Le Buet – Moëde Anterne Mountain Hut

de fr

First of three stages on the Tour des Aiguilles Rouges, anti-clockwise. A very beautiful hike, with one major challenge – the crossing of the Col de Salenton – but which is then followed by a lovely path along the mountainside, offering magnificent panoramic views all along the way, including a view of Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles Rouges at sunset. A memorable hike.

Details

n°108306695
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.83 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 4,298 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 2,139 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 8,258 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 4,396 ft
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Photos

Aiguilles Rouges at the Moëde Anterne refuge
On the way to the refuge
View of the majestic Mont Blanc
Magnificent panoramic views of Mont Blanc

Description of the walk

Park in the car park at Le Buet station.

(S) Cross the Route du Col (D1506) at the pedestrian crossing to reach the footpath opposite. Follow the signs for “Waterfall à Bérard”, “Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard” or “Col de Salenton”.

(1) At the crossroads about a hundred metres further on, cross the stream and head towards the Poya chalets.

(2) Turn left, walk uphill for about twenty metres, then take the path on the right, following the signs for the Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard. Pass the paths leading to the viewpoint over the waterfall on your right and continue to a fork in the path.

(3) Make a first turn left then right, following the path towards “Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard” – “Col de Salenton”. On your right, you can see the Waterfall à Bérard. Continue climbing through the forest, staying on the main path alongside the stream (Eau de Bérard).

(4) Carry on straight ahead, ignoring the path branching off to your right which leads to the Fontaine Froide.

(5) Cross the footbridge over the Eau de Bérard to reach the opposite bank.

(6) The path emerges from the woods. Continue climbing towards the Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard. The stream is still on your left. You’ll reach a three-way junction.

(7) Keep to the left to stay as close as possible to the Eau de Bérard, following the path which runs parallel to the one on the right and eventually joins it.

(8) Carry on to the left to reach the Refuge de la Pierre in Bérard.

(9) Take the path branching off to the right towards the Col de Salenton.

(10) Turn left to cross a vast scree slope. Continue the ascent to the junction at the foot of the Aiguille de Salenton.

(11) Take the path on the left to reach the Col de Salenton (2,526 m). Keep an eye out at the pass; you may sometimes spot a magnificent ibex just a few metres away.

(12) Turn right onto the western slope and descend to the Diosaz torrent.

(13) Ford the stream and take the path that starts on the left. Follow this balcony-like path, which runs almost along the contour lines and presents no particular difficulty. Cross several small streams.

(14) Pass directly below the Villy chalets and continue along the path.

(15) Head straight on towards the refuge, ignoring the path branching off to the left. Cross the Nant des Sangles (stream) and reach another junction.

(16) Carry on straight ahead to reach the Moëde d’Anterne mountain refuge (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : mi 0 - alt. 4,396 ft - Car park at Le Buet station - Gare de Le Buet
  2. 1 : mi 0.06 - alt. 4,419 ft - Crossroads, go straight on
  3. 2 : mi 0.25 - alt. 4,501 ft - La Poya, on the left
  4. 3 : mi 0.48 - alt. 4,708 ft - Turn-off to the refreshment bar - Cascade de Bérard
  5. 4 : mi 0.95 - alt. 4,931 ft - Fontaine Froide junction
  6. 5 : mi 1.07 - alt. 5,013 ft - Footbridge
  7. 6 : mi 1.56 - alt. 5,440 ft - Exit from the woodland
  8. 7 : mi 2.26 - alt. 5,705 ft - Turn-off, on the left
  9. 8 : mi 2.87 - alt. 5,945 ft - Turn-off, on the left
  10. 9 : mi 3.22 - alt. 6,312 ft - Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard
  11. 10 : mi 3.91 - alt. 7,251 ft - Turn left at the fork – scree slope
  12. 11 : mi 4.38 - alt. 8,156 ft - Trail junction, turn left
  13. 12 : mi 4.5 - alt. 8,241 ft - Col de Salenton
  14. 13 : mi 5.52 - alt. 6,913 ft - Ford on the Diosaz
  15. 14 : mi 7.08 - alt. 6,834 ft - Directly opposite the Villy chalets
  16. 15 : mi 7.95 - alt. 7,067 ft - Path junction, straight ahead
  17. 16 : mi 8.47 - alt. 6,621 ft - Path junction, straight ahead
  18. E : mi 8.83 - alt. 6,552 ft - Chalet - hôtel de Moëde Anterne

Notes

(E) Moede Anterne Mountain Hut: capacity 91 people.
Tel. Off-season: 00 33(0)609424234
Tel. (in season): 00 33(0)450936043
A spring flows into a fountain behind the second house.
Around 20 camping pitches for those wishing to pitch a tent.

This route passes through multiple protected areas, which may be subject to special regulations:

Worth a visit

(12) At the Col de Salenton, do take a moment to look to the right and left in the hope of spotting a ibex.
Beautiful view of the Mont Blanc massif.
(E) At the Moëde Anterne refuge, 60 to 30 minutes before sunset, don’t forget to take photos of the Aiguilles Rouges.

Other walks in the area

Walking Le Buet from Vallorcine

Visorando Member
Le Buet à partir de Vallorcine
↔11.66 mi ↗+5,922 ft ↘-5,892 ft ◔10 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
At an altitude of over 3,000 metres, there is a magnificent viewpