Aiguilles d'Arves
3,514 m
France
Also known as Aiguille d'Arves MéridionaleAlso known as
Aiguille d'Arves Méridionale
- Elevation
- 3,514 m
- Prominence
- 1,429 m
- Difficulty
- 7/10
- Hard alpine
- Best Season
- Jul–Aug
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2Sources differ: 5a (Mauvais Pas; 5c in some versions of the topo) (Camptocamp)
The easiest way up the highest of the three Aiguilles d'Arves: from Valfroide above La Grave past the Refuge du Goléon to the Col Lombard (3,092 m), then cairned scree couloirs and ledges on the S face to the summit notches, the bolted 'Mauvais Pas' (5a) and a short chimney (III) to the summit. About 1,750 m of ascent; usually two days.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 10.9 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,786 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 3,514 m
- Time Up
- 7h 25m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 5h 05m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start from the hamlets of Valfroide (Les Hières, about 1,770 m) above La Grave. Follow the Maurian north-east, pass the rock step below the Lac du Goléon and continue to the Refuge du Goléon (2,464 m), where most parties spend the night. From the refuge follow the Maurian valley to the Goléon/Lombard path junction (signpost, bivouac spot), ford the stream and climb the large scree slope, with no clear path, to the Col Lombard (3,092 m). The north side of the col, from the Valloire side, is steep schist mud in summer and is not recommended. From the east side of the col, climb a short scree couloir slightly left to pass the first step (cairn at the start), exit right along a ledge (cairn), then go up the S face beside the SW ridge in scree (cairns) to the top of a ramp, often holding old snow, below the couloirs coming down from the lower and upper notches. Early in the season they are snow-filled; when dry, the left-hand couloir to the upper notch ends in a IV+ step, so it is easier to go right at a white quartz vein to the lower notch, downclimb 10 m into the E face and follow a short ledge to the upper notch (belays every 25 m on slings or pitons). From the upper notch traverse 20 m into the E face to the foot of the Mauvais Pas (chained belay), climb it (5a, densely bolted) to a chained belay 25 m higher, then a 25 m chimney (III) leads to the easy summit ridge. Descend the same way: abseil or downclimb to the top of the Mauvais Pas (27 m) and abseil to the upper notch; there are abseil rings at both notches. Below, the ground is easy but on mediocre rock with few anchors; follow the cairns back to the entry couloir, which is downclimbed. The rock is better than its reputation suggests, but stonefall is a constant risk.
Start
Les Hières1,778 m
- Buses between Grenoble and Briançon stop at La Grave; no public transport to Valfroide was found.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Les Hières → Refuge du Goléon | 5.0 | 711 | 24 | 3h 02m |
| 2 | Refuge du Goléon → Aiguille Méridionale d'Arves | 5.9 | 1,075 | 26 | 4h 22m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Les Hières1,778 m
Hamlets of Valfroide above La Grave
- Hut: Refuge du Goléon2,463 m
- Col: Col Lombard3,086 m
- Col: Brèche supérieure3,346 m
Upper notch on the SE ridge below the Mauvais Pas (not on route line)
- Summit: Aiguille Méridionale d'Arves3,514 m
Key Passages
- Pathless scree to the Col Lombard
- Couloirs to the lower or upper notch (IV+ step if the left couloir is dry)
- Mauvais Pas (5a, bolted)
- 25 m chimney (III) below the summit ridge
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 65%Overview
Three slender rock needles above Valloire and La Grave, the highest point of the Arves massif: the Aiguille Méridionale (3,514 m), 1 m higher than the Centrale. Its easiest route is a two-day AD+ climb with the bolted 'Mauvais Pas' (5a) on notoriously loose rock.
The Aiguilles d'Arves are a group of three sharp summits between the Maurienne and the Romanche valleys, unmistakable from the Col du Galibier and from Valloire: the Aiguille Méridionale (3,514 m), the Aiguille Centrale (3,513 m) and the double-topped Aiguille Septentrionale or Tête de Chat (3,364 m). They are the high point of the Arves massif, with a prominence of over 1,400 m, and look across to the Meije and the Écrins.
