Via Alpina Red R120

The Via Alpina Red R120 is a roughly 12 km point-to-point day stage in the Tarentaise region of Savoie, France, running from the Refuge de l'Archeboc down to the hamlet of Le Monal with about 500 m of climbing and 1,100 m of descent. Rated moderate, it threads high pastoral balconies beneath the Mont Pourri glaciers, one of the most photographed corners of the French Alps.

About the Via Alpina Red R120

The Via Alpina is a network of five colour-coded long-distance hiking trails spanning the entire Alpine arc across eight countries: Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, France and Monaco. Established in the year 2000 by partner organisations from those eight nations and supported by European Union funding between 2001 and 2008, the project today is coordinated by CIPRA in Liechtenstein, which took over the secretariat from the Grande Traversée des Alpes in Grenoble in January 2014.

The Red Trail is the longest and most famous of the five. It runs 161 stages, labelled R1 to R161, from Trieste on the Adriatic coast of Italy all the way to the Prince's Palace in Monaco, crossing all eight Via Alpina countries over roughly 2,500 kilometres. Stage R120 sits deep inside the French portion of that journey, in the Haute-Tarentaise valley of the Savoie département, between the villages of Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise and Val-d'Isère.

This particular stage links the Refuge de l'Archeboc, a working mountain hut perched above the Le Miroir hamlet near Sainte-Foy, with Le Monal, a protected cluster of 18th-century stone chalets that faces directly across the valley to the glaciated north face of Mont Pourri (3,779 m). The route is coordinated by the official Via Alpina trail authority, and the original stage description simply reads "Refuge de l'Archeboc – Le Monal." It is a transitional day on the long Red Trail: shorter and gentler than the glacier cols on either side, but rich in the pastoral, balcony-trail scenery that defines the Tarentaise.

Because the Red Trail is designed as a continuous thru-hike, most walkers reach R120 as part of a multi-day section rather than as a standalone outing. That said, the Archeboc-to-Le Monal segment also works beautifully as a single day hike or as part of a two-to-three-day loop based out of Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, making it accessible to walkers who simply want a taste of the high Tarentaise without committing to weeks on the trail.

Route Overview & Stages

The R120 is a single official Via Alpina stage, but it divides naturally into a handful of legs marked by huts, pastures and stream crossings. The figures below are approximate, based on the published Via Alpina stage profile and standard Tarentaise trail signage; treat them as planning estimates rather than surveyed distances.

In total the stage covers roughly 12 kilometres with around 500 metres of cumulative ascent and over 1,100 metres of descent, the net loss reflecting the drop from the high Archeboc cirque down to the valley shelf where Le Monal sits at about 1,870 m. Most fit walkers complete it in four to five hours of walking time, plus stops.

Highlights & Points of Interest

• Refuge de l'Archeboc — the starting hut above Le Miroir near Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, a friendly base camp at the foot of the Pointe de l'Archeboc (3,272 m) and a classic ski-touring and trekking refuge.
• Le Monal — the journey's end and its showpiece: a cluster of restored 18th-century stone-and-larch chalets, a protected site classé since 1991, facing the Glaciers de la Gurraz and the north face of Mont Pourri.
• Mont Pourri (3,779 m) — the great glaciated peak that dominates the western skyline for almost the whole stage, the second-highest summit in the Vanoise massif.
• Lac du Clou — a clear alpine tarn ringed by pasture, a popular lunch and photo stop and a reliable spot for marmot sightings.
• Beaufort alpages — the summer dairy pastures the trail crosses, where herds graze to produce Beaufort AOP, "the prince of Gruyères," one of France's most prized mountain cheeses.
• Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise — the valley village and trailhead hub, a quieter, more traditional resort than its glitzy neighbours Tignes and Val-d'Isère.
• Glaciers de la Gurraz — the hanging glaciers spilling off Mont Pourri, framed perfectly from the meadows around Le Monal, especially in the low evening light.
• Tarentaise wildflowers — through July the slopes carry alpine asters, gentians and martagon lilies, among the richest flora in the Northern French Alps.

Best Time to Hike the Via Alpina Red R120

The R120 is a high-mountain stage, and its season is short. The reliable hiking window runs from late June to late September, framed entirely by snow cover. In a normal year the upper pasture passes around the Lac du Clou basin hold snow patches into mid-June, and the first significant autumn snowfalls can return by early October.

July and August offer the most settled weather, the longest daylight and guaranteed staffing at the Refuge de l'Archeboc, but they also bring the most foot traffic on the popular Le Monal viewpoint and the warmest valley temperatures, with afternoon thunderstorms common over the Vanoise.

The single best month is September. As of 2026, early September delivers the optimal balance: the snow is long gone, the summer thunderstorm pattern eases, the alpages are still grazed so the huts and farm gîtes remain open, and the larch and bilberry slopes begin turning gold. Crowds thin sharply after the French school holidays end in early September, and the air clarity makes the Mont Pourri glaciers stand out crisply. Aim for the first three weeks of the month and watch the forecast closely, as the first cold fronts can arrive without much warning.

Whatever month you choose, start early. Tarentaise afternoons frequently build cloud and storms by 2–3 pm in summer; being down at Le Monal or below by early afternoon keeps you clear of exposed pasture during lightning risk.

Practical Information

Accommodation

The stage is anchored by mountain huts and valley gîtes rather than hotels. The Refuge de l'Archeboc at the start offers dormitory bunks with half-board (dinner, bed and breakfast) typically around €55–65 per person per night in 2026, with breakfast alone around €10 and a hot dinner around €22. Booking ahead by phone or email is essential in July and August.

