The Vanoise national park

Text and pictures © 2007-2024 Guillaume Dargaud
Last updated on 2021/11/05

"Go, climb the rugged Alps, ambitious fool,
To please the boys, and be a theme at school."    — Juvenal, Satires.

Petit Arcelin

Left: Going up the Petit Arcelin, with the big one in the background.

Right: The Petit Arcelin. The climb in in the shaded part.

Left: Halfway up the Petit Arcelin.

Right: Dicey piled-up slabs, but good friction.

Left: The entire route moves sideways, staying below the ridge, so beware if there's a crowd of guides and clients up on the easier ridge route.

Right: Summit of the route on the Petit Arcelin.

Left: Edelweiss flowers are everywhere in the park.

Right: Big spider trying its luck at catching hikers.

Aiguille de la Vanoise

Left: Shepherd houses or their ruins at the entrance of the park.

Right: Hiking up towards the base of the Vanoise Needle, above Cow lake.

Left: Vertical panorama from the Vanoise needle.

Right: A blue-eyed girl on 'La fille aux yeux verts'.

Right: While climbing on the Vanoise needle, the higher peaks in the back of the valley become increasingly visible. On the right 'La Grande Casse' is getting into view.

Left: Upper part of 'La fille aux verts'.

Right: Last pitch on 'La fille aux verts'.

Right: Summit of the Vanoise needle with 'La Grande Casse' in the background.

Left: Carcass of a dead mountain goat before the Grande Casse.

Right: Ruins of an old mountain hut in the Vanoise.

Left: Sleepy marmot.

Right: Horse wandering around the park.

Grande Parei

Left: Portette lake, under the Pierra Menta.

Right: Martin leading the way on the Grande Parei, a ridge leading to the Pierra Menta.

Left: Rock field near the Portette lake.

Right: We combined two routes on a lovely day. It's been a long time since I last hooked up with a rec.climber, but there are still a few of them around, even in Europe.

Pointe de l'Observatoire

Right: The 3 hour long approach is rewarded with an outstanding view on Mt blanc.

Left: 1st pitch of the route, after a tiny neve, even this late in the summer.

Right: Jenny at the end of the first pitch.

Left: Oops, I just went offroute, changing route after some runout on what is normally a well bolted climb.

Right: Higher up on the slab, with the Peclet-Polset hut near the Lac Blanc.

Left: 10th and last pitch of the route.

Right: Summit of the Pointe de l'Observatoire.

Above: Full 360° pano With the Echelle Pt on the left, the Polset Pt and the Dent Parrachée.

Left: Looking at the Corneillets from the descent.

Right: Cows grazing the rumex in front of the Corneillets. Below cheese makers sell their barely prepared fares to the passing hikers.