A Great Hike up to the Col du Rocher Blanc
The Col is on the Italian border, high over where the herd of Taurine cows graze above the historic hameau (hamlet) of Le Monal. As the sign at the top indicates, it is at 2,833m and a 3 hour, 12 km hike from Sainte Foy station.
Make your way out of the station on the road past 1580m and continue up to Le Monal, in itself a popular picnic destination. Then follow the path up to the barrage (the dam holding back water for the mini hydroelectric power station) and head up the valley on the right hand side of the barrage, underneath the glaciers on your right.
You won’t be alone. As you venture along the paths above the historic and protected ‘alpage’ (mountain pasture for the grazing of animals in summer) of Le Monal you are likely to stumble across goats foraging for their lunch. The farm here makes its own cheese, which is for sale during July and August. Both the fromage du chèvre (goats milk cheese) and the Beaufort d’été (cows milk cheese made from milk produced by cows whilst they are grazing on the Alpine meadows), are a very tasty treat. You will taste the floral aromas from the plants growing all around you. (They also make Tommy and Persillé de chèvre if you’re there on the right day.)
If you are feeling very French, buy some cheese, and when you stop for lunch, cut off some slices with your Opinel penknife to share with your family and friends.
Top tip: when buying cheese from the farm, always buy more than you think you need. You won’t regret it!
The path is well signposted and there is a clear trail to follow. (If you go to Lac Noir, you will not be able to make it to the Italian border at the top go the ridge. It’s another great place to visit though.) The flora is very different at higher altitudes, shorter to protect it against the wind and giving the impression of being several weeks of summer later than what you saw lower down.
The path becomes more rocky as the terrain changes at higher altitude, but it remains evident and there is nothing too technical to contend with. As you approach the summit of the Col, you are likely to find snow still lying on the north facing slopes, and small meltwater lakes for those who fancy a dip.
Once at the top, you straddle the French / Italian border. It always amazes me how each valley has its own style, and the Vallée du Rocher Blanc on the Italian side is no exception.
Look out for Part 2 and where to go for lunch!
Read other articles about Sainte Foy on the Time to Ski blog page
