Monolithe de Sardières

Hiking the Grand Tour

The most popular way to experience the monolith is the Grand Tour du Monolithe — a family-friendly loop of roughly two hours and 250 metres of elevation gain, starting from the Plan Bois car park at 1,620 m. The signposted path weaves through the forest, revealing the pillar from surprising new angles as you climb to a small belvedere at about 1,800 m where the view opens onto the surrounding peaks, then descends back through birch-tinged woodland to the base.

For a longer outing, hikers can set out from Plan de la Croix at Sollières-Sardières and complete a 4h30 loop climbing 537 metres. This extended route passes a Chappe telegraph station perched above the valley, where on clear days you can scan a full panorama of 3,000-metre summits along the Franco-Italian frontier.↗

Two shorter circuits closer to the base are lined with reading tables that introduce the local flora and fauna, making them ideal for children and casual visitors who simply want to look up in wonder.↗

Climbing the 93-metre face

The monolith's first ascent was achieved in 1957 by the legendary French climber Michel Paquier. Today, its south face hosts bolted sport routes graded 6a and above, with the two principal lines — "La Classique Paquier" and "Le Dieu des Elfes" — serving as a pilgrimage for ambitious climbers. Thousands make the journey each year to test themselves against this vertical challenge in the middle of an alpine forest. Fixed protection is in place, but the difficulty and exposure mean only experienced parties should attempt the summit.↗↗

Where France's first national park was born

On 26 June 1965, the official inauguration ceremony of the Parc national de la Vanoise — France's very first national park — was held at the foot of this monolith. The choice was symbolic: the rock stands as a gateway to the high alpine wilderness the park was created to protect. Visitors today walk through a landscape that marks both a geological and an institutional turning point in French environmental history.↗↗

Winter: ski trails and snowshoe paths

The access road from Aussois transforms each winter into a groomed cross-country ski trail that links the Nordic domain of the Monolithe, offering 39 kilometres of pistes for classic and skate skiing between Aussois and Sardières. For a quieter snowshoe experience, the marked Piste Blanche from Croix d'Aussois is a 7.5-kilometre loop with gentle elevation, passing the monolith through a white-golden landscape of snow-laden pines.↗

Art in the trees

In recent years, local sculptor Serge Couvert has carved living and fallen trees in the forest around the site into whimsical figures. His "Sentier des sculptures" (Sculpture Trail) threads through the woodland with works named things like Fraternité, Liberté, Panique au sommet, and Un moaï en hiver — a surprising and delightful land-art experience that rewards unhurried wandering.↗