None of the three is easy. The Centrale has the gentlest normal route (PD). The Méridionale, the true high point, is guarded by the 'Mauvais Pas', a short, steep step just below the summit, now densely bolted and climbed at about 5a. Its easiest line climbs the south face from the Col Lombard on the La Grave side; the longer route from Valloire follows the SE ridge and a bolted ledge across the east face. The rock, a mix of conglomerate and schist, has a poor reputation; it is better than it looks on the key pitches but stonefall and loose scree are constant.
The needles are surrounded by a popular walkers' tour (Tour des Aiguilles d'Arves) and two refuges: the FFCAM Refuge des Aiguilles d'Arves above Valloire and the private Refuge du Goléon above La Grave.
Climbing Notes
The Méridionale is a full mountaineering route for experienced parties: confident climbing to about 5a (or aid on the bolts), abseiling, and efficient movement on loose, exposed ground over 1,250–1,970 m of ascent. Most parties take two days, with a night at the Refuge du Goléon (S face) or the Refuge des Aiguilles d'Arves (SE ridge), and start before dawn. Bring a helmet, harness, 8 quickdraws, slings, a few medium cams and a 50–60 m rope (2 × 60 m for the SE ridge abseils), plus crampons and an ice axe early in the season when the couloirs hold snow.
Go from July to September, when the couloirs are clear and the refuges are staffed. Route-finding on the faces is not obvious; a guide from Valloire or La Grave is a sensible choice for a first visit. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, and the rock gets dangerous when wet.
History
The Aiguille Centrale was first climbed on 2 September 1839 by the brothers Pierre Alexis and Benoît Nicolas Magnin from Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne, who left a cairn and two Sardinian coins on top; W. A. B. Coolidge's party found the cairn in 1874 but credited it to a legendary chamois hunter. The Méridionale was first climbed on 22 July 1878 by Coolidge with the Swiss guides Christian Almer father and son, by the south side and the Mauvais Pas; the same party climbed the north summit of the Septentrionale the next day. The first female ascent of the Méridionale was made on 14 August 1891 by Mary Paillon and Katherine Richardson with the guides Émile Rey and Maximin Gaspard. The full SE ridge from the Col des Trois Pointes was first climbed on 8 August 1901 by A. A. Booth and A. G. Whitting with the guides Félix Abbet and Johann Aufdenblatten.
Season
Best Jul–Aug- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Good
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; ski touring around the needles only
- Feb
- Refuges staffed for ski touring (from mid-February / 1 February in 2026)
- Mar
- Ski touring
- Apr
- Ski touring; refuges close in April
- May
- Snow on the approaches
- Jun
- Snow in the couloirs; refuges open mid-June
- Jul
- Main season; start early, afternoon storms
- Aug
- Main season
- Sep
- Refuges close mid-September; drier, looser couloirs
- Oct
- Refuges unstaffed; early snow possible
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Refuge du Goléon (private): online booking, or by phone (+33 6 87 26 46 54) for groups over 8. Refuge des Aiguilles d'Arves (FFCAM): online booking on the refuge website in the staffed season (+33 6 70 87 46 52).
- Rules
- Refuge des Aiguilles d'Arves: in the unstaffed period, pay for the night in the cash box or online and carry waste down
- Getting There
Valloire (Savoie) and La Grave (Hautes-Alpes)
Turin (TRN); Grenoble (GNB); Lyon (LYS)
- La Grave side: from La Grave on the D1091, the road to the Valfroide hamlets (Les Hières, about 1,770 m); the D1091 over the Col du Lautaret can be closed in bad weather
- Valloire side: from Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne to Valloire, then to the Bonnenuit car park (about 1,670 m)
- Trains to Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne with buses to Valloire; buses between Grenoble and Briançon stop at La Grave
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
Huts & Shelters
2- 2,260 m
Refuge des Aiguilles d'ArvesHutStaffed
39 beds · Staffed mid-June to mid-September and mid-February to mid-April (2026); unstaffed area with 24 beds, gas and wood stove open year-round
- 2,464 m
Refuge du GoléonRefugeStaffed
19 beds · Summer 13 June – 12 September 2026; winter 30 January – 6 April 2027