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Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike

Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike
Tour du Thabor from Valmeinier - 5-day hike

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Description

A wild itinerary, bathed in lakes and scree, awaits you. Linking the Maurienne Valley, the Haut Val de Suze and the Clarée, this ancestral passageway promises sumptuous panoramas.

START: Valmeinier 1500 m

DAY 1: Valmeinier - Refuge des Marches (2183 m)
Duration: 5h / Difference in altitude: + 1225 m / - 542 m
Head towards La Losa to climb up towards Les Vallons. After the Roche Noire lake, head for the Col des Marches. From the Col, all you have to do is descend into the Bissorte valley, with a view of the dam, to reach the refuge. Now you've arrived, all you have to do is enjoy a good craft beer.

DAY 2: Refuge des Marches (2183 m) - Refuge du Thabor (2502 m)
Duration: 3h30 / Difference in altitude: + 600 m / - 300 m

In the morning, before setting off in the direction of the Thabor refuge, you can leave your rucksack at the refuge and take a walk around Lac de Bissorte (allow 1hr30).
To climb to the Col des Bataillières, follow the path up the Bissorte valley towards Lac des Bataillières. To reach the pass, simply take the path that rises above the lake. From the refuge to the pass, it takes around 2h45. To get back down to the Thabor refuge, it's a 45-minute walk. Don't forget to stop off at the Sainte-Marguerite lakes above the refuge for a siesta before enjoying some home-made pastries.

DAY 3: From Thabor refuge (2502 m) - Les granges de la Vallée Etroite (1765 m) with ascent of Mont Thabor (3178 m)
Duration: 7h / Difference in altitude: + 676 m / - 1700 m

At dawn, because it's so hot on Mt. Thabor, you'll need to descend for a few minutes to the Col de la Vallée Etroite to take the path up to the summit. From the Col des Méandes, the Way of the Cross begins, taking you to the chapel just below the summit.
From the summit, you have to retrace your steps to the Col des Méandes, before plunging into the Vallée Etroite. There's still 1h30 to go before enjoying an Italian speciality in one of the two refuges in the Vallée Etroite (Refuge Terzo Alpini or Refuge I Re Magi).


DAY 4: Les granges de la Vallée Etroite (1765 m) - Refuge des Drayères
Duration: 6h / Ascent: +1000 m / - 650 m

From the Etroite Valley refuges, head up towards the Fonderie bridge. Before the bridge, there's a fork in the road on your left which climbs up towards Prat du Plan (when you came down from Le Thabor the day before, you came down this way). At Prat du Plan, take the path heading towards Lac du Chardonnet. You'll come across the new GR from the summit of Le Thabor. On this GR, head for the Col des Muandes, 2828m. From the pass, head towards Lac des Muandes and Lac Rond, then on to the refuge des Drayères.

DAY 5: Refuge des Drayères - Valmeinier
Duration: 7h / Ascent: +500 / -1000 m

For your last day, all you have to do is climb to the Seuil des Rochilles with its Lac Rond. After the lake, head for the Col de la Plagnette to descend to the long vaché overlooking Valloire. Be careful not to descend too far, as you'll need to take the path up to the Pas des Griffes.
From the Pas des Griffes, descend to the Chenalette parking lot in Valmeinier, passing under Lac Vert.

Book online at: www.refugesclareethabor.com

Technical Information

Walking
Difficulty
Medium
Dist.
174 km
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Altimetric profile

Starting point

Valmeinier 1500 (La Ville Dessus) , 73450   Valmeinier
Lat : 45.187044Lng : 6.481371

Points of interest

image du object

Refuge Terzo Alpini

Terzo Alpini is a refuge located in the Vallée Étroite, at an altitude of 1780 m. It is part of the commune of Névache. The Vallée Etroite is part of the commune of Névache, and is a listed and protected site.Managed by Riccardo and Anna Novo, the refuge is open in summer from mid-June to mid-September, and in winter from mid-February to mid-April. It is also open out of season on weekends (booking required). For New Year's Eve, reservations by telephone only. Catering by prior arrangement. The refuge : Terzo Alpini welcomes up to 34 guests (20 in rooms and 14 in dormitories). The refuge has hot showers on every floor, summer and winter alike (hot showers cost €1). Both the small rooms and the dormitory are equipped with wooden bunk beds, making for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The refuge comprises 2 rooms for 2 people, 2 rooms for 4 people, 1 room for 8 people and a dormitory for 14 people. Accommodation 1/2 board, picnic baskets on request. The cuisine: At Terzo Alpini, Italian tradition comes first! You can try Piedmontese starters such as anchovies au vert, beans in salad, petite tome, cold cuts, sweet and sour zucchinis and many other specialities. At Terzo Alpini, polenta has pride of place! It's put more than one exhausted hiker back on his feet! It's served with alpine cheeses, meat and sausage, or venison cooked by Riccardo. Of course, we also offer daily specials such as ossobuco, tajine and more... And for children, we have a special menu. The Vallée Étroite is the ideal location for a wide range of sporting activities: ski touring, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, hiking and horse-riding, mountain biking, climbing on the magnificent routes of the "Paroi des militaires"... Accessible on foot from Névache, Modane and Bardonecchia in summer, but also by car, it can only be reached by cross-country skiing, ski touring or snowshoeing in winter.

