On the way from La Gurraz to the Refuge de la Martin, you will pass waterfalls, glacial streams and alpine pastures; along the way, views open up of the glaciers de la Martin and de la Savinaz. Villaroger also offers mountaineering destinations, seasonal skiing and the Fête de Saint Roch, with its breadmaking tradition. When planning your stay, it is helpful to start by deciding whether you want to focus mainly on trails, winter sports or a specific local event.

Hiking Among Refuges and Mountain Scenery

The Refuge de la Martin is located in the commune of Villaroger, within Vanoise National Park, and can be reached on foot via several easy, marked trails. The ascent from La Gurraz takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes, covers 550 metres of elevation gain and has a total distance of 7.5 kilometres. These figures complement one another: the approximate duration gives you a sense of the time required, while the elevation gain and distance help you assess the scale of the route. Take all three figures into account when planning.

The scenery along the route gives the hike its distinctive character: it passes waterfalls, glacial streams and alpine pastures, with views of the glaciers de la Martin and de la Savinaz. This means the approach can be described not only in terms of time and distance; the scenery along the way is also part of the hiking experience.

The Refuge de Turia serves a different purpose. It is a starting point for mountaineering trips to Mont Turia, the Dôme de la Sache and Mont Pourri. It also serves as a stop for hikers who want to circumnavigate Mont Pourri or explore Vanoise National Park and the Réserve Naturelle de Villaroger. For planning purposes, this answers a different question from the ascent to the Refuge de la Martin: here, the focus is on climbing destinations and its role as a stop, while the other route has specific details for the approach from La Gurraz.

Nature and Visitor Activities

The Réserve des Hauts de Villaroger covers 1,062 hectares. This figure gives you a concrete sense of the area’s scale without requiring you to choose a particular hiking route. The Maison de la Réserve welcomes visitors in Le Planay. Free guided walks along the trails are available on request. If you would like to plan one, ask about availability before your visit.

Skiing in the Winter Season

The Aiguille Rouge ski run is 7 kilometres long, with an elevation drop of more than 2,000 metres. The Villaroger ski sector has around 20 kilometres of pistes and is shared with the Bourg-Saint-Maurice/Les Arcs ski area. The figures for the individual run and the approximate length of the sector provide different scales for planning your winter trip.

Skiing is a seasonal activity; check current operating conditions and piste information locally before your visit. ESF Villaroger offers ski lessons for children and adults. Check the current availability of this seasonal offering in advance as well. Lessons are one possible activity during your stay, but they do not replace planning your winter days yourself.

Breadmaking Tradition and Planning Your Stay

The Fête de Saint Roch takes place every year on the Sunday after 15 August. Residents of La Gurraz take turns making traditional bread, a process that lasts three nights and two days. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, use this recurring date as a guide and allow for the time needed to make the bread. One bread oven dates back to the 19th century.

When planning your accommodation, it is worth setting your travel dates and main activity together: the date of Saint Roch, the ascent to the Refuge de la Martin and seasonal ski days each involve a different focus. The destinations reached from the Refuge de Turia offer a separate option for hikers and mountaineers.

Discover more destinations: Le Bettaix, Sainte-Hélène-Sur-Isère, Pralognan-La-Vanoise, Trévignin, Apremont, Landry, Courchevel 1550, Attignat-Oncin

For the regional travel overview: Savoie.