France for Walkers - Hiking In The Beaufortain

It was lunchtime in Granier, a village on the edge of the Beaufortain mountains. Two men stepped carefully out of the bar, hitched up their work trousers and wandered up the road. They squeezed through a narrow gap by the church, passed a water trough and a cat sleeping on a doorstep and disappeared.

The two men were here for the bar’s plat du jour, which today involved duck thighs and green beans. My husband and I were here because Granier is the perfect launch pad for walks through the Beaufortain, known locally as Cow Mountains or The Big Green. Cow Mountains? Because they are home to the cattle which produce milk for Beaufort cheese, a gruyère of particular quality. The Big Green? Because, unlike the glacial peaks across the Isère valley in the Vanoise national park, the Beaufortain loses its head of snow in summer.

This doesn’t make it less spectacular, simply more accessible. Yet, despite being traversed by the GR5 Geneva to Nice long-distance path and the nine-day Tour of the Beaufortain, it plays host to relatively few walkers. This was reason enough to attract Duncan and I, keen walkers who wanted to spend a few days in an alpine environment, without the dangers associated with glaciers or icy peaks.

Inspection of the map had shown a string of mountain huts that were easily linked, on a route involving nothing more serious than a couple of alpine passes and a large lake. Using the huts meant we could travel light—no further persuasion was needed.

Leaving Granier behind, we set off through meadows bright with wild flowers. At the tiny hamlet of Lavat, cows clustered around a mobile milking stall, their neck bells clanking. Beyond Lavat the path climbed toward a chapel where a waterfall smashed into the river, its thunder bouncing off the valley walls. We gained height steadily until the refuge de la Coire, a large ochre building planted on a pass, was only a switchback away.

The refuge is popular with walkers but we were early in the season and had the place to ourselves. As the mountains reflected a dramatic orange sunset, we lit the wood-burning stove and read pamphlets about traditional cheese-making in nearby Beaufort.

In the morning, a dirt road led us toward the col du Coin, one of the walk’s high points at nearly 2,400 metres. On the way, tucked into a sheltered cleft, we found an alpage. This cluster of buildings is used by farmers who bring their livestock from the valley to the alpine meadows in summer. The alpage tradition is strong in the Beaufortain; each June whole families, complete with dogs and chickens, march up the mountains with their cows and live simply, without electricity and with water piped from streams, until October.

The col du Coin, when we reached it, was a heart-stopper. Our narrow ridge rose sharply to pointed peaks, above a turquoise lake studded with ice and an alpage on a carpet of green. The view seemed too extreme for the effort: we had been walking for just one hour, yet here was a panorama equalling anything in the world’s great ranges.

We descended the steep slope slowly, soaking up our surroundings. Marmots—a furry alpine favourite, looking like a cross between a beaver and a fat, cuddly rat—bounded for cover, flowers lined the path and a butterfly, warm on a rock, flaunted its lacy wings. Narrow footpaths led to a hilltop above Lac de Roselend and Mont- Blanc, Western Europe’s highest mountain, loomed on the horizon.

That evening, at the refuge du Plan de la Lai, we discussed the luxury of time with the guardian, Philippe. It would be possible to walk our route in two or three long days, but that would reduce the enjoyment. And why hurry? Better, we agreed, to be relaxed and have the energy to absorb our surroundings. We immediately put this into action, by rising late for breakfast to find Philippe dunking bread into thick, dark coffee.

Our morning’s path meandered across the plateau above the refuge, then veered to follow a river valley toward a high pass. The peaks of la Terrasse and aiguille de Grand Fond, nudging 3,000 metres, soared into the blue sky and we felt dwarfed. To our left were sharp rock spires, to our right two chamois posed silently on grey cliffs. We sat by the icy torrent and savoured the moment.

Pausing again, on the col du Grand Fond, we heard a noise and turned to greet a fellow walker. Bob, from Sunderland, was walking the GR5 from Geneva to Nice. Several things were notable about him; he was deaf, he was alone, he was on his sixth jaunt along this route and he was 78 years old.

We walked together over the pass and down the valley to the refuge de la Balme. Five Parisians were already there and, once Bob explained that lip-reading in French was a non-starter, our hut-mates happily switched to English.

Next day Bob continued along the GR5, while we headed up a pretty peak by the refuge. Mont Rosset was covered with blue gentians and made an easy final summit on our way back to Granier.

From the grassy ridge that topped the mountain, we could see across the deep Tarentaise Valley into the Vanoise national park. The footpaths and huts there would, we knew, be busy with walkers, while here in the Beaufortain we had barely met a soul. And now, walking back to Granier through a forest where a deer barked in the darkness, we knew we had found a hidden jewel.

Back at the village, we entered the bar to find the same two men sipping wine. This time we joined them, raising our glasses in salute. The toast? To the Beaufortain and four days of sunshine, panoramas and pleasure. May this, we agreed, be the first foray of many.

Route notes

This route is ideal for walkers of all ages. The height gains are modest and days are short enough to enjoy the scenery and relax at the huts. You must be able to read a map, but there are no navigation difficulties, glaciers or other hazards.

Day 1: 800m height gain, 3 hours.

Day 2: 750m, 5 hours. Day 3: 800m, 6 hours. Day 4: 550m, 4 hours.

Getting there

Driving allows flexibility during your holiday. Allow 10 hours from Calais or Zeebrugge. Trains from Paris to Bourg-Saint-Maurice stop at Aime, the nearest station to Granier; add two to three hours to the first and last days’ walking to hike between Granier and Aime. Nearest year-round airports are Geneva, Grenoble and Lyon; consider hiring a car as the region is poorly served by public transport.

When to go

Early June to early October. Snow is likely on the high passes until July and thunderstorms are frequent

in August.

Where to stay

Huts generally have guardians, with meals available, from mid-June to mid-September. All have a winter room open for self-catering except refuge du Plan de la Lai which is closed if the road is open and the warden is absent (likely May and October/November). Outside the guardian dates you must carry food but stoves, bunks with blankets etc are provided.

Costs average €10 to €14 per night, €6 for breakfast, €15 for dinner.

Refuge de la Coire (commune of Granier) tel: (Fr) 4 79 09 70 92

Refuge de Presset (French Alpine Club [CAF], www.clubalpin.com) tel: (Fr) 6 87 54 09 18

Refuge du Plan de la Lai (CAF)

tel: (Fr) 4 79 89 07 78, or (Fr) 4 79 38 72 25 out of season.

Refuge de la Balme (commune of Aime) (Fr) 6 84 35 07 41 54 43 (wardened 1 July-30 August but also for groups on request).

Tourist information

Aime, tel: (Fr) 4 79 55 67 00

Maps

French map IGN series, number 3532 OT, Massif du Beaufortain (1:25,000), GPS compatible (www.ign.fr).