Snowshoeing treks : Mont Pelat and Mont de la Vierge from the Rochettes chairlift

Start from the Les Ginets car park. Head up towards the finish of the Rochettes chairlift via the Sciaz piste. At the penultimate bend, take the path on your right towards the Morbier farm. The track is obvious and you follow the snowshoe markers (see photo). Climb steadily through the forest until you reach some clearings. Then, on a downhill slope through an area of spruce trees, a long straight stretch leads to the Morbier farm, an imposing traditional building. Reach the Col de la Sciaz by climbing steeply on a wide forest track. In the past, iron ore was transported by mule from the Maurienne valley to the Bauges via the Col de la Sciaz. This iron fed a local nail-making industry. From the col, head up the old ski slope towards Mont Pelat. Watch out for cross-country skiers who may be going down the wrong way. A few more steps and you'll reach the chairlift arrival station and a wooden sign indicating that you are at Mont Pelat (1543 m). Start the descent towards Pré Conduit, following the old ski runs and then the ridge path through the vegetation. This route offers a beautiful panorama of the great peaks of the Bauges: Colombier, Trélod, Arcalod, Pécloz... At the Pré Conduit point, descend to the left following the signs. The slope is steep through a beech forest. Before reaching the Mont de la Vierge chalet, turn left to reach the hamlet of Les Ginets. From here, follow the winding road to the Les Ginets car park and then the Aillon-Margériaz 1000 ski resort