Sentier des Chanoines (Canons' Path)
The Sentier des Chanoines is a centuries-old mule path that once linked the valley to the Grand-Saint-Bernard hospice, and today it offers one of the most scenic half-day walks in the Mont Blanc massif — combining wildflower meadows, larch forests and vertiginous valley views.
History on Your Boots
Canons of the Grand-Saint-Bernard monastery used this path from the Middle Ages to collect tithes from the Aravis and Contamines valleys. The route is still paved in places with the original flat schist stones, worn smooth by centuries of hooves and sandals.
Interpretive panels along the way explain the monastic economy of the Alps, the role of mountain guides and the botany of the sub-alpine zone — making this as educational as it is beautiful.
The Walk Itself
The classic section runs from Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce down to Les Contamines-Montjoie, dropping about 550 m over roughly 7 km. The path threads through stands of Swiss pine and opens repeatedly onto grassy balconies above the Bon Nant river valley.
In July the meadows alongside the path explode with gentians, martagon lilies and alpine asters. Chamois are regularly spotted on the rocky outcrops above the tree line in the early morning.
Logistics
The walk is best done one-way downhill, starting in Saint-Nicolas and finishing in Les Contamines where a navette (shuttle bus) returns you to the valley. The full section takes 2.5 to 3 hours at a comfortable pace.
Trekking poles are helpful on the steeper stone-paved descents. The path is waymarked in yellow and white and is accessible from late June through October.
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