At the finish, Le Monal itself is a protected site with no commercial lodging in the historic chalets, but a seasonal buvette/auberge serves meals and drinks in summer. For a bed, walk or drive down to Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise and Le Miroir, where gîtes d'étape and small chambres d'hôtes charge roughly €25–40 for a dorm bed or €70–95 for a private double. Wild camping is restricted across the wider Vanoise area; bivouac (overnight, tent-down from 7 pm to 7 am) is tolerated in many high zones but always check local signage, as rules tighten near protected pastures and the national park boundary.

Getting There & Back

The gateway is Bourg-Saint-Maurice, the end of the SNCF rail line up the Tarentaise valley and home to the famous Funiculaire connections to Les Arcs. Direct TGV trains run from Paris Gare de Lyon to Bourg-Saint-Maurice in about 4 hours 30 minutes, with seasonal Eurostar services from London in winter. From Bourg-Saint-Maurice, regional buses and taxis cover the 20–30 minute climb to Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise and Le Miroir, the road-head closest to both the Refuge de l'Archeboc and Le Monal. The nearest international airports are Geneva (GVA), about 2 hours 30 minutes by road, and Lyon-Saint-Exupéry (LYS), about 2 hours 15 minutes. Because R120 is point-to-point, plan your return shuttle in advance; a Sainte-Foy taxi between Le Miroir and Le Monal's road access avoids a long road walk back.

Permits & Fees

No permit is required to walk the Via Alpina Red R120, and there is no trail fee. The route runs through the buffer zone near the Vanoise National Park rather than its strict core, so standard park rules apply: keep dogs on a lead where signed (dogs are banned outright in the national park's core zone), take all litter out, and do not pick the protected alpine flora. Le Monal's site classé status means construction, vehicles and camping are tightly controlled in the hamlet itself. Your only real costs are accommodation, meals and transport.

Gear & Packing List

This is a true alpine day at altitude, so pack for fast weather changes even in midsummer: a waterproof shell, an insulating midlayer, sun protection and at least 1.5 litres of water capacity. Sturdy B-rated hiking boots or robust trail shoes handle the rocky pasture descents to Le Monal, and trekking poles take pressure off knees on the 700 m drop.

For a hut-to-hut crossing of the wider Red Trail, a 35–55 litre pack is the sweet spot. A light, weatherproof option such as the 2400 Windrider suits minimalist hut walkers, while the larger 3400 Windrider or the supportive Abisko Hike 35 work better if you carry a sleeping bag liner, extra layers and a few days of food. If you are building out a long-distance kit, our roundup of the best ultralight backpacks of 2026 tests seven packs head to head. Because Tarentaise stages burn serious energy, plan your trail food carefully — our guide to how many calories you need hiking a full day helps you avoid bonking on the climbs.

Similar Trails You Might Like

If the high-Alps character of R120 appeals, several other French long-distance routes deliver the same blend of glaciated peaks, mountain huts and pastoral valleys. The obvious next step is the legendary Tour du Mont Blanc - Itinéraire principal, which circles Europe's highest massif just to the north. For a rugged, granite-island contrast, Corsica's GR 20 Principale is widely rated the toughest trek in Europe. Lower and more contemplative, the Chemin de Stevenson - Liaison 1 follows the writer's 19th-century donkey route through the Cévennes, while the GR 105 offers another classic French waymarked itinerary. History buffs will enjoy the Sulle strade dei valdesi: GRV Glorioso Rimpatrio dei Valdesi, a 325 km route tracing the Waldensian return across the Alps. For an entirely different setting, our guide on how to hike the Theth to Valbona trail in Albania covers one of the Balkans' finest day crossings.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to hike the Via Alpina Red R120?
Late June to late September is the reliable window, with the high pasture passes holding snow into mid-June. Early September is the single best period: the snow is gone, summer thunderstorms ease, the huts are still open and crowds thin after French school holidays end. July and August offer the warmest, most settled weather but the busiest trails.

How difficult is the R120 stage?
It is a moderate alpine day, easier than the glacier cols on neighbouring Red Trail stages. Over roughly 12 km you climb about 500 m and descend more than 1,100 m. The terrain is rocky mountain path with no technical scrambling, but the long descent to Le Monal is hard on the knees, so trekking poles and good boots are strongly recommended.

How far do you walk per day on this stage?
The R120 is a single Via Alpina stage of about 12 kilometres, typically four to five hours of walking plus stops. On the full Red Trail, daily stages average 10 to 18 kilometres with significant ascent, so R120 is on the shorter, gentler side, which makes it a good acclimatisation or recovery day between tougher high-mountain crossings.

What accommodation is available along the route?
The Refuge de l'Archeboc offers dormitory half-board around €55–65 per night in 2026. Le Monal itself has only a seasonal buvette, so for beds walk down to Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise and Le Miroir, where gîtes d'étape charge roughly €25–40 for a dorm or €70–95 for a private double. Booking ahead in July and August is essential.

Do I need a permit or pay a fee to hike it?
No permit and no trail fee are required. The route runs near the Vanoise National Park's buffer zone, so standard rules apply: leash dogs where signed, pack out all rubbish and leave protected flora untouched. Le Monal's site classé status restricts camping and vehicles in the hamlet. Your only costs are lodging, food and transport.