The Grand Tour du Thabor starting from Névache (the High Alps)

From Névache Ville Haute (Tourist Office), cross the Clarée at Pont de l'Outre, following the right bank up, skirting around the stunning Cascade de Desbaret before reaching Pont du Rately.
Leave the bridge on your right and continue along the GR57 (the red/white markers), with a steeper gradient along a beautiful forest of "meleze" (hybrid larch) to the hamlet of Le Serre, from where you can look out over the valley and enjoy a gentler climb to reach Refuge Buffère.

Just above the village, walk up the Vallon de Cristol to the left. After a steep climb through the forest at an altitude of 2,100 m, follow signs for the Côte Rouge path, allowing you to reach Refuge Buffère in 2 hrs 30.

From Refuge Buffère (2,076 m), follow the path down towards La Souchère.
On reaching the bottom of the valley, stay on the good path which runs along the right bank. 500 metres further on, look out for a track that climbs to the left towards Refuge du Chardonnet (signposted). This joins the path leading up from Fontcouverte to the chalets of Laraux.
Follow the path through ravines to Refuge du Chardonnet (2,227 m).

You can make a round trip to the Col du Chardonnet at 2,638 m (+400 m, 3 hrs), before returning to Refuge de Ricou. Cross the flat area to the west of the refuge to join the path leading down to Fontcouverte via the chalets in Queyrellin.
Pass by La Fruitière restaurant (meals and refreshments) and cross the Clarée. The track leading up to Ricou turns left 20 metres after the bridge. Refuge Ricou (2,115 m) is an easy 45-minute walk.

From Refuge Ricou, climb up to Lac Laramon and Lac Serpent. Then, at the peak of Lac Blanc (2,995 m), drop down to Chemin de Ronde (the trails cross at 2,291 m). Head north along Chemin de Ronde, which boasts magnificent views of the Cerces. You will pass just below Lac de la Cula and then, after a small pass (2,400 m) make your way back down to Laval. You can then reach Refuge Laval (2,010 m) in the hamlet.

From Refuge Laval, take Pont du Moutet to Lac des Béraudes (2,504 m). Cross Col des Béraudes at 2,800 m (+800 m). Walk down to join the GR®57. Head south-west to Col de la Ponsonnière (2,613 m). Follow the GR®57 to Col des Cerces (2,574 m) and continue to Refuge des Drayères via Lac de la Clarée.

Leaving Refuge des Drayères, follow the path around the lakes (Lac Rond and Lac du Gran Ban). The ancient boundary marker separating France from the Kingdom of Piedmont and Sardinia can be seen at the top of the path. Veer right towards Col de la Plagnette. Then follow a fairly long, sloping path that takes you to Pas des Griffes (2,554 m) and enter the Neuvache valley where you can admire the magnificent landscape.
The path leads down Neuvache and you can see Refuge de Terre Rouge nestling in the middle of the valley. You then need to head south towards Chalet des Barmettes, and Lac de Curtalès, before crossing the river over a wooden bridge. After the bridge, the path leads you to a beautiful peat bog which you pass on the right to reach the refuge.

From Refuge de Terre Rouge (2,180 m), head north towards Notre-Dame des Neiges, following the path to La Loza, up the small valleys to Lac de Roche Noire and then join the path to Col des Marches (2,725 m). From here, head down to Lac de Bissorte and follow the path to the right towards Refuge des Marches (2,230 m).

From Refuge des Marches, head north up Vallon de Bissorte until you reach Col des Bataillères at 2,804 m (+620 m), via Lac des Bataillères. Then join Refuge du Mont Thabor (-300 m) via Les Lacs Sainte Marguerite.

From Refuge du Mont Thabor (2,501 m), head down via Col de la Vallée Etroite. At the pass, take the right-hand path and head towards Lac du Peyron (2,440 m).
Walk alongside the lake and follow the uphill trail around the rocky outcrop that overlooks the lake. You’ll then reach Col des Méandes (2,720 m) where you can join the "classic Italian route" to climb Mont Thabor. From here, follow the path up to the cross at the top of the mountain (3,178 m).
Take the same path down as far as Col des Méandes. From the pass, take the path leading down into Vallon du Dîner until you reach the small footbridge at Prat du Plan (with Grand Serrus on the left). Cross over the footbridge and then turn left. Pont de la Fonderie and Granges de la Vallée Etroite are not far.

