Start from Notre Dame de la Gorge. Follow the Chemin Romain the old Roman road that climbs steeply at first following the river to The alpage at Nant Borrant. Fresh snow covered hard water ice. Path continued climbing through the forest until the clearing to alpine meadows just north of La Rollaz and a fine collection of summer alpine farm houses. Heavy snow was falling and there were no other folk or tracks on the gently climbing track that led up to La Balme at 1708m. From here the going was particularly difficult on the small ridge above the refuge before flattening out on the path up towards Plan Jovet.
Return the same way retracing the only tracks in the snow almost until Nant Borrant.
