La Basse du Gerbier (2578m) - 5h30 round trips. - Departure from Entraigues (1250m) in St. Jean d'Arves, hike making a loop route, to do with a bivouac : one made uneven positive of 1400 meters. Without a bivouac : have 2 cars, one parked in le Chalmieu.

Discover the Hamlets of Saint Jean d'Arves. Les Chambons comes from the Latin "Campus Bonus" which means "good field" "rich ground". Plan Gaspard, formerly called "Plangaspard" designs this flat area. Family walk, accessible with a pushchair.- Round trip : 1h15 - Level : Easy (regular slope) - Shuttle stop : Les Chambons - Interest : Panorama on the main hamlets of Saint Jean d'Arves "ski side" / Visit of "Infusions des Aiguilles d'Arves" (hours ont the entertainment program). Start from the bridge at the entrance of the hamlet Les Chambons. Cross the bridge and follow the road walking by a cross (on your left) and the chapel “Saint Antoine and Saint Roch”. Keep walking up until the last house of the hamlet “Le Clos d’Ornon”. From there, turn around and enjoy the lovely landscape. Keep walking on this road surrounded by thickets until you arrive at the hamlet “Les Côtes”. When the houses are on your back (look at the Aiguilles d’Arves), you will see the “plateau des Enversins” (snowshoe walk “Chambons sector”). Down below, in the valley Rieux Bouchard, you can frequently see roe deers and does. Keep going up to reach a hairpin bend. A little bit further, you will find the hamlet of la Curiaz and plan Gaspard, where most of the homes are traditional farms, one of which is still in operation. If you go until the end of the parking lot, you will have a great view of the left bank of the Arvan river et the ski resort with on the further west the Ouillon summit (2432m); on your left a little closer Mont Corbier summit (antenna 2265m) and you the right Mount Charvin (2207m) and the Outraz forest. In this spot, you are at the same height than the hamlet of La Chal, on the edge of the glacial moraine. These hamlets are said “rising sun” because at all season, they are the first ones to have the sun in the morning. On the way back, take the same itinerary.

Come discover some of Saint Jean d'Arves' hamlets. easy walk for everybody. Les chambons would come from "campus bonus" : good field (fertile).- Round trip : 1h15 - Level : Easy (regular slope then flat) - Shuttle stop : Les Chambons - Interest : Important agricultural and historical place, typical hamlet. Start at the bridge at the entrance of the hamlet Les Chambons. Right before reaching the chapel “Saint Antoine et Saint Roch”, follow the road towards “Le Poingt - La Ville”. Keep going up the hair pined bend road, with behind you, the landscape opens onto residentials and touristic hamlets and the ski resort. Info: this road is not paved and is one of the hardest to maintain in a good shape for the village of Saint Jean d’Arves. In fact, it is located on the edge of the glacial morain which is in perpetual erosion. Once you have reached the top of the hair pined bend road, a path directs you towards “Altisurface ” (snowshoeing walk altisurface and les Buffettes). Keep walking on the road, which will be flat soon. When you reach the fork, take the right road ahead to get to the hamlet La Ville where there will be a farm. At the crossroad, you will see the mountain Montzard (2107m) across from you. With luck, you might be able to see buffs. Follow the road on your left to reach the hamlet Le Poingt and its traditional houses. Right after the left turn, you can make a round trip to the chapel “Saint Laurent”, fully restored by the local heritage charity. Keep walking on the road that climbs slightly left to reach the fork. Right before the fork, below left, a water reservoir (locally called “bachal”) is supplied by a maintained source. Start coming back and at the end of the plateau, close to the hiking sign “Le Plateau”, a bench on your right, offers you a panoramic break: l’Ouillon all the way to the left, the Aiguilles d’Arves (3514m) and the Mount Charvin (2207m) and its forest in between.

Entraigues (intraquae) = “in between waters” at the confluent of the Arvan (down form the etendard glacier) and the Arvette (form les Aiguilles d’Arves). On of the 22 of Saint Jean d’Arves’ hamlets has, since 1840, its own church because it’s too far from the main hamlet “La Tour”, close the hamlet La Chal.- Round trip : 45min - Level : Easy (flat) - Shuttle stop : Entraigues - Interest : Heritage walk / Sundial Start form the parking spot in the back of the hamlet. Once you are there, you can wander around and you will see, the bridge, the bachal (used to be used by the community), traditional houses, the ancient high school, the church of Entraigues and it’s sundial, a bower (former ball room), Guille statue (former guide native from this hamlet, pioneer in the conquest of the Aiguilles d’Arves).

Come discover some of Saint Jean d'Arves' hamlets. From the hamlet of La Chal, go discover the hamlet of Le Mollard walking by Le Collet and its chapel, the hamlet of LA Tour and its church and finally toward the donkey farm.- Round trip : 2h - Level : Easy (slight slope) - Shuttle stop : Marie-Miellerie (Town Hall-Honey maker house) - Interest : Visit the honey maker house (hours ont the entertainment program). / Visit the donkey farm (hours ont the entertainment program) / Orientation table Start from the town hall or the church. Go up the road toward the crossroad walking by the inter-municipal school (Saint Jean d’Arves and Saint Sorlin d’Arves) where 35 kids go, as well as the public library. Cross the road towards the path bordered with ancestral willows. Keep walking up until reaching the hamlet “Le Collet”. You will arrive close to the chapel Sainte Brigide, through the door window you can have a peak inside. Keep walking on the main road until you find yourself at the bottom of the dirt road to Le Col d’Arves that used to lead to Saint Jean de Maurienne. Keep walking on the main road until you reach the orientation table where you can read the landscape. At the end of the road, further away is the hamlet “Le Mollard”. You can walk through it and see the traditional farmhouses. Come back down the road and when you are at the chapel, take the road on your right. 150m below, a yellow sign will indicate a shortcut to the snow front, otherwise follow the road (an extra 600m on the road). If you parked your car next to the town hall, take a left at the end of the road.