Monolithe de Sardières

'In the heart of the beautiful Sardières pine forest, an unexpected silhouette rises between the trunks. It is the Monolith, a slender cargneule spire of nearly 93 metres' — the presentation is the Haute Maurienne Vanoise office's. The spire was first climbed in 1957 by Michel Paquier; its loop, via the Biches trail, is given as 'an easy walk', 'for families', from the Sardières church car park (Val-Cenis).

The figures depend on the route, and we quote them all: the summer sheet publishes none ('modest' climb); waymarked route no. 1 in its winter version announces 4.3 km, 2 h 15, +230 m (15 December to 1 April, ungroomed); the Vanoise park's larger loop, from the Plan de la Croix at Aussois, is 7.6 km, 4 h 30, +579 m, rated 'very easy'. The sector lies within the national park's perimeter: 'our canine friends are not allowed', nor are drones.

All year, on snowshoes from mid-December to early April. One park warning deserves quoting as it stands: 'the route is waymarked but some sections are not on the IGN map. Bring suitable footwear. The Chappe telegraph viewpoint overlooks unsecured cliffs.'