Tour Du Mont Blanc - Variante de la Fenêtre d'Arpette

MODERATE (2.2/10)

Grands Dessous → Arpette

Distance

11.2 km

Ascent

+1,130 m

Descent

-1,119 m

Est. Time

5h 02m

Altitude

1,520–2,624 m

Type

point-to-point

A rewarding day in the mountains — the Tour Du Mont Blanc - Variante de la Fenêtre d'Arpette packs 11.2 km and 1,130 m of climbing into a 5h 02min day. Running from Grands Dessous to Arpette, the trail spans an elevation range of 1,520 m to 2,624 m. At 101 m/km, this is one of the steeper profiles you'll find.

The route breaks into 6 segments. The toughest stretch is the 1.3 km from Pointe de Prosom to Someceon du Dru, climbing 447 m — an unrelenting 343 m/km grade.

Only 45% of the route is below 15% gradient — expect to hike more than you run, especially on the big climbs. Some pitches hit 60% gradient, so trekking poles are strongly recommended.

Budget roughly 2,919 kcal of energy expenditure and 3.0 L of water. Aim for 60–90 g of carbs per hour to avoid bonking on the longer climbs.

Alpine route. Usually accessible from June to October. Early and late season may have snow patches above 2200m. Expect snow patches above 2,424 m into early summer.

Elevation Profile

Moderate (10–15%) Steep (15–25%) Flat (<5%) Very Steep (>25%) Easy (5–10%) Peak Hut

Route Map

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Trail Splits

Waypoint-to-waypoint breakdown with estimated hiking times (Naismith's Rule).

Segment	Dist	↑ Ascent	↓ Descent	Time	Cum. km
📍 Grands Dessous → Croix de Prélayes	0.0 km	+0m	-0m	0 min	0.0
⛰️ Croix de Prélayes → Pointe de Prosom	2.2 km	+558m	-5m	1h 22m	2.2
⛰️ Pointe de Prosom → Someceon du Dru	1.3 km	+447m	-0m	59 min	3.5
⛰️ Someceon du Dru → Six Carro	1.4 km	+33m	-367m	38 min	4.9
⛰️ Six Carro → La Breya	3.3 km	+0m	-615m	1h 10m	8.2
⛰️ La Breya → Arpette	2.5 km	+93m	-132m	45 min	10.7
Total	11.2 km	+1,130m	-1,119m	5h 02m	11.2

Terrain Analysis

Runnability

46%

Mixed

% of route below 15% gradient

Climb Ratio

101 m/km

Very steep profile

↑ 1,130m ↓ 1,119m

High Point

2,624 m

High alpine zone

Low point: 1,520m — Range: 1,104m

Nutrition & Hydration

🔥

Energy Burn

2,919 kcal

MET 8.3 · hiking intensity

💧

Water Needed

3.0 L

~0.5 L/hour of activity

⚡

Fueling Rate

60–90 g/hr

carbs · 438g total carbs needed

Estimates based on metabolic equivalent (MET) for hiking with significant elevation gain. Actual needs vary by body weight, fitness, weather, and pack weight.

Pace Estimates

Based on Naismith's Rule adjusted for distance, elevation, and technical difficulty. Click a pace to update split times above.

🥾

Relaxed Hiker

6h 33m

1.7 km/h avg

🏔

Average Hiker

5h 02m

2.2 km/h avg

🏃

Trail Runner

3h 01m

3.7 km/h avg

Current Conditions

⛅

-0.5°C

Partly Cloudy

💨 11.8 km/h 🌧 3% chance

Next 24h: -0.5°C – 2.6°C

At trail center · Updated 2026-03-06

Best Season

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Best Snow Risk

Alpine route. Usually accessible from June to October. Early and late season may have snow patches above 2200m.

Nearby Points of Interest

⛰️ Peaks

Someceon du Dru 368m · km 3.5
Pointe des Écandies 454m · km 3.7
Le Génépi 678m · km 4
Six Carro 679m · km 4.9
Tronc du Berger 741m · km 0.3

📍 Nearby Places

P2280 333m
Ly 566m
P2364 581m
Argny 887m
L'Eudéi 945m

Route Details

Network: Regional Trail Network
Sport: hiking
Start: Grands Dessous
End: Arpette
Start Coordinates: 46.03231, 7.00877
OpenStreetMap: View on OSM →

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