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WALK 14

Refuge de L’Arpont (2309m: 7575ft)

Start	Termignon (1304m: 4278ft)
Valley base	Termignon or Aussois
Distance	7km (4 miles) one way
Total ascent	1005m (3297ft)
Time	3-3½hrs
Map	Rando Éditions Carte de Randonnées A3 ‘Vanoise’ 1:50,000

Located on a grassy shelf high above the west bank of the Doron gorge, and with tongues of the 11km-long Glaciers de la Vanoise glinting from the upper ridge, Refuge de l’Arpont is a fine place in which to spend a night. Ibex are often spied grazing nearby. Cascades shower over high cliffs, and from a bluff behind the hut La Grande Casse and La Grande Motte are both on display. The hut is visited by walkers tackling the GR5, and by both the Tour of the Vanoise and the shorter Tour des Glaciers de la Vanoise, but the approach described below is the direct route from Termignon in the Maurienne, upvalley from Modane, by which it is served by bus. It’s quite a tough walk, in that the trail which climbs out of the valley makes few concessions, and gains something like 700m in less than 3km.

From Termignon wander along a narrow surfaced road (D83) heading northwest beside the Doron river towards le Villard and la Fontanelle. After about 2km come to the Pont du Chatelard and a small parking area at about 1347m. Cross to the west bank of the river where you soon join a path which begins the steep climb to a group of farm buildings at le Mont. It is a steep climb too, twisting in numerous tight zigzags to the west, then northwest, up the hillside a little south of the Doron gorge – a dramatic cleft through which the river is fed by a whole series of streams falling from the icefields above the Arpont hut.

On gaining the farm buildings and ruins at le Mont (2038m; 2½hrs) join the GR5 and bear right through thickets of alder and with occasional views down into the gorge. As the way progresses you come to the first alpenroses, while Pointe de la Réchasse gives the impression that it’s blocking the valley ahead. Footbridges lead the path across stre ams that have dug channels through the rock, water-falls spray above the trail and you pass a few ruined hutments, the Chapelle St-Laurent and a small farm, with the hut now in view on a spur jutting from the Dôme de Chasseforêt. This is gained by slanting up a final easy slope at 2309m.

Refuge de l’Arpont

Refuge de l’Arpont commands a fine view to the south. Owned by the National Park authority it has 92 places, a full meals service and kitchen facilities. It is manned from mid-June to mid-September (Tel: 04 79 20 51 51, refuge.arpont@orange.fr, www.arpont.refuges-vanoise.com).

Above the hut to the southwest lies the little Lac de l’Arpont at the foot of the Glacier de l’Arpont. A 2hr round-trip to this tarn is worth making, if it is your intention to spend a night here. Other routes from Arpont lead down-valley along GR5 to the privately-owned Refuge du Plan Sec, and upvalley to either Refuge du Col de la Vanoise, Refuge d’Entre Deux Eaux or Refuge du Plan du Lac (see Walk 15).