Push open the door of your chalet and let yourself be tempted by a seasonal outdoor activity: here are the 3 best snowshoe hikes around La Féclaz!
In the heart of the mountains, Savoie sits proudly on the podium of France’s most mountainous regions. The mountains are strung together like pearls on a necklace. While many winter sports enthusiasts flock to the region’s ski slopes, Savoie has many other surprises in store. One of these surprises is snowshoe trekking. In this article, we’ve chosen to introduce you to the trails at La Féclaz.
With its 150 kilometers of groomed, forest and sunny slopes, La Féclaz is a particularly attractive, intimate resort. Perched on a forest plateau, overlooking the Bauges massif, the charming town of Chambéry and Lac du Bourget, La Féclaz is also part of a region nicknamed « Little Canada ». Here’s a closer look at the 3 best snowshoe hikes around La Féclaz.
Montagne de Bange, Refuge du Creux de Lachat, Montagny
- ⌛ Duration: 5h15
- 🚶 Distance: 13.4 kilometers
- 🏔️ Vertical rise: 820 metres
- 🥾 Level: moderate
- 💙 We like: a loop with varied landscapes with little travel
- 🧭 Se e this hike
This route takes in Montagne de Bange, Refuge du Creux de Lachat, Montagny and Bourchigny. The beautiful 13.4-kilometer loop takes you through the snowy, confidential landscapes of the Parc naturel régional du Massif des Bauges. Discover glades and pastures nestled in powdery snow.
Bathed in the gentle morning sun, the bright, immaculate alpine meadows and peaks gradually contrast with the deep green of the forest. The path is pleasant and gradually becomes more demanding. Although closed in winter, the Refuge du Creux de Lachat is an integral part of the massif’s forestry and pastoral history.
Take a break when you arrive in Montagny, a small Savoyard village at an altitude of 1050 meters.
Here you’ll discover some fine examples of traditional architecture and a number of places where you can enjoy a comforting gourmet break.
This snowshoe hike in La Féclaz is still a well-kept secret, so you won’t meet many people along the way. You’ll pass through several trackless areas, waiting patiently for your arrival. What a privilege!
GRP du Massif des Bauges, Tour des Bauges, stage 3
- ⌛ Running time: 7h25
- 🚶 Distance: 19.5 kilometers
- 🏔️ Vertical rise: 1,342 metres
- 🥾 Level: moderate
- 💙 We love: the breathtaking panoramic view of the snow-covered mountains
- 🧭 Se e this hike
The GRP du Massif des Bauges is one of the region’s most spectacular itinerant hikes. While the complete loop, whose itinerary flirts with Aix-les-Bains and Lac d’Annecy, offers 6 days of adventure in summer, it would be a shame to miss out on its beautiful views in winter. That’s why stage 3 of the trek made it onto the podium of the best snowshoe hikes in La Féclaz.
On this stretch, you’ll skim over the vast mid-mountain forests, alpine meadows and mountain passes, all under their pure mantle. This stage also takes you to the open ridges of the mountains: karst giants whose backs can’t be bent.
The Massif des Bauges is also a mecca for mountain flora and fauna, even in winter. You’ll pass through several sensitive areas, populated by black grouse – to be spotted by the little red patch on their heads, visible in the snow – peregrine falcons and golden eagles. Keep your eyes peeled!
On the way, we stop to taste the famous Tome des Bauges, accompanied by a small glass of Savoy wine.
This route starts in Aillon-le-Jeune and ends in La Féclaz. Be prepared to return to pick up your vehicle or to be dropped off at the start of the hike.
Margeriaz via the Crêtes
- ⌛ Duration:3h00
- 🚶 Distance: 7.7 kilometers
- 🏔️ Vertical rise: 475 metres
- 🥾 Level: moderate
- 💙 We love: the spectacular 360-degree view of the ridges
- 🧭 Se e this hike
This superb snowshoe hike near La Féclaz winds its way through the Margériaz Massif. Mont Blanc, the peaks of the Bauges and even the Chartreuse and Vanoise massifs are within easy reach. With snowshoes on your feet, you can alternate between the forest and the ski slopes.
After the sparser landscapes, you reach the ridge. Here you are, as if in absorbent cotton, above the rocky bars. Further ahead, Mont Margériaz rises to 1845 metres.
This moderate route takes three hours and is accessible to all types of walker. It’s certainly one of the most popular snowshoeing itineraries in La Féclaz. That’s why you’ll always meet a few people along the way.
During your stay, take the opportunity to visit Annecy. From its enchanting Old Town to the Pont des Amours, not forgetting its emblematic lake, this Venice of the Alps is a great place to get away from it all. Another idea is a wellness cure at Aix-les-Bains. Aix-les-Bains is France’s second-largest spa town, thanks to the many virtues of its warm waters. This wellness destination, set between lake and mountains, is also a photogenic city of art and history.
A successful stay at La Féclaz
Like one of our selected hikes? Now all you need to do is organize your stay in La Féclaz! We’ve put together some of our best articles and travel tools to help you organize your stay.
Getting around La Féclaz
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