Standard route from Notre-Dame-de-la-Gorge

Access

Saint-Gervais » Les Contamines » Notre-Dame-de-la-Gorge. Go to Contamines Montjoie on D902, 8 km to the south of Saint-Gervais. Continue the road until it ends (parking lot 300 m before the Notre-Dame de la Gorge chapel). There are buses from Fayet station to Contamines (not very frequent) then station shuttle (in season) from Contamines to Pontet (1 km before the Chapel).

Ascent

From the parking lot, traverse the Bon Nant then skirt it for 300 meters via the pedestrian path to reach the bridge opposite Notre-Dame de la Gorge chapel (1210 m) and the beginning of the Roman path.

Go up this path (often icy, crampons sometimes useful). Cross the Roman bridge (take a look at the gorge it sits over), the hamlet of Nant Borrant (snack bar open on crowded weekends at the end of the season) and the long flat area of La Rollaz (1530 m). Continue on the good trail to reach the Balme chalets (1706 m, refuge closed in winter and spring). Climb the small croup to the southwest of the chalets then towards the south to reach the high voltage line pylon (climb well to the left to avoid the sluffs coming from the Roches Franches on the right). Descend just behind the pylon and via a short traverse you reach the Plan Jovet flat area.

Climb this slight slope towards the east for a distance of 1 km, then the croup on the right bank of the torrent of the Lacs. It is also possible to climb the left bank making a loop towards the right (slightly less steep). Skirt the Lacs and climb the last 300 meters via one of the scoops which to the north reaches the northern summit of Monts Jovet. From the summit of the croup it is possible to continue on the ridge which leads to the southern summit (2368 m) then to the northern summit.

Descent

Via the ascent route. The snow is sometimes better going to the bottom of the west face of Tondu: from the summit descend traversing towards the east and descend 250 m on one of the scoops to Lacs Jovet.

Total time span: 6 hours