La Pierre aux Pieds

From the chapel of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, the trail (in the direction of the Refuge de Vallonbrun) rises in to a sparse forest of conifers and bypasses rocky outcrops. A well-developed ericaceous moor covers the slopes. The trees gradually disappear and give way to the pastures. Pass through the ruined barns of Mollard. Then make a sharp left turn (leave the path leading to Châtelard on your right). The path then leads to the chapel of Saint-Antoine, clearly visible on its promontory (approximately 2,300 m in altitude). Nearby, the chalets of La Fesse d´en haut mark the upstream Vallonbrun valley. Go down to the refuge by the track. Below the refuge, turn right (GR®5) in the direction of Pierre aux Pieds: entrance to the heart of the National Park. The trail, which is initially wide up to the chalets of La Fesse du Milieu then runs along the slope gently climbing and crossing several streams. Before the Plan de la Cha, take a wide path on the right (old track created for works). Start of the section of the route outside the GR®5. Reach a small pass (approximately 2400 m in altitude) where the horizon emerges. Continue north (slight descent), and pass the Diet stream (no footbridge). A rising crossing lets you gain a foothold on the plateau of Marmottières. The winding path then crosses a steep area of approximately 200 m in ascent. The relief eases. Continue for 300 m to reach the destination of the hike: the engraved erratic block of the Pierre aux Pieds.

Go down the same route to the Refuge de Vallonbrun, then take the pastoral track downstream for 900m before forking left at the Fesse d´en-Bas on a trail leading down to the mountain pastures, then in to a forest to the first hairpin bend of the forest road of Grattais. Reach the Col de la Madeleine by descending for 500m then climb up the small paved road for 1 km to the hamlet of the Collet de la Madeleine, the starting point.