GR5
The GR5 trail starts from the North Sea coast, in Hoek van Holland, all the way to the Mediterranean in Nice, 2600 kms away.Across the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Jura and the Vosges in France, across the Swiss Jura all the way to Lake Geneva, and back to France and the North-South crossing of the Alps, from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean.
From the gite du Pontet (1,170 m)
Follow the Mont Blanc and GR5 route. Walk by the Nant Borant refuge, the la Rollaz high mountain pastures, the refuge de la Balme, the Plan des Dames, to reach the Col du Bonhomme. It’s a trek without any particular difficulty.
Level : average++
Rise Time : 5h
Elevation: 1100m
From Chalet Nant Borant ( 1460m )
Follow the Mont Blanc and GR5 route. Walk by the Nant Borant refuge, the la Rollaz high mountain pastures, the refuge de la Balme, the Plan des Dames, to reach the Col du Bonhomme.
Level : average+
Rise Time: 3h30
Elevation: 900m
From the cottage de la Balme (1706m)
Walk to the confluence of the creek that flows from the Jovet lakes, then walk up towards the Tumulus. Walk to the Col du Bonhomme, and carry on to the refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme (2,433m).
Level : average
Rise time: 3 hours
Positive difference in altitude : 775m
Negative difference in altitude : 40m
From the refuge of Plan de la Lai (1820m)
Follow the Beaufortain tour trail north-eastwards to reach the col de la Sauce at 2,307m, then ascend the Crête des Gittes before getting to the refuge.
Level : easy
Rise time: 2 hours
Elevation: 800m
From Presset refuge (2514m)
First walk across the Grand Fond pass at 2,671m – descend the Combe de la Neuva (partly on névé depending on the time of year), extremely wild landscapes - La Raja Chalets (above Les Chapieux) – Ascent towards the Croix du Bonhomme refuge at 2,433m.
Level : average++
Rise Time: 5h
Positive difference in altitude : 830m
Negative difference in altitude : 911m
To the refuge de la Balme (the most common sense) (2009m)
Climb down Arrête des Gîttes (Gîttes crest) all the way to the Plan de la Lai refuge, then ascend the mountainside to the col du Bresson (a 450m elevation gain). Then it’s a short hike down to the refuge de la Balme.
Level : difficult
Rise Time: 7h15
Positive difference in altitude : 1050m
Negative difference in altitude : 950m
