Walking tour of the Monolith

You've opted for one of the top hikes in Haute Maurienne Vanoise. The kind

of excursion you won't forget: full of surprises, in the intimacy and cool

of forests that lie on the sunny side of the mountain. As it's also popular

with mountain bikers, it's advisable to keep an eye out for one another, so

everyone can share the area in peace.

Eager to enter the Vanoise National Park? Well, you've done it! You round

a bend in a clearing and lo! there stands Le Monolithe! Rising up from the

middle of the forest, this 93-metre-tall column can't fail to impress you.

This carbonated sedimentary rock is a striking testament to the process of

erosion. The rock is dolomitic limestone, compact and hard enough to stand

the test of time! Le Monolithe was first climbed in 1957 by Michel Paquier

and it was at its foot that Vanoise National Park was inaugurated in 1965.

This timless wonder is a great place to stop for a well-deserved snack.