Vallée Etroite 05100 Névache
- Office de tourisme des Hautes Vallees -
Consulter
image du object

Les Drayères mountain hut

Ski instructors and mountain guides Anne & Boris welcome you at the bottom of the Clarée valley. The refuge is ideally located in an area rich in lakes, at the start of a wide variety of itineraries.Friendly and comfortable: The atmosphere is warm and friendly. The refuge team welcomes you for a night, a stay, a meal or a snack. Warm up by the stove after your mountain outing and enjoy a moment of sharing or relaxation in the new lounge. A library and board games await you. In the bright and spacious dining room, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the valley floor. Each dormitory is equipped with cosy comforters, so a fitted sheet is all you need. There are also hot showers and a place to dry your shoes. The refuge belongs to the FFCAM. We can accommodate 64 people in dormitories of 4, 6 and 8 places. Whenever possible, we reserve a dormitory for the same group. The dining room and 4 dormitories for 32 people (with blankets) are at your disposal when you're not on guard duty. Please leave the refuge clean and pay for your night in the box inside the refuge. To facilitate our organization and the smooth running of the refuge, we ask you to book your half-board on line or by telephone during the seasons on +33 (0)4 92 21 36 01. Cuisine: We offer simple, healthy, home-cooked cuisine! Most of the products we use are organic or locally grown. If you wish, we can prepare snacks for your hikes the following day. Just let us know when you arrive at the refuge. All day long, we serve à la carte meals and offer the possibility of eating on the terrace in the sun or inside by the stove. In the evening, a communal meal is served in the dining room. For those with special dietary requirements, we'll do our best to accommodate. NEW YEAR'S EVE Come and enjoy the early winter powder at the refuge des Drayères. Whether you're ski touring or snowshoeing, it's ideally situated at the center of many easy itineraries. In a magical setting, you'll find the refuge in its coat of snow. We offer a convivial mountain meal, homemade mulled wine and a festive aperitif... Simplicity and sharing after a beautiful day in the mountains are part of the magic of life in a refuge during the winter season. Try the New Year's Eve experience at the Drayères refuge! For bookings, ensure your bed on our online reservation, deposit required: 10€ per person per night. For further information, please contact us by telephone on 06.45.74.07.93 Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information: Mail : refugedesdrayeres@gmail.com Phone : 04.92.21.36.01 Facebook : Gardien Refuge des Drayères

Haute Vallée de la Clarée 05100 Névache
- Office de tourisme des Hautes Vallees -
Consulter

Date and time

  • From 15/06/2026 to 15/09/2026

Additional information

Type of land

Stone
Ground
Not suitable for strollers

Contact

Phone : 04 79 59 53 69

Website : https://www.valmeinier.com/

Environments

Mountain view
Mountain location

Topo guides and map references

Topo guides references :
Topoguide "Autour du Thabor" (Around Thabor)

Map references :
IGN 3535 OT Névache Mont Thabor / "Autour du Thabor" guidebook

Location complements

Car access and parking
From the A43, exit at Saint-Michel-Valloire, then head towards Valloire
(D902), then Valmeinier 1500 (D215A). Go as far as the Chef Lieu and 100 m
left after the Taverne, follow "la ville Dessus" and park.

Updated by

Agence alpine des territoires - 07/11/2025
www.agate-territoires.fr
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Reception complements

Don't forget to book your huts.

Guidebook with maps/step-by-step

DEPARTURE: Valmeinier 1500 m / Book online at: www.refugesclareethabor.com

1/ DAY 1: Valmeinier - Refuge des Marches (2183 m) / Duration: 5h / Difference in altitude: + 1225 m / - 542 m

2/ DAY 2: Refuge des Marches (2183 m) - Refuge du Thabor (2502 m) / Duration: 5h / Ascent: + 1225 m / - 542 m
Duration: 3h30 / Ascent: + 600 m / - 300 m

3/ DAY 3: From Refuge du Thabor (2502 m) - Les Granges de la Vallée Etroite (Refuge Terzo Alpini or Refuge I Re Magi) - with ascent of Mont Thabor (3178 m) / Duration: 7h / Ascent: + 676 m / - 1700 m

4/ DAY 4: Granges de la Vallée Etroite (1765 m) - Refuge des Drayères / Duration: 6h / Ascent: +1000 m / - 650 m

5/ DAY 5: Refuge des Drayères - Valmeinier / Duration: 7h / Ascent: + 500 m -1000 m

Animals

Yes. Natural area with no regulatory protection allowing dogs. However, dogs must be kept on a leash around flocks and herds to avoid disturbing wildlife.

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Caution!
We have no information on the difficulty of this circuit. You may encounter some surprises along the way. Before you go, please feel free to inquire more and take all necessary precautions. Have a good trip! 🌳🥾