Argentiere Tre-le-Champ Discovery Loop
7
Overall rating
Good
Length
7.57km
Elevation + / -
325m / 325m
Trail type
Loop
When to go
Mid May - End Oct
Hike duration
2.0 - 3.0 Hours
Altitude Range
1261m / 1431m
Technical level
Very Easy (1/5)
Natural beauty
Nice (3/5)
Run duration
1.0 - 1.5 Hours
Families
7+ Years old
Dogs
Dogs Allowed
Provision Sources
2 Restaurants
Contributors:
This is a fantastic little loop walk which will explore the towns and hamlets of Argentiere, Le Planet, Montroc and Tre-le-Champ at the western end of the Chamonix Valley. As always we try to combine as many sights and points of interest as possible into a single trail.
You will start of at the town center of Argentiere. From there we move westward towards the big church of Argentiere, the Eglise de Saint-Pierre Argentiere, a beautiful baroque church dating back to 1724. If it is open then go ahead and have a quick look inside. After that we move towards the forest, stopping by the Chapelle Protestante de Argentiere. This is a little wooden chapel on the edge of the forest. From there we move into the forest and head towards an opening that has two little lakes, a little stream and a playground for children. If you are bringing kids then this is the perfect place to set them loose for a bit. From there we move south west, passing by a nice bridge over the Torrent de Lognan to the Cremerie du Glacier, a fantastic little trail restaurant where you can have a snack or a meal. From there we head back north crossing a second bridge over the Torrent de Lognan before making our way up to the hamlet of Le Planet. From there we move down over the ridge to Montroc passing by a big dairy farm where in summer they sell their home made cheeses. If the shop is open then you should definitely have a look. We then use the main road to cross the bridge into the hamlet of Montroc making our way up the hill to Tre-le-Champ. There is a nice spot with nice views all around and a number of wooden carved totems that will remind you a bit of the statues on Easter Island. We then make our way up to the main road and the parking of Tre-le-Champ before turning the corner and heading back down through Tre-le-Champ. You will be passing by a big wooden cross and the Auberge la Boerne in the heart of Tre-le-Champ. The Auberge is open in the summer months and has a little restaurant where you can enjoy a meal or a snack. There is a little side trail to the left that you can take to visit a smaller memorial cross but this might be private property. After that we had down the hill and make our way back to Argentiere.
Overall, this is a fantastic little route with so much to offer for both young and old with plenty of possibilities for a meal, a snack or a picnic along the way. If you want to further extend it then combine this trail with our Le Tour and Montroc short loop to add Le Tour to you adventure.
Photos of this Trail
We have a large library of pictures from in and around the Chamonix Valley. All pictures are categorized and geo location tagged. These are the pictures we have for this trail. Click on any picture to view it's details and location.
Trail Directions & Safety Considerations
Children
7+ Years old
Dogs
We recommend to keep your dog on a leash
When to Go
Mid May - End Oct
Risk Considerations & Difficulty Assessment
This route stays at relatively low altitude with 1431m being the highest elevation you will reach. The trails are all easy and the main waypoints are all well marked. Your biggest challenge will be staying on the exact route as we lay it our here as there are many trails that will generally head in the same direction. There is no risk of getting lost of getting into any serious trouble on this one though. The trails themselves are not technical. The climb up to Le Planet is fairly steep but not difficult.
Trail Starting Point
You can start from the little town square of Argentiere. This is easily reached using public transport using either the bus or the train which both have stops in Argentiere. There is a large parking along the main road of Argentiere at the northern end of the town if you are coming by car.
Trail Directions
From the center of Argentiere make your way to the big Church. Stay on this road and head westwards and you will pass by the next way point which is the Protestant Chapel. There will be trail markers pointing you in the right direction. From the chapel head west into the forest. There will be multiple trails here but you will want to head in a southern direction looking for a two small lakes and a playground. There will be multiple trails heading there so its hard to miss. From there your next destination will be the Cremerie which will be marked. There are only two bridges in this part of the forest that cross the Torrent de Lognan. You will take the eastern bridge on your way to the Cremerie and the western bridge on your way to Le Planet. Its not a distaster if you switch this around by accident. After the cremerie you will head north where your next way point is the Hamlet of Le Planet. This will be clearly marked too. Once you have reached le planet make your way up north on the trail that runs next to a pasture. At the first junction you will head down the hill towards the dairy farm at the bottom of the hill. You will then cross the bridge in the direction of the Montroc train station. Before the train station you will turn westward into the village. Nearing the end the road you will see a trail marker for Tre-le-Champ. It will take you up the hill to a nice junction of trails where on the righthand side you will notice totem poles. Pass them by and follow the trail till you reach the main road and a little parking area. Turn back south on the trail with trail markers for Tre-le-Champ. You will pass by a big cross, a water fountain and the Auberge la Boerne. From there follow the trail which will zigzag down the hill and cross the stream and hit the main road that goes to Le Tour. Cross the road and follow the road south which will take you back into Argentiere passing by the graveyard and the town hall, back to your starting point.
Points of Interest for this Trail
We have a large database of all of the points of interests in and around Chamonix. These are the points of interest you will find along this trail:
3D Map & GPS
Trail Route Map & GPS
You can download the GPX file and load this route into your own GPS enabled device or application. If you are on Strava, then you can open this route in Strava and save it to your account.
3D Map of this Trail
FATMAP in an incredible website and mobile application that you can use to view the trail in full 3D, do a fly over of the route and get a detailed vertical profile. You can view the FATMAP of this trail below and use the 'View larger map' link to visit the trail on the FATMAP website.
