Le Monolithe
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.
