Le Col de Martignare
This long, fairly alpine hike will take you to the gates of Savoie, from the Col de Martignare, in a lunar setting, you can admire the Aiguilles d'Arves. The long crest of La Buffe will offer you a unique panorama of the two valleys.
From the starting point of Chazelet (1770 m), go up the tarmac road which passes above the village for around 200 m.
Turn left before the first houses and take the Chemin des Plagnes. After about 200 m, go up to the right by a small path that joins a cross. Follow the path uphill that crosses the hay fields until the 2nd hairpin. At this point, take the small path that joins the ski lift then runs alongside it until the wooden cross.
Continue along the path that crosses the Plagnes ski lift and joins (2005 m) the path that leads towards the Martignare valley. Turn right and follow the markings to the “col des Plagnes” (2106 m) on the edge of the Chazelet forest.
Follow the entire ridge towards the Signal de la Grave then, when you reach the small pass, at the foot of the latter (2252 m), take the horizontal path towards the bottom of the valley. Follow it to a flat area (2352 m) which overlooks the streams descending from the Goléon (herds).
Still on the side, cross these streams (at the place called Coin du Loup), pass near the salt hut (place called Clos de Bonnefin), follow the Martignare torrent overlooking it and cross it at point 2360.
Go back up the other side (steep passage) and continue on the wide grassy ridge (Place called Coin Belle). Cross several valleys, go back up towards the north towards the pass (2763 m), a pass which is reached by an ascending traverse towards the right.
From the pass, climb the wide stony slope to the west towards the southern tip of La Buffe (2878 m), which you can reach in 30 min.
The return is made by taking the wide ridge (standing rocks) towards the south. Reach the small Buffe (called P'tit Huberte) (2683 m) descend its southern slope (large unstable rocks) to reach the now grassy ridge.
When you reach alt. 2420 m, take the secondary ridge that descends in a south-westerly direction towards the Buffe valley. When you reach a salt shack, take the slope on the left. The poorly marked path passes the ruins of the "three houses" then heads towards the "Orliers".
Take a good path to reach the “Tuf cross”, take the right track on the left, cross the hamlets of Rivets and reach Chazelet, the starting point of the route.
Turn left before the first houses and take the Chemin des Plagnes. After about 200 m, go up to the right by a small path that joins a cross. Follow the path uphill that crosses the hay fields until the 2nd hairpin. At this point, take the small path that joins the ski lift then runs alongside it until the wooden cross.
Continue along the path that crosses the Plagnes ski lift and joins (2005 m) the path that leads towards the Martignare valley. Turn right and follow the markings to the “col des Plagnes” (2106 m) on the edge of the Chazelet forest.
Follow the entire ridge towards the Signal de la Grave then, when you reach the small pass, at the foot of the latter (2252 m), take the horizontal path towards the bottom of the valley. Follow it to a flat area (2352 m) which overlooks the streams descending from the Goléon (herds).
Still on the side, cross these streams (at the place called Coin du Loup), pass near the salt hut (place called Clos de Bonnefin), follow the Martignare torrent overlooking it and cross it at point 2360.
Go back up the other side (steep passage) and continue on the wide grassy ridge (Place called Coin Belle). Cross several valleys, go back up towards the north towards the pass (2763 m), a pass which is reached by an ascending traverse towards the right.
From the pass, climb the wide stony slope to the west towards the southern tip of La Buffe (2878 m), which you can reach in 30 min.
The return is made by taking the wide ridge (standing rocks) towards the south. Reach the small Buffe (called P'tit Huberte) (2683 m) descend its southern slope (large unstable rocks) to reach the now grassy ridge.
When you reach alt. 2420 m, take the secondary ridge that descends in a south-westerly direction towards the Buffe valley. When you reach a salt shack, take the slope on the left. The poorly marked path passes the ruins of the "three houses" then heads towards the "Orliers".
Take a good path to reach the “Tuf cross”, take the right track on the left, cross the hamlets of Rivets and reach Chazelet, the starting point of the route.
