For those who dream of being in high and far off places, this is Caroline’s gem, giving you the sensation of being up above the world. This is not for anyone who suffers from vertigo or is not used to being out in the wilderness on their own – on most of the route, you are unlikely to see many people. This route can also be done as an extreme trail running, especially if you take in the peaks along the way.
Day 1: Warm up with the climb and descent to La Brèche du Périer via Lauvitel Lake (989m to 2,491m).
Day 2: Pass over the Col du Vallon and descend into the Muzelle valley to the refuge (989m to 2,531m and descend to 2,115m), with the option of taking in the Pic de Venosc (2,830m) or the Tête de la Muraillette (3019m).
Day 3: From Refuge de la Muzelle take the hidden ridge walk under the Muzelle glacier descending to Lanchatra and the Plan du Lac, with a ride back to Lauvitel Lodge.
Day 4: Take the balcony route from Plan du Lac or Saint Christophe to les 2 Alpes, and if you still have legs for it, climb on up to the Pied Moutet (2,339m), an island peak with fantastic views of surrounding summits and along the Oisans valley. You will also see Lauvitel Lake and La Danchere directly below you, where you return to that night, either by the Venosc cable car or by foot.