Randonnée du film "Pur Week-End" - Sentier du Balcon (Iseran)

A hike in the region Rhône-Alpes

This hike is on the same route as those you can see in the French movie "Pur Week-End", in a nature protected area in the Iseran massif. Along this hike, you can observe the glaciers of Iseran and Maurienne. You will also meet alpine animals, such as marmots, chamoises, and you can see Edelweiss. At least a half-day is necessary to go and back.

Information

General points

• Geographic situation. District : Bonneval-sur-Arc (department Savoie, canton Lanslebourg-Mont-Cenis)
                                     Road map with
• Starting point : From Bonneval-sur-Arc, take the road D902 towards Iseran pass, and stop at the car park of Ouileta.
• The length of the stroll is estimated at 11 Km and the walk duration is about 3 h 30 mn.
• The stroll is marked out all along
• Stroll form : linear
  Remark about linear strolls : the duration of walk and the road-book are presented for one-way direction. Distance and time should be doubled when one goes and back.
• Stroll relief : mountainous (alt. mini = 2476 m ; alt. maxi = 2759 m)
• Maintenance : wild (possible extension of undergrowth or deadwood, difficult course)
• Exposure : open (a sun protection might be foreseen)

Special conditions

This hike is situated in the Nature Reserve of Iseran. It is strictly forbidden to collect plants. You are in a protected area, respect it.

The advised season for this hike is from the middle of June till the middle of September and when the weather is fine.

Refuge: the refuge of Carro is open from the middle of June till the middle of September; 80 persons capacity.

Noteworthy places

Réserve naturelle de l'Iseran. The hike is situated in the alpine stage, on the adret slope (sunny slope). High mountain plants grow there, such as Alpine Snowbell, Glacier Crowfoot, Purple Saxifrage, etc. Paradoxically, the plants survival conditions are more severe on the adret side than on the ubac side. In fact, at the end of the spring, plants undergo an intense dehydration because of the sunshine during the day, and also alternation of diurnal heat with night frost extends over a longer period on the adret side (gelifraction makes plant rooting difficult).

Maps

Carto Explorer 73 , IGN 3633 ET.