Le Crêt du Midi (1890 m)

Time : 5h round trip
Description : This walk takes you through a lovely forest alternating with a few meadows. Then you come to large meadows looking out over the Arly Valley . Arrival at the Crêt du Midi is spectacular – you have a magnificent view over the valleys leading to Albertville and, on the other side, Megève, the Fiz and the Haute Vallée of the Arve. The cross just below the summit was placed there to protect the summer pastures. In days of old it was a place where mass was celebrated on 15 August, as well as various other celebrations. The Crêt du Midi was given this name because in the old days the sun shone there at twelve o'clock . More courageous walkers would be wrong to stop there. By following the crest, you come to the Mont de Vorès (2097 m). The climb is not too steep and the view is well worth the effort: a unique balcony on the Beaufortain (see the next walk).

Additional time, round trip : 1h.
Itinerary: From the centre of Praz, take the route des Bernards. The path goes through the “Big Wood” before joining the area called "La Varoche".
Topo: IGN Path Map, Praz sur Arly

Col de Véry (1962 m)

Time : 6h30 round trip
Description : Situated just beside the Mont de Vorès, this pass is a vast Alpine lawn starting at the foot of the imposing Aiguille Croche above Megève. The panorama is one of the most beautiful of the region: the whole Mont-Blanc chain is visible, from the Mont de Vorès (2097 m) to the Col de Véry. The walk is all the more varied because before you get to the pastures, you go through a long forest and pass by several working summer farms.
Itinerary: Start from the Thouvassières, near the centre of Praz. Walk through the forest which covers the so-called " Castle Mountain " (but you won’t see any castle there!). The trail then gets wider (road for a 4-wheel-drive) before becoming a small path again close to the ski slopes. It is a steady climb. Take the path leading above Basse Combe in the direction of the Véry chalet. The return trip brings you across the Mont de Vorès, then Ban Rouge, before turning right in the direction of the Butte and Chevan to rejoin the path taken on the walk up. More energetic walkers could choose to descend by the Crêt du Midi and the Roc des Evettes, which is a little longer but allows you to do a complete loop.
Topo : IGN Path Map, Praz sur Arly

Le lac des Evettes

Time: 2h round trip
Description : This nice walk is accessible to everyone and allows you to
enjoy a pleasant itinerary without too much walking. The lake at the end of it is not very big but the surroundings are perfect for a family picnic. Don’t hope to swim; the water is a little brackish. Situated in a forest, however, it's about ten metres from a meadow. If you look carefully you might see some Alpine newts in the water. But be careful not to disturb them; they are a protected species which are slowly disappearing.
Itinerary: From the car park of des Grabilles (above the Bernards), follow the wide path which crosses part of the forest and then a big meadow. The rest of the walk goes through the “Big Wood”. The lake is almost hidden from the main path. Be sure not to miss it – a lot of people do when they first come.
Topo : IGN Path Map, Praz sur Arly

Le Gateau (1588 m)

Time : 4h round trip
Description : A funny name for this mountain situated between Praz sur Arly and Flumet. Surrounded by forests, it conceals a lot of wild life. You might be lucky and perhaps see chamois or roebuck. An orientation table will help you to enjoy the 360° panorama. A pleasant place for family walks, especially since it isn't too long. When you take the path along the cliffs, be on the watch for marmots.
An impressive sight: a hang-gliding take-off area just below the summit provides a great show when the gliders are out.
Itinerary: From the centre of Praz, take the direction of La Tonnaz. Then cross the Jorrax stream and follow the Sciozier (you pass by a farm-inn). Le Gateau is at the end of the road (surfaced but not really for city cars!).
Topo : IGN Path Map, Praz sur Arly

La Tête du Torraz (1930 m)

Time : 6h30 round trip
Description : This fantastic summit is an unparalleled balcony on the Aravis Chain. It's the only mountain which separates Praz from this mythical range. The view from the Tête du Torraz is breathtaking, even if you have to work for it.
Itinerary: Take the Tonnaz road. From there, the path follows the Jorrax stream lower down. The major part of the walk is in the forest. Then you arrive at the Communal refuge of Plan de l'Are (or Aar , which means "water" or "alp" in patois). The end of the trail is a little steep. It is possible to come down by another path by making a detour by the Tête du Christomet (1844 m). It's a little longer and the path is narrower and very steep (not recommended for children). It nonetheless adds some variety to the trail.
Topo : IGN Path Map, Praz sur Arly

There are numerous walks starting from the village of Praz . Others deserve to be discovered, in particular shorter walks for moderate walkers. These include, for example, the Granges walk to La Tonnaz (the oldest hamlet in Praz – farms which date back to the Revolution period are still in activity), la Bonne Fontaine (and its chapel), and also Le Château (the name of the mountain).

Croisse Baulet (2236 m)
Time : 5h30 round trip
Description : This is not a walk for beginners because the path is long and sometimes a little steep (at the end). But most of the walk takes place on a crest which offers a superb panorama on all the surrounding areas (the Mont-Blanc and Aravis – you can almost touch the Aravis Chain!). Apart from the start in the forest, the main scenery is of grassy Alpine pastures.
Itinerary : From the summer sledging run, take the direction of the Jaillet. Park your car at the ball-trap car park. Then take the direction Col du Jaillet (where you can see a Roman boundary marker discovered in 1964), then Petit Croisse Baulet, and finally Croisse Baulet.
Topo : IGN Path Map, Praz sur Arly

Le Mont Joly (2525 m)
Time : 5h return trip
Description : The path is quite steep and tiring, but the panorama is impressive. An orientation table enables you to identify all the mountains around. Very nice view on the Val Montjoie.
Itinerary: From the Planay car park (near Cote 2000), take the Tour du Pays du Mont-Blanc (TPMB) option, going by Hermance. Then join the main itinerary that goes from the Mont-Joux to the Mont Joly. Avoid doing this walk on very hot days!
Topo : IGN Path Map, Praz sur Arly

Les chapelles du Calvaire
Time : 1h30 round trip
Description : This is a family walk where you can take the time to stop regularly. And for good reason – the Calvaire is made up of many splendid chapels hidden along the way. A very peaceful experience.
Itinerary : A small loop between meadows and woods starting from the centre of Megève. No difficulty.
Topo : A description of the Calvaire is available at the Megève Tourist Office.

THE MONT-BLANC RANGE
Departure from the Chamonix Valley , only 30 km from Praz sur Arly. Another world completely, closer to high-mountain walking. The landscapes are mostly rocky, unlike the green pastures of the Val d'Arly. Things to do: the Lac Blanc, the Col du Brévent, the Flégère or the Merlet animal park (at Les Houches).

THE ARAVIS RANGE
Here again, the landscape changes. Grassy with occasional forests, this is a beautiful rock wall with numerous small valleys. There are two legendary passes to visit: the Aravis Pass (15 km from Praz) and the Colombière Pass (30 km from Praz) where you will find large herds of mountain goats.

THE BEAUFORTAIN :
Famous at least for its cheese, the Beaufort. Praz sur Arly is situated at the boundary of the range. Beaufort is the only village in Haute-Savoie allowed to make this cheese. The landscapes are of large Alpine pastures and grassy meadows. You can visit the Girotte Dam and its big lake, visible from Véry,at the top of Praz sur Arly.

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