Le Fioc walk
A half-day hike with a break at a rustic farmhouse restaurant
Le Fioc is the name of the ridgeline that runs along the west side of Les Deux Alpes, from the woods above Bons to the Col de Mais. Beyond the Col is the steep rocky peak of Pied Moutet.
From the bottom of the Vallée Blanche chairlift, take the path on the right that is signposted Kanata. This leads through the woods until it emerges onto a gravel track. Bear left and follow the track upwards until you reach Kanata Bergerie. This converted farmhouse restaurant is a good place to stop for a break.
The easiest way to ascend from here is to keep following the gravel track as it winds up the hill to the top of the Vallée Blanche chairlift. Watch out for bikes here as a couple of sections are shared with the green mountain bike trail.
A more scenic route is to take the path which leaves the track just below the Kanata. This passes below the top of the Côte chairlift (closed in summer) then takes a rising traverse on the right to reach the end of the Fioc ridge. Rounding the ridgeline, a few zigzags take you up to join the main track just before the top of the Vallée Blanche chairlift.
From the top of the chairlift it is worth following the ridge a further 500 metres to the high point of Le Mais (2,106m), where you will be rewarded with a view over Bourg d’Oisans and the Romanche Valley. This is near the top of the Super Venosc chairlift, which is also closed in summer.
You can return by the same route or continue to the Col de Mais and take the path on the left which takes you on a steep descent directly to Les Deux Alpes. Take care on this path as it's quite tricky in places and leads up above a rocky drop.
To make the walk shorter and easier you can take the Vallée Blanche chairlift up and then just do the walk down, taking around 45 mins.
What to bring
If you want to take a map, IGN 3336ET covers this route.
Where to lunch
The Kanata Bergerie is a rustic treat. The restaurant is a converted farm building, with a great terrace for sunny days and an open fire inside on the occasional bad weather day. The top of Le Mais is a great viewpoint for a picnic.
