17:00: meet at the entrance to Albertville railway station, then travel together by vehicle to the chalet in Beaufort for the night.

La Roche Parstire is a classic hike in the Beaufortain. The difference in height is modest and the summit is fairly easy to reach, with superb views of the Lac de Roselend and Mont Blanc. We walk through the forest to the Chavonnes fork, at 1,796 m. Look up and the azure Lac de Roselend runs across the valley, set against distant snowy peaks that seem now near, now far, and everything suddenly opens out. Taking in the view, we walk on to La Roche Parstire (alt. 2109m), where snowy peaks, valleys, grassland and lakes make up an unobstructed 360-degree panorama.

In the early morning we drive to the Refuge du Plan de la Lai, about 30 minutes away, and then start walking. We head first for the Rocher du Vent tunnel, which was dug in 1936 by Spanish political refugees and lies upstream of the Lac de Roselend and the Lac de la Gittaz; through the tunnel we reach the highest point of the day, the Rock of the Wind. Leaving the Rock of the Wind, we make for Roches Merles along a very beautiful ridge path, with broad pastures on either side and Mont Blanc ahead; with every step, the summit seems almost within arm's reach.

The Lac de Presset is the most beautiful hike in the Beaufortain. We set off from Treicol with the fine views of the Lac de Roselend accompanying us all the way, and climb slowly to the Presset rock step at 2,000 m; then come open alpine pastures and, once through the pass, the famous Pierra Menta is right before us. Walking a full circuit of the Lac de Presset, you will see the reflections of the Pierra Menta and the surrounding peaks.

Hidden away in the wild mountains, a sapphire-like alpine lake, its crystal-clear water gathered from melting glaciers. The hill above the lake is the best place from which to view it: standing here and looking out, you see the water, the distant peaks and the forest set one another off, as if you were in a fairyland.

We cross the dam and take the alpine pasture route along the left bank of the Lac de Saint-Guérin, with beautiful views of the alpine pastures below the pass of the Cormet d'Arêches (alt. 2108m). Climbing up the valley, we pass close to an old alpine chalet and then reach the pass, the Col de la Louze (alt. 2119m), from where there is a magnificent view of a broad gorge and the peaks of the Beaufortain. The path then turns west; we walk on between scree and cliffs to reach the Lacs de la Tempête at the southern foot of the great mountain. We skirt the first lake along its left bank and, continuing downhill, discover three more lakes, which stretch as far as the narrow fault cut at the outlet; this fault carries on westwards and feeds the Lac Vert, the last of the Lacs de la Tempête, not far from the Chalet de la Chiseraz.

Mont de Vorès is the highest point of the ridge running from the Col des Saisies to the Col de Véry, in the town of Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe. It is a place for quiet walking in every season, with magnificent views of Mont Blanc.

At 9 am the guide drives you to the entrance of Albertville railway station; you travel home according to your train time.