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GR5 Beaufortain–Vanoise · Col de la Leisse
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GR5 — Les Houches to Modane conditions today

Col du Bonhomme · Col du Palet · Col de la Leisse · Haute-Savoie & Savoie

Updated 12 Oct 2026, 05:31 UTC
96 out of 100
Excellent
Next 24 h · crossing Col de la Leisse today from 07:00
✅ Excellent walking conditions
  • No significant new snow on the high route
  • Settled on Col de la Leisse (-6°C, gusts 27 km/h)
Open live conditions →
7-day outlook

Best day to go

Today96
Tmrw98
Wed99
Thu99
Fri99
Sat83
Sun66

Best: Wed 14 Oct (99) — No significant new snow on the high route

Now

What's limiting the score

⛰️ Col crossing95
Settled on Col de la Leisse (-6°C, gusts 27 km/h)
❄️ Snow & avalanche89
No significant new snow on the high route
🪨 Rain & slopes98
Little rain on the steep valley sections — low rockfall/landslide trigger risk
🌦️ Trail weather100
Dry along the whole route
🏔️ Mountain views100
Clear morning views likely from Col du Palet
🚆 Rail & road access99
Maurienne railway (Chambéry–Modane): low rain-triggered disruption risk (19 mm / 96 h near Les Houches)
Route

Huts, cols & altitudes

The GR5 through the Beaufortain and the Vanoise National Park: from Les Houches over the Col du Bonhomme to Plan de la Lai and the Refuge de la Balme, down to Peisey-Nancroix, then the high Vanoise crossing over the Col du Palet and the Col de la Leisse (the section's high point), the Arpont and Plan Sec balcony refuges and down to Modane in the Maurienne. Weather risk is snow on the Palet and Leisse cols into July, afternoon storms, and cold wind on the high Vanoise plateau.

Les Houches 1,006 m
Day 1 · trailhead
5°
low 5°
Le Fioux 1,505 m
Day 1 · hut · overnight
2°
low 2°
Nant-Borrant 1,443 m
Day 2 · hut · overnight
4°
low 4°
Col du Bonhomme 2,333 m
Day 3 · pass
-1°
low -1°
Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme 2,433 m
Day 3 · high camp
-1°
low -2°
Plan de la Lai 1,822 m
Day 3 · hut · overnight
2°
low 2°
Refuge de la Balme 2,009 m
Day 4 · hut · overnight
-1°
low -1°
Peisey-Nancroix 1,316 m
Day 5 · village · overnight
4°
low 4°
Refuge du Col du Palet 2,586 m
Day 6 · high camp · overnight
-3°
low -3°
Col du Palet 2,652 m
Day 7 · pass
-4°
low -4°
Col de la Leisse 2,761 m
Day 7 · pass
-5°
low -6°
Refuge de la Leisse 2,487 m
Day 7 · high camp · overnight
-4°
low -4°
Refuge de l'Arpont 2,309 m
Day 8 · hut · overnight
-3°
low -3°
Refuge de Plan Sec 2,319 m
Day 9 · hut · overnight
-2°
low -3°
Modane 1,068 m
Day 10 · trailhead
6°
low 5°
Plan

Bookings, access & safety

Hut bookings
Book refuges ahead in July–August; confirm opening dates with each refuge.
Vanoise National Park rules
No dogs in the park core; bivouac only under the park rules — confirm with the Parc national de la Vanoise.
Getting there
Les Houches is on the Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine line; Modane is on the Chambéry–Turin railway (TGV/TER). Check SNCF for works.
Emergency — 112
European emergency number, free from any phone. In the French mountains the call is passed to the mountain rescue services (PGHM gendarmerie or CRS Montagne).
SAMU (medical) — 15
French medical emergency number; 112 also works and is routed to the same services.
FAQ

GR5 — Les Houches to Modane questions

Is the GR5 — Les Houches to Modane open right now?
No closure is currently reported in the news and official sources we monitor. The live score is 96/100 (Excellent).
When is the best time to walk the GR5 — Les Houches to Modane?
Best season: early July – mid-September. Check hut opening dates, and expect afternoon thunderstorms in summer and snow on the high cols outside it.
How high does the GR5 — Les Houches to Modane go?
The highest point we track is Col de la Leisse (2,761 m). No overnight stop is above 3,000 m; the challenge is the daily climbing and weather on the cols.
Do I need a permit or bookings for the GR5 — Les Houches to Modane?
Hut bookings — Book refuges ahead in July–August; confirm opening dates with each refuge.; Vanoise National Park rules — No dogs in the park core; bivouac only under the park rules — confirm with the Parc national de la Vanoise. Rules change — confirm with the refuges and park authorities.
Where does the avalanche level come from?
From the official Météo-France avalanche bulletin (BRA) for the massif — or the Swiss SLF bulletin on Swiss stages — whenever one is in force (early November to early June). Otherwise the level shown is a model estimate and is labelled as such.
How is the GR5 — Les Houches to Modane score calculated?
Hourly forecasts for every waypoint, corrected to its real altitude (MET Norway Locationforecast), feed six factors: weather on the cols (wind, cold, cloud, thunderstorms), snow and avalanche danger, rain against published European landslide thresholds, trail weather, views and access. Météo-France orange/red warnings, flood vigilance and credible closure reports cap the score.
See hour-by-hour conditions →

Weather forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Not an official forecast. Always follow Météo-France warnings and avalanche bulletins, préfecture and park notices and refuge guardians. Emergency: 112.
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