Circular: Posettes ridge and Vallorcine valley

Circular close to the Franco-Swiss border with a variety of exposures in a Nature Reserve (forest to the East, long ridge, alpine pasture, forest to the west), with a beautiful 360° panoramic view and a belvedere ideal for picnics.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.59 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 6h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 952 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 950 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,198 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,313 m

Description of the walk

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.

(10) 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).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,433 m - Car park 200m before Montets pass
  2. 1 : km 1.44 - alt. 1,765 m - Waypost N°136
  3. 2 : km 3.39 - alt. 2,190 m - Aiguillettes des Posettes
  4. 3 : km 4.81 - alt. 1,997 m - Col des Posettes (1997m)
  5. 4 : km 7.27 - alt. 1,712 m - Junction toward Vallorcine, les Saix Blancs
  6. 5 : km 7.52 - alt. 1,683 m - Turn right, Northward, toward Les Saix Blancs
  7. 6 : km 8.82 - alt. 1,419 m - Cable car
  8. 7 : km 10.42 - alt. 1,360 m - To the right toward Le Buet, Col des Montets
  9. 8 : km 10.65 - alt. 1,313 m - Turn left before the railway
  10. 9 : km 11.03 - alt. 1,336 m - Walk past Mayens des Biolles houses
  11. 10 : km 13 - alt. 1,459 m - Col des Montets
  12. S/E : km 13.59 - alt. 1,433 m - Car park 200m before Montets pass

Practical information

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.

Gears: Soft or semi-rigid shoes, hiking poles and binoculars, of course.

Refreshments: Leave with a full water bottle

In the nearby area

The Chalet des Aiguilles Rouges offers a "botanical trail" around the pass, with commentary by students, microscope observations, permanent exhibitions, projections and lectures.

A guide and students are on hand to provide invaluable information and details of a scientific nature that everyone can understand. To complete the information on flora (plants, flowers...), fauna (animals, insects...), geology (rocks, minerals, soils), books, brochures and leaflets are also available for the curious minds.

Visitors will also find postcards and a refreshment stand.

The loop will also enable visitors to locate the Rocher École d'escalade du Saix Blanc, so that they can return to it the following day, for example.

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.