Le Buet from Vallorcine

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : Not used / Not applicable
Very busy route : Yes

Hike done for the young man from Geneva on 11 September after climbing to the refuge and spending the night there on the 10th. Unfortunately, the weather was completely overcast. No snow or ice on the route to the summit. After the pass, the path is steep but very easy to walk on :-) Allow 4 hours to descend and around 5½ hours to ascend
Excellent welcome and meals at the refuge, a big thank you to Laurent and Tatiana!

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Date of your route : Jul 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed with a lot of snow on the trail, 20 to 30 cm over a 2-hour climb. We had walking sticks, but crampons would have been useful (to avoid slipping back 5 cm with each step). We left at 5:30 a.m. from the Montets campsite (800 m from the start of the hike at Buet) and returned at 8:15 p.m. At a leisurely pace with regular breaks without pushing ourselves too hard, it took us 8 hours to climb. Extraordinary landscapes of the Mont Blanc massif for two-thirds of the route.
- it took us two hours to follow the river more or less to the refuge (water and toilets at the refuge)
- Then we climbed up a classic trail that went up and up
- Then a scree slope that requires the use of your hands in some places (gloves may be useful, but I managed without).
- Then a rocky section with no vegetation, a trail of black earth and stones... or snow, as in our case.
- Once you reach the antenna, you've done the hardest part. There are 300 m left to go along the ridge to reach the summit (a short exposed section over a few metres, then almost flat with a gentle slope).
Tips:
-drink and eat regularly (don't wait until you're thirsty or hungry), it's physically demanding and a little technical in places.
-if it rains in the valley the day before the hike, it will snow heavily up there, so sun cream and sunglasses are ESSENTIAL. don't go if you don't have either of these, as the July sun on a clear blue day on the snow is very different from the February sun (I got sunburn on my nose from the glare, which I've never experienced before! ... and on my calves too, even though I had put cream on)
-bring clothing for all types of weather and add or remove layers as needed.

In terms of visitor numbers, we must have come across 30 to 40 people along the entire route. We were alone at the summit at around 1.30pm.

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Date of your route : Jun 23, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hello,

Route completed today. Round trip took 6 hours and 20 minutes. There was still quite a bit of snow near the summit, over a total of 2 km, on some very steep sections. I would recommend crampons, as the descent could be dangerous for some people.

But it's a great route to do, very difficult, even the descent takes time given the technical nature of the route. Incredible view at the summit, definitely worth doing!

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Thanks Netra for the quick reply. Yes, I've definitely packed walking sticks, and as for crampons, given the negligible extra weight they add to my bag, I figured I'd take them anyway!

Best regards,

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Hello Azurelio,

At the end of June, you may still encounter snow, but not enough to require snowshoes, in my opinion.

Be sure to bring walking sticks. A pair of crampons doesn't weigh much in your backpack, so if you have them, you might as well bring them along.

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Hello,

What is the snow situation like as we approach the end of June? I am planning several hikes in the Chamonix Valley, including this one, starting on 25 June. Will crampons alone be enough for snow and snowfields, or should I bring snowshoes just in case?
Thank you for your replies

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Date of your route : Oct 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

First 3,000 metres of altitude gained on 29 October (perfect weather). The first part is very easy going and you reach the refuge quickly. After passing the refuge, it's a completely different hike. Although there are no major difficulties, it's still a long hike, especially the descent... To be done again!!

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Date of your route : Aug 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello
Magnificent hike. Long, very long..
The climb up to the refuge is great, but after that it gets tough, especially after the pass.
The view from the summit makes you forget the pain of the climb.

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Date of your route : Jul 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hello,

Please note that parking at the starting point is now paid and monitored by the police. Several vehicles were affected when we returned.

We completed the circuit in one day, setting off early in the morning. Yes, this circuit can be busy, especially in summer. For your information, there was still quite a lot of snow along the path, particularly at the Col de Salenton, although it was passable with good studded boots. Crampons would not have been out of place.

The trail is well marked. From the refuge, markers have been planted in the snow, which makes the climb much easier and reduces the risk of getting lost, as the marks on the rocks are not always visible.
This is a physically demanding hike, depending on your level of fitness, so it's a good idea to do some training beforehand. We are retired, so we set off at around 6.45 a.m., had breakfast at the Pierre à Bérard refuge at around 9 a.m. (where we received a very warm welcome), had a picnic at the summit and returned to the village at around 5 p.m., including a beer break at the same refuge.
Don't forget a fleece, sunglasses, sun cream and 2 litres of water, and check the weather forecast before you set off, as the summit is at an altitude of 3,100 metres.
Please note if you plan to make the climb in September, call the refuge if you want to stay there, as work is due to start in September, but the exact date has not been specified.

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Date of your route : Oct 31, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
a very beautiful hike from the Buet train station in Vallorcine.
The hiking trail is closed from Le Buet to the L'eau de Bérard footbridge.
We did the hike as a day trip, leaving at 8 a.m. and returning at 3 p.m., including breaks.
Easy going until the refuge, then it gets tougher with lots of rocks and a fairly long stretch with large boulders. After that, it's easier until the plateau before the final steep climb. The summit is snow-covered but accessible without equipment. The temperature was good and a windbreaker was enough.
Magnificent view at the summit, return via the same route.
Nice route, pay attention in some places but no particular difficulties, a bit long on the way back as it's very slow going.
Completed on 29/10/22

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Date of your route : Sep 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike that took 8 hours round trip. We set off from La Frontale at 6:15 a.m.
Amazing views from the summit, with lots of variety as there wasn't a cloud in the sky all day.

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Date of your route : Aug 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Day hike in good weather. Still quite crowded.
The climb is well marked, not difficult, but long (especially on the way back).
Beware of the cold and wind at the summit.
Duration: 8 hours with a break at the refuge (the wardens were very friendly)

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Date of your route : Aug 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Day hike in beautiful weather with lots of people (August)
Long climb but worth it, once at the top the views are superb
It took us 8 hours and we had a nice nap afterwards
The black rating is justified

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Date of your route : Jul 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful day for hiking, although very physically demanding, especially on the way back.
Accustomed to trail shoes, I was surprised by the length of the snowfields we had to cross, as my shoes weren't really suitable. The description led me to believe the snowfields would be shorter.

Apart from the snowfields, the descent to the refuge is both physically demanding and quite technical, with numerous boulders to negotiate. This is something to bear in mind for less confident hikers (I saw some people panic)

Otherwise, it takes 5 hours to climb (avoiding exceeding 600 m/h to maintain a steady pace) and 4½ hours to descend, including breaks.

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Date of your route : Sep 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very physically demanding day hike.
Physically demanding and technically challenging.
For me, the descent was more intense than the climb.
Total duration: 8 hours 50 minutes
Nevertheless, the reward is at the end...

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