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Published on 17 May 2015 | by Pierre-Alexandre

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Mont Baron (via the Col des Contrebandiers)

Located at the western end of the Bornes Massif just next to Annecy, Mont Baron remains an ideal goal for the preparation of the summer. Short and of slight elevation, the itinerary winds through the forest to emerge quickly on a balcony offering a beautiful view of Lake Annecy, Semnoz, the Bornes, as well as the Beaufortain Massif. The scenic trail at the exit of the wood is safe and is secured by a barrier and cables when it comes to reaching the platform of the old cable car where there is an orientation table. However, the route is not suitable for children, as the terrain is very rocky with sometimes rocks to step over. Under wet conditions, weathered rocks can be very slippery, so caution is required. For those who’d like to discover Mont Barron from the north-west, I invite you to read the itinerary of the Mont Veyrier.


  • Difficulty: Easy hiking-icon-moyen
  • Altitude: 1,299 m
  • Ascent: 0 hour 45 min
  • Descent: 0 hour 40 min
  • Elevation Gain: 250 meters
  • Round-trip: 3.3 km
  • Map: IGN 3431 OT

 

Getting There

From Annecy, follow the direction of Thônes then Parc des Glaisins. At the roundabout at the exit of the expressway reach and cross Sur les Bois before turning left onto Rue du Grand Essert. Then take the first right towards Col des Contrebandiers to park in the parking lot at the end of the road.

GPS Coordinates (WGS 84) of the Starting Point: 45.89668,6.195171

Ascent

From the parking lot, go down a little and take the path that goes to the left in the direction of “Mont Veyrier—Mont Baron” and that gets into the forest. Arriving at the Crène Sud, turn left to take the direction of Mont Baron by the old cable car.
The trail gets soon to the Balcon des Contrebandiers where you will follow on the right the direction of Mont Baron. The progression is steeper on a stony ground, and you begin to perceive Mont Baret. A few minutes later, the trail leads to a belvedere showing Lake Annecy and the Beaufortin before arriving at a small passage secured by a barrier and cables to reach the platform of the old cable car (1254 m). Continue on the ridge to win Mont Baron (1299 m) located ten minutes away. It is possible to continue up to Mont Veyrier along the ridge: in this case, it is necessary to add about thirty minutes round trip from the top of Mont Baron.

Descent

Rather than going down by the same route, it is possible to reach the car park by Crène Nord. From the summit, follow the trail marked “La Crène, 40 minutes” and that enters the forest. After two strange tanks, the path goes to the right and becomes a bit more difficult due to the slope and slippery rocks. The track finally gets to the way of the ascent at the bifurcation of the Crène Sud.


Photos of Mont Baron

Route

Download the route (KML) Download the route (GPX)


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About the Author

30 ans, fondateur et webmaster de Randos-MontBlanc. Suivez-moi sur @pierrealexphotography


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