Country:
District:
_ Start_: Direction Col des Montets after Argentières, pass the Tré le Champ car park on the left and the few buildings on the right to park a little further up on the right, 200m before the pass, on a large triangular car park.
(S/E) Climb back down from the car park to take the path signposted Aiguillette des Posettes - Col des Posettes. This is a comfortable, well-marked section of the Tour du Mont Blanc (Carré Vert TMB). Follow the path in a North/North-Easterly direction, then emerge from the forest to enjoy the view of the Mont Blanc massif.
(1) At post N°136, turn left towards the Aiguillette des Posettes, leaving the Col des Posettes path on your right. We head due West, then the path becomes North/North-East again and steeper, with many wooden steps and a view of the other side of the valley, on the Aiguilles Rouges side, with, from left to right :
- the zig-zag path from Col des Montet to Lac Blanc,
- Mont Oreb and Le Buet, still covered in snow,
- la Loriaz and les Perrons.
As the climb progresses, the Chalets de la Loriaz line up on the left, followed by the Franco-Swiss Emosson dam against a backdrop of the Tour Salière.
On the right, the ridge itself offers the whole of the Chamonix valley, with, from left to right :
- Balme, Col de Balme, and Switzerland behind,
- the Refuge Albert 1er, and the Glacier du Tour, then the Glacier d'Argentière and the Grands Montets,
- l'Aiguille verte, les Drus and les aiguilles de Chamonix to l'Aiguille du Midi and Mont Blanc.
Twice, it seems as if we're on our way, but it takes one last little steep climb to reach the summit, at 2201m, in limestone rarely found in this valley of gneiss and granite.
(2) It's probably too early for lunch, so we might as well keep going and head back down to the Col des Posettes, signposted 30 min away. The path winds between rocky passages and patches of snow (it's early June), then the slope eases and we reach the pass.
(3) At this point, avoid most of the ski lifts by heading north-north-west towards the arrival of the Vallorcine cable car, then back down to the start of the trail, which you follow until around 1700 m.
(4) Spot a small path marked "Vallorcine, les Saix Blancs" which veers off to the left at an acute angle.
(5) A hundred metres further on, turn right, due North, towards Les Saix Blancs (signposted) to quickly reach a viewpoint overlooking the Vallorcine valley, opposite Les Perrons and La Loriaz, with the Emosson dam and Tour Salière on the right and the old church and its chevron-shaped paravalanche below.
After a possible picnic lunch, it's back down to the valley following the "Vallorcine" signs.
(6) We pass under the cable car and remain on the same level, or almost, without descending towards Vallorcine, but continuing (several signs) towards the Col des Montets on a green path interspersed with numerous brooks, especially after the Rocher d'escalade du Saix, at the foot of which several climbers are waiting to belay their "1er de cordée".
(7) Eventually, we make our way to the bottom (signposted Le Buet, Col des Montets), "losing" 50m as we wind our way down an old sunken path.
(8) Without passing under the railroad line, we turn left along the valley floor, still heading for Col des Montets.
(9) We pass a few houses, the Mayens des Biolles, then the Buet railway station, on the other side of the track to our right. The path leaves the railroad and the road to follow the left side of a torrent upwards. It's 100m less pleasant because the road is close by.
(E) On arrival at the Col des Montets, you can take the discovery trail to the Chalet des Aiguilles Rouges (where you can make a pleasant stop), which takes you back to the car park, where your probably overheated car is waiting for you (S/E).
Association or club
Difficult 
Walker