Leave the hamlet and follow the signs for "Bardonecchia" (by the fountain).
Continue along the tarmac road and cross the Miglia bridge. Just after the bridge (near the barrier restricting vehicles), turn left towards the river. Cross Pont de Ranfoure and follow the path down, along the left bank. This path runs below the Rois Mages mountain (on the left) and the impressive Paroi des Militaires (on the right).
This is the alluvial Plaine de Vourzenet (Saules). From here, the view of the Rois Mages and the Paroi des Militaires is breathtaking.
Continue along the path, passing by the Pian del Colle campsites. At the junction with the main road, turn left and continue for 200 metres until you reach the start of the Via Ferrata at La Rouas. Cross the main road and follow it up to the Mélezet ski lift car park. After the car park, cross the bridge and continue along the road for 100 metres. Then, turn left and follow the signs for Sentiero Paradiso, a scenic overlook that leads to Borgo Vecchio. Follow the “Via Medail” signs. As you head down this road, you’ll find the majority of Bardonecchia’s shops (1,315 m). At the end of the road, cross the pedestrian crossing under the railway line. As you come out, go straight on until you reach the main road to Turin.
Cross over the road, and turn left at the pedestrian crossing that leads up to the Millaures route. Follow this path, which passes under a road and then under the motorway. At the first house, turn left onto the path leading up to Prérichard.
Go into the village and turn left at the fountain. Follow the path to a junction where you have to turn left.
Next, turn right onto the trail and continue (at the river, do not go up to the left, but cross over and continue along the flat section) until you reach the Saint-André church (well worth a visit).
Pass by the cemetery and a small playground, then follow the path that leads up to the left.
At the first crossroads, turn left to reach Granges Medau (Medail), then left again to pass Granges Garnier.
At the bend in the road, take the bridge and follow the path straight ahead (not off to the right or left) that at first climbs gently and then flattens out, eventually leading you down to the car park looking onto Rochemolles.

Cross the bridge leading to the car park and take the path up to the left.
At the first crossroads, follow the path straight ahead (due east). After a few bends, at a sharp turn to the right, continue straight ahead (in an easterly direction) towards Granges de Mouchecuite.
Cross over the Valfredda stream at Pont de L’Etan.
Take the path to the left of Chapelle de Notre-Dame des Neiges (1,863 m), then turn right onto the Sentier de la Gentiane and follow the mule track (1,927 m). Here, you'll see the former Decauville railway line that was used to construct the Rochemolles dam.
Follow the flat trail along the Col du Sommeiller route and Rio Almiane, passing through a tunnel to reach the base of the dam.
Turn right onto the route leading to the refuge hosts’ house until you come to the route leading to the pass. Cross it and follow it for a few dozen metres to climb the mule track to the left (north/north-east) of Grange Almiane (2,129 m).
At La Grange, turn right and take the path (south/south-east) that runs above Grange Selle (2,225 m), following the valley to reach Col Almiane (2,677 m).
Head down the north-facing scree slope to join the road at Pian dei Morti (approx. 2,470 m).
Continue along the route until you reach the top of the first bend in the track leading down (along the left bank of Rio Fond) and follow its winding course up to the last bend.
Continue down for fifty metres, taking the path on the right (downstream) on the north-west side towards Rio Balma.
Cross over and turn right (north-east) towards Cascade du Fond, along the mule track that leads to Refuge Scarfiotti.

