The Hiking Club

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Les Tseppes trail

We are working to add the following alternative routes to our itinerary builder. At this stage, they can only be added to your itinerary and map via our Custom GPS Map or Expert Access packages.

Les Tseppes trail: Leading away from Refuge du Col de Balme (middle of shot) toward the grassy mountain (Croix de Fer) behind it.

Where will you find this route?

  • Walker’s Haute Route (alternative trail)

  • Tour du Mont Blanc (alternative route)

Description: Leaving Col de Balme, this alternative route first climbs a little higher first, offering the opportunity to add on a couple of short summits to L'Arolette and Croix de Fer. The trail then begins traveling down through the meadows of Les Tseppes, which continue to offer views of Glacier du Trient, the Aiguilles du Tour and the Mont de l'Arpille, before entering the forest for the ongoing descent. It rejoins the much busier main trail that went via Chieuset in Trient.

*Please note that the description is written from an

  • Eastward hiking perspective for the Walker’s Haute Route

  • Clockwise hiking perspective for the Tour du Mont Blanc

Difficulty: Mountain Trail.

Are there any other route options? Yes, there are two;

  1. Les Grands trail: Diverts at Col de Balme and rejoins at either Col de la Forclaz or Buvette du Glacier du Trient depending on other route choices

  2. Via Chieuset: Diverts at Col de Balme and rejoins at either Trient, Le Peuty, or Col de la Forclaz depending on other route choices

Transport Shortcuts: No

Considerations: At the end of June 2022, local authorities are showing this route as closed due to storm damage with no re-open date listed. Consider an alternative route for summer 2022.