The destination that I am going to present to you here is interesting in many ways. It is a summit of moderate altitude and whose slopes are not very steep, which makes it very accessible in all seasons. Only a few ravines require some caution when crossing them. It is therefore a very suitable summit for ski or snowshoe tour. This must have been the case between the two wars and that is why, at the end of the last war, a first ski lift was inaugurated. This one did not start from the hamlet of Les Moulins, but higher up, from Coulayes. Because of this eccentric situation, a chairlift had been built to allow access to the start of the ski lift from Les Moulins. In the 1970s, these two facilities were completely renewed, replacing the chairlift with a ski lift, and separating the second ski lift into two sections. It was a time when snow conditions were virtually guaranteed every winter. In the meantime, climate change has some consquences. Winters no longer offer a guarantee of snow cover, and many installations are uncertain of being able to exploit the area. Added to this is the fact that these facilities should be renewed to meet current standards. This is the reason why the Monts Chevreuils ski lifts have not worked since 2001 and it is considered of dismantling them. Following the closure of the ski lifts, one would have thought that the Monts Chevreuils hut would also close. It is still open, but the clientele has completely changed. Hikers have replaced skiers. It is also strongly recommended to book if you plan to eat there at noon.
To get to Monts Chevreuils, one can start from the hamlet of Les Moulins. However, on is then faced with an altitude gain of 900m, which is a lot for a snowshoe hike. This is the reason why it is recommended to start from La Lécherette because in doing so, the altitude is reduced by almost the half. The only difficulty is to find a route avoiding the groomed paths.
Itinerary: La Lécherette – La Sottana – Le Plaudri – Monts Chevreuils summit – Monts Chevreuils hut – La Sottana – La Lécherette
Distance: 8.5km
Altitude gain: 450m
Duration: 3 hours
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