Follow the path towards Cascade du Fond and up the valley of the Rio Balma to a large rock where the path crosses the river and reaches the Col du Sommeiller road. About fifty metres before the first bend in the road, follow the path straight ahead towards Rio du Fond. The path veers to the right (south-east) and runs alongside all the bends in the road up to the bridge crossing over Rio du Fond.
After the bridge, turn right (south-east) and head up Vallon du Fond, alongside the stream through the pastures. Follow the path to Pian dei Frati and rejoin the road.
From a sharp bend at around 2,540 m on the right (east/south-east), the path leads to Pas de Fourneaux Nord (3,137 m).
From Pas de Fourneaux, a short detour will take you to Pointe du Sommeiller (3,332 m) (1 hr 20). From the top, you can enjoy a panoramic view over the entire western Alps (Highly recommended).
From Pas de Fourneaux Nord, head south for Lac Galambra.
Above the lake, the path veers off to the left (east), passing below the abandoned barracks. Make you way over to the Sigot bivouac (3,020 m) to reach a plateau (3,004 m), where the descent to Lac de Monache (2,567 m) can be found on your left (north-east). Look out for the fork in Sentier 2000, and turn off to the right (south-east).
Continue south-east from the lake (keeping to the left at the two junctions where the path leads to Mont Chabrière) to reach Refuge Levi-Molinari (1,850 m).

Starting from Refuge Levi-Molinari (1,850 m), make your way down to the bridge below.
From the car park, follow the path off to the left (Fenils-Salbertrand) towards Grange Soullier. Continue towards Salbertrand until Borgo Combes, 1,240 m – Deveys.
Cross the main road (Strada Statale) and continue along a path that dips down onto a minor road leading to the bridge over the river Doire in the village of Champbons (886 m). At the village fountain, take the path up through the forest to the Chenal stream (990 m). Cross over the stream, then veer left onto the trail that leads directly to Case Sapé (1,188 m). Stay on the path through the forest that leads to Salbertrand. After the "Casa del Parco" (road sign), follow the "Sentiero dei Franchi" (S.F.) to where the trails cross (1,054 m) and then heads up to Refuge Arlaud in Montagne Seu (1,764 m).

From Refuge Arlaud, follow the forest route to Monfol. At the end, near to a sharp bend in the road, take the path that leads straight down to Monfol (1,662 m). After the houses, turn right onto the path that leads down to the village of Gad. Continue along this path until you reach an altitude of 1,000 m, crossing over Rio Gran Comba on a small wooden bridge. Cross horizontally and follow the Collet-Cotantin path to Oulx (signposted) until it starts to go down to the right towards the main road (strada statale).
Just after the "Le Baite" supermarket, leave the road and take the path that runs along a flat section. After a short climb, continue until you come to a large ENEL electricity pylon. There is a short descent to reach the Via Roma at the start of the village of Oulx (1,100 m). Continue along Via Roma through the old town of Oulx (passing the bar, bakery, patisserie, etc.).
At the bridge leading to Oulx station, cross over and take a short ramp (for Cotoliver) to find the start of the path to Pierremenaud/Vazon (1,650 m).

From Vazon (1,650 m), follow the signs for Lozet (1,745 m) to Grange Millaures (1,712 m). Continue through Combe de Desertes until Plan de la Selle (1,954 m) (the ruins of an old military building). Turn right towards Crête Cotolivier (north-east), following the mule track that leads to Case Pourachet (2,027 m) and shortly after, Colletto Pourachet (2,052 m) along the ridge that separates Combe de Desertes and the Beaulard slope. Continue along the ridge path as far as Madonna du Cotolivier (2,105 m), where a splendid view awaits. Retrace your steps back to Colletto Pourachet and descend the path for Château Beaulard to Rio Supire at 1,614 m. Head west along Sentiero Balcone (signposted) to Refuge Guido Rey (1,761 m).

From Refuge Guido Rey (1,761 m), follow the path for San Giusto – Madonna della Sanità – Passo della Mulattiera 2,412 m – Col des Acles 2,217 m. Then head down to Pian del Colle/Melezet (1,441 m).
From the Pian del Colle campsite (1,445 m), take the main road to the left and the footpath for Vallée Etroite. This path takes you along the left bank of the stream running through Vallée Etroite. At the bottom of the "Paroi des Militaires" plateau, at La Bergerie (1,711 m), cross the stream and continue along the path until you reach Granges de la Vallée Etroite and its two refuges (I Re Magi and Terzo Alpini).

From the Granges de la Vallée Etroite, take a beautiful, easy path up to the Col des Thures (2194m), then head down to Névache via the gently sloping grassy valley at the top and then along the well-trodden winding path alongside the Clarée (cheminées de fée). You’ll then reach Roubion. Next, head up the Clarée valley to Névache (there is a free shuttle service from Roubion to Névache which runs from mid-July to mid-August).