High mountain escapades — 15 peaks over 3,000m in the Alps
Hiking Collection by Chloé Perceval
15
Tours
91:52 h
153 mi
59,150 ft
Flirting with glaciers, scrambling along mountainside trails and climbing incredible ridgelines all in one day. If these words have managed to catch your attention, you’re probably ready to try your first (or second, third, fortieth?) 3,000-metre (9,800 ft) peak.
The goal of this Collection is simple: to present you with 15 summits over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) which are epic for hiking. From the Vanoise massif to the Cerces, the Écrins, the Ubaye and the Mercantour, the summits in this Collection are superb intermediaries between the middle mountains and the highest alpine peaks.
You don't need to be an experienced mountaineer or put on crampons, helmets and harnesses for these routes. However, you must be in good physical shape and have the drive to challenge yourself. Your efforts will be rewarded with spectacular views of the Alps, whether French, Italian or Swiss. Passing the 3,000-metre mark is of course symbolic, but it’s no less magnificent.
Most of the itineraries pass by refuges where you can eat, refill your water reserves, and also divide the longest routes in two if you wish.
Some of these hikes are accessible by car, others by bus or train. Whenever possible, I recommend that you use public transportation.
Summer is the best time for taking on these fantastic ascents. If you start too early in the season, you risk encountering snowfalls and other dangerous conditions. Many cities, villages and ski resorts have online webcams that allow you to check the state of the summits, winter and summer. Be sure to check them out before you hit the trails: you can see if the snow has melted and whet your appetite for the adventure ahead.
On The Map
Tours & Highlights
- 08:0912.3 mi1.5 mph5,675 ft5,675 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
At 3,098 meters above sea level, Mont Buet offers an unobstructed view of the Mont Blanc massif. It's not the easiest peak to reach in this Collection, but it's unquestionably one of the most incredible and wildest. Those who do not feel like doing the round trip in one day can cut this hike in two…
- 06:217.40 mi1.2 mph4,450 ft4,450 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Located on the Franco-Italian border, the Aiguille de la Grande Sassière peaks at 3,747 meters above sea level. Its ascent can be done when the snow melts, during the summer. The ridge line leading to the summit is absolutely amazing and will give you spectacular views of the French, Italian and Swiss…
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- 05:158.26 mi1.6 mph3,525 ft3,525 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Pointe des Fours is located at 3,072 meters above sea level. I suggest you reach it here from the car park located at the level of the Manchet chairlift, on the heights of Val d'Isère. A departure can also be envisaged from the Pont de la Neige in Bonneval-sur-Arc, for a shorter hike, with a few more…
- 05:549.65 mi1.6 mph3,675 ft3,700 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Located in the heart of the Vanoise National Park, the Pointe de l'Observatoire is known for the incredible views it offers of its many glaciers, Mont Blanc and the Péclet-Polset massif. This pretty hike will take you to its summit, at 3,015 meters above sea level.
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- 05:218.91 mi1.7 mph3,475 ft3,475 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
The Signal du Petit Mont Cenis culminates at 3,163 meters above sea level and overlooks the massif of the same name, the Vanoise and the Écrins.
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- 07:0713.8 mi1.9 mph4,225 ft4,225 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Italian until 1947, Mount Tabor culminates at 3,178 meters above sea level. It was the Treaty of Paris that made Thabor a French summit by moving the border between Italy and France. With its neighbor the Pic du Thabor, located a little to the north at 3,207 meters above sea level, it dominates the Cerces…
- 05:409.03 mi1.6 mph3,475 ft3,475 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Pointe des Cerces culminates at 3,098 meters above sea level. The months of August and September are the best time to make this ascent which will offer you a 360° view of the high peaks of the Cerces massif, the Écrins, Mont Blanc and Mont Viso.
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- 07:3713.5 mi1.8 mph4,550 ft4,550 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
The Grand Galibier is a summit of the Massif des Cerces which culminates at 3,228 meters above sea level. Its ascent offers you a summary of what this massif has to offer: incredible panoramas, pretty alpine lakes and handfuls of ibexes.
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- 06:0210.0 mi1.7 mph4,100 ft4,100 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
A pyramidal shape and a flat top: you won't be mistaken thinking you can see it from afar, it's Mont Chaberton! Its characteristic silhouette makes it easy to identify. This summit of the Cerces massif culminates at 3,131 meters above sea level. Its ascent is not very difficult and takes you close to…
- 08:0713.4 mi1.6 mph5,000 ft5,000 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Summit of the Écrins massif, Vieux Chaillol rises to 3,163 meters above sea level. Its ascent offers superb views of the massif and the Champsaur valley.
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- 02:253.93 mi1.6 mph1,775 ft1,775 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
This is one of the easiest hikes in this Collection. And for good reason: the start is almost 2,600 meters above sea level! From the top of its 3,138 meters, the Pain de Sucre offers a 360° panorama of the French, Swiss and Italian Alps.
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- 04:378.92 mi1.9 mph3,100 ft3,100 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
La Mortice is made up of three summits: a South summit at 3,169 meters above sea level, a North summit at 3,187 meters and an unnamed central summit at 3,155 meters. This pretty hike allows you to reach all three and offers breathtaking panoramas of the region.
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- 07:2011.4 mi1.6 mph4,825 ft4,800 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
With its 3,325 meters high, Pointe d'Aval is one of the highest peaks in Haute-Ubaye. Its ascent is partly similar to that of the Tête de la Frema.
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- 06:5912.3 mi1.8 mph4,050 ft4,050 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.
Straddling the border between France and Italy, the Tête de la Frema peaks at 3,151 meters above sea level. It is an accessible summit that promises you a most aesthetic hike. Those who do not wish to do the hike in just one day can easily cut it in half with a night at the Chambeyron refuge.
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- 04:5810.5 mi2.1 mph3,300 ft3,300 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Located at 3,051 meters above sea level, Mont Pelat is often considered one of the easiest peaks over 3,000 meters. This is explained in particular by a fairly high start and the absence of really technical passages to access it.
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Collection Stats
- Tours15
- Distance153 mi
- Duration91:52 h
- Elevation59,150 ft
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