Hi all, I'm new here!


Anyway,

I'm planning a two week hike in the Parc des Ecrins in the French Alps.

Anyway, thus far I have a nice 7 day trip planned out from Chaillol on the south border of the park to Ailefroide, close to the Barre Des Ecrins/Glacier Blanc.

Anyway, I really want to see the north face of the Meije and some more trekking in that area.

Problem is I don't have have a clue of how to get from Ailefroide to the Meije in the north of the park.

I don't have alpine gear nor experience, so crossing glaciers is not an option.

Any ideas? I know Ailefroide is pretty popular with both mountaineers and hikers, so why not try my question here?

Cheers

Bruno

Hey,

How much time do you plan to take between Chaillol and Ailefroide?? And do you plan on hikking up to the glacier noir/blanc when you're in Ailefroide. With no gear you can follow a path up the moraine of the glacier noir for a great view under the faces of the Barre, Pelvoux, Sans Nom and Ailefroide.

There is an easy route from Ailefroide to get back into guisane valley, which will lead you up over the col du lauterat and into the romanche valley smack bang in front of La Meije. It's just a question of whether you have time. You follow the tour de l'oisans from Ailefrode towards Monetier les bains after which you can follow on paths parallel to the N91 road, over the col (faster) or you can follow the Tour De L'Oisans over the col d'arsine and down into Romanche valley - scenery is amazing there. The latter would be a much nicer hike and I think it'd be two full days of hard slog from Ailefroide - though I know the area well I've only done this route in parts. The routes are well posted - you should get yourself IGN Carte 3436ET when you are there - they'll have it in Ailefroide.

For quick gratification you could probably get a bus (or taxi) in Monetier to La Grave - it's not far at all. If there is one you could get from Ailefroide to the North Face of La Meije in a day if you leave early enough.

Enjoy, it's an amazing area, but can get damn hot in the middle of summer!!

Thanks for the quick reply!

I know it can be damn hot in the summer there, I already visited the south of the park last summer.

Chaillol - Ailefroide should take me 7/8 days;

Starting in Chaillol 1600, then to the summit of the vieux Chaillol > Tourond valley > les Gondouins > Col de Vallonpierre > Refuge de Vallonpiere > Refuge de Pré de la Chaumette > Pas de la Cavale > Col de l'aup Martin > Collet du Rascrouset > Ailefroide.

In Ailefroide I plan to resupply.

After that I have roughly 5/6 days left. The entire trip is gonna last 2 weeks.

I'll check out your suggestions in a minute.

The hike up the glacier noir and/or blanc is definitely an option, but if I do that I don't have time anymore to see the Meije.

Thanks again.

no problem, i actually just got my map out to double check my details - sometimes the memory isn't as efficient as it should be!! if you want to give yourself time around La Meije getting to Monetier Les Bains and cheating from there to get to La Grave would definitely be a viable option. There are buses that travel up the N91 regularly to Briancon from Grenoble and Bourg, I just don't know the name of the company to investigate further but I'm sure you can find out easily. The journey is less than half an hour by car or bus. Personally I'd take the Col D'Arsine- the route will take you under the faces of Neige Cordier,Pic Gaspard and Meije Oriental, really spectacular from the north/east and some great glacial scenery and icy faces and you could still have 3/4 days around la Grave. The route is called GR54, Tour De L'Oisans as far as Villar d-Arene where it meets up with the 'Tour De Haut Dauphine'. You can get from Ailefroide to Monetier or Le Casset (better place to start from next day just outside Monetier) in a days full hike - and from Monetier to La Grave in a days hike - a big day though. There is the refuge de Villar d'Arene in between the two just past the col D'Arsine but once you're there by far worst is already done and I can say it's pretty straight forward from there to La Grave, mostly downhill or flat. To walk to La Grave via the col du lautaret is a straight forward 5hour hike from Monetier with no big changes in elevation. If you're going around August, at La Grave I've done a great hike from the first station of the Meije cable car up the moraine of Glacier Du Rateau as far as the Gare des Ruillans - it's as far as you can go without gear but you can stand looking out over the Girose Glacier with amazing views onto the big tower of Le Grand Pic along the way. This is not a hike for everyone, involves a bit of scrambling and a good head for heights, would probably be too covered in snow right now too - but what a view.

Cheers mate!

What you're describing is what I had in mind as well.

Either hitchhike from Ailefroide to Monetier les Bains (if possible) or go on foot (which seems like a long walk) and from there either in 1 or 2 days to La Grave.

Getting back home is another issue, but I'll look into that later. It should be possible to get back to Grenoble via the N91.



Btw; does my 7 day planning to get from Chaillol to Ailefroide seem reasonable to you?

Last year my planning was 'unrealistic' to say the least (first time in the mountains and all), plus I was hauling a 25kg + pack.

7 days to Ailefroide no problem - long as you're fit enough. To do the whole lot continuously without a day or two rest all the way to la Grave and then continue hikking there is a big task - but if you want to use motorised aid at some stage in between then it becomes a much easier proposition. I think the 'Paydesecrins' tourist office run buses in peak season to go from Briancon and Argentiere to Ailefroide and now maybe even as far as Pre De Mme Carle - you should look into it, because it would open up the possibility of taking in the Glacier Noir hike and still leave lots of time round La Meije. Views of the Barre itself are hard to come by so it's a very impressive place. The refuge du Glacier Blanc hike is also amazing and more fun (hand rails, ropes and ladders) - no gear necessary. Not too hard at all.

Argentiere to Briancon is no problem (train, bus - or walk) and there's a couple of bus companies that run buses from Briancon towards Grenoble. I've gotta say though if you can manage it don't miss that hike into the Romanche valley.

There's not much traffic between Ailefroide and the rest of the world so I don't know about hitching it - but the buses are there and are cheap. IGN maps are also your friend. If you're a french speaker you'll have no problem - if not then you will be busy with a phrase book or dictionary.

http://www.paysdesecrins.com/ should have as much info as you need to get as far as Monetier.....and beyond.....if you don't want to walk that is.

Thanks for the reply.


I'm from Belgium so French isn't my first language but its ok.

The only problem is that southern accent sometimes...


'Avez vous du pain?'

'hu?'

'Du pain'

'Aaaah du peng!'

Etc

you can try col du temple or col du sélé

BrunoM wrote:The only problem is that southern accent sometimes...

'Aaaah du peng!'

As long as you can remember "veng," you'll be fine.

1) Bus line Ailefroide - Vallouise - Briançon :
http://www.autocars-pellegrin.com/horaires1.pdf


2) Bus line Briançon - Grenoble:
http://www.info-ler.fr/Fichiers/FichesH ... /FH_35.pdf

Then step off in La Grave.