Hiking (mountain trail, in places narrow and exposed)
Alpine route (equipped or very exposed section, snow field, blocks)
R122
Le Lac de Tignes » Refuge de La Leisse
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3h20 |
12.6 km
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693 m
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296 m
From the Tignes lake, Via Alpina takes the GR® 55 trail across the ski slopes via the Fresse pass and enters the core zone of the Vanoise national park at the Leisse pass. Several lakes precede the arrival at the Leisse hut, the stage destination overlooked by the Grande-Motte glaciers with their lifts.
Leave the GR® 5 on the shore of the Tignes lake where the Crouze avalanche-dyke is. Cross the Claret Valley and walk up to the Leisse hut. GR® 55 climbs over the Paquis deep valley and then overlooks the Prariond hut. Further along (2531 metres high), leave the path that goes up to the Fresse peak on your left. Continue direction South – South-West between the Grande Motte massif and the Grand-Pré top. Climb up the rocks (beacon signal on cairns) to reach the Lesse peak (2758 metres). GR® 55 descends into a detritus area (follow the cairn carefully) along a hardly evident forest road. Then skirt the Nettes lake along its eastern shore to reach its southern end. The well visible path which runs across the Plan des Nettes on the river’s right bank is in the pastures. A little after a small dike you’ll arrive at the Leisse mountain hut (2487 metres). (Philippe Lambert, FFRP)
Natural and cultural heritage
Via Alpina leaves Tignes and heads up to the Freisse pass, where it crosses the border of the central zone of Vanoise national park, continuing to the Leisse pass (2,729m in altitude) very close to the Grande-Motte glaciers. Near this summit (3,653m), certain limestone formations are literally tortured by countless microfolds that bear witness to the extraordinary upheaval caused by the collision of the African continent with Europe just over 60 million years ago. The trail then enters into the impressive Leisse valley after passing the Plan des Nettes lake. In this valley, the southern side of the Grande Motte-Grande Casse range is very special: it is a stony, rocky area reputed to be a chamois kingdom, where the name of the highest Vanoise summit derives all of its meaning. In fact, the Grande Casse, with all its 3,855 metres, is nothing but a gigantic slope of scree swept by avalanches and rockfalls over a drop of more than 1,600 metres in altitude when seen from its southern face. This summit was conquered for the first time in 1860 by William Mathews, accompanied by his guide Michel Croz, who also climbed Mount Pourri the following year. At the Leisse Hut, it is possible to dip back into the history of the establishment of mountain huts in the Vanoise region. When the Park was created, there were no French Alpine Club huts specifically dedicated to mountaineering and high altitude activity. It was therefore necessary to create others in order to provide medium-sized mountains with quality accommodation facilities. The Park assumed responsibility for doing so, and today the Leisse Hut is typical of this new generation of mountain huts. It consists in three “chaloins”, wooden chalets prefabricated in the valley. The accommodation facilities are therefore divided into three: a chalet to accommodate the Park guards and wardens, one for the refectory and one for the dormitory. Furthermore, the Park makes the most of its huts by setting up information and awareness-raising panels in them on the integration of the hut into its environment, with differing themes in each hut. (Nicolas Aubertin, Gilles Chappaz, Grande Traversée des Alpes)
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.
Houdayer Alain - 2022-09-07
J'ai pu dormir mais pas manger car je n'avais pas reservè.Jamais vu ça sur toute la Via Alpina.Heureusement j'avais des provisions de secours.
Landschaftlich sehr schöne und eindrückliche Etappe. Die Hütten im Nationalpark Vanoise waren Mitte August alle ausgebucht. Es empfiehlt sich, in der Hochsaison frühzeitig zu reservieren.
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Scenic very beautiful and impressive stage. The huts in the Vanoise National Park were all booked out in mid-August. It is recommended to reserve early in the high season.
Elisabeth - 2015-10-14
J'ai oublié de signaler que l'AJ des Boisses est fermée.
Il faudrait modifier le résumé : la VA ne passe pas au col de Fresse !
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I forgot to mention that AJ Boisses is closed. Should be amended summary: VA does not pass the Col de Fresse!
I arrived in Refuge de Leisse at 6.30pm, wet, cold and exhausted because of a snow-storm, and was rejected! A group rented the whole place, and because they had a celebration they would not want a soaked hiker in the room! I asked for some tea before going on, had to pay E2.80 and went of for another 1h30 to Entre Deux Eaux, where I was very warmly welcomed!
tof - 2015-02-11
Trieste-Monaco le 24/09/14
On laisse derrière les bruits de la station pour gagner des plateaux d'altitude à l'ambiance minérale. Passé le glacier de Tignes, seul au monde et lorsque la neige se met à tomber le refuge de la Leisse prend toute sa fonction.
Refuge non gardé cette période, mais il y a tout ce qu'il faut et un tronc pour la participation aux frais.
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Trieste-Monaco on 24/09/14 is left behind the station noise to gain altitude plateaus with mineral atmosphere. After the glacier of Tignes, alone in the world and when the snow begins to fall the refuge of Leisse takes its function. Refuge unguarded this period, but there is everything you need and a trunk for the participation fee.
Refuge de la leisse is greatly located and very well kept by Celine. A warm place where it is good to stop fill up stomach and heart with positive vibes
The youth hostel in Tignes les Boisses is a good option but personnaly think in few years it won t exist anymore..a 5 star resort have just been built nearby
refuge de la Leisse to Val Claret is about 2h30 (snow all the way in June 2013)
Mountain Girl - 2011-10-27
The refuge is very basic, but the voracious chickens that Jean-Luc mentions were still there in Sept 2011 (and just as hungry).
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3h20 |
12.6 km
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693 m
|
296 m
Favourites, criticisms ? Make your personal comments on this stage. For more general notes please use the comments section of the page Over to the Via Alpinists.