Sentier des 2000

Sentier des 2000 is a long-distance, expert hiking route in the Val Cenis area of the French Alps. The route is built around the heights above Lac du Mont-Cenis and links multiple historic military sites, with the Fort de Ronce being one of the most prominent stops.

On the ground, expect sustained alpine terrain built on dirt track (grade 4) and a generally rough hiking surface. The route is not “easy” long mileage: the difficulty is consistent with expert-level navigation and stamina demands over a full long-distance day or multi-stage effort.

A classic reference segment ties the Mont-Cenis pass area to Fort de Ronce and continues onward through the Ronce/Paradis zone. One structured approach puts “Mont-Cenis pass → sentier des 2000 → Ronce fort → Paradis quarry → Gran Scala hotel” as day 1, with early focus on the lake-side perspective and minimal technical difficulty at the start.

The Fort de Ronce portion is commonly described as a paired-out-and-back style hike: Distance 13 km (aller/retour), with 400 m positive and 400 m negative elevation, and a typical duration around 04h15. It is promoted as an itinerary with departmental PR-style waymarking and open-season access window.

Seasonality is defined for the Ronce itinerary: it runs from 15/06 to 15/10 daily, subject to snow and weather. Animals are accepted, but they must be kept leashed.

For planning, the same Fort de Ronce itinerary frames expected hiking speed assumptions (300 m/h of ascent, 500 m/h of descent, 4 km/h on level) rather than a strict guarantee of your pace; use it for estimating day length on similar gradients and terrain. With rough ground and expert difficulty, pack for slow sections and keep conservative time margins.

More information: Map, Parcours du fort de Ronce par le sentier des 2000 à pied, Tour of the Mont-Cenis lake (Maurienne, Savoie)