If you come here after having climbed over the famous Col des Aravis (1486m) or from Col de la Croix Fry (1467m) and/or Col de Merdassier (1496m), you start the climb at La Clusaz (1068m) – a short and easy climb.

You could alternatively start after the bridge at Le Grand-Bornand (885m) if you came down the Col de la Colombière (1607m) and pass over Col de Saint-Jean-de-Sixt (959m) to La Clusaz.

Finally you could start far down either Thônes (Pont du Villaret) (640m) if you come from Annecy or from Saint-Pierre (490m) near Bonneville. None of the climbs are any difficult apart from the longer approaches being longer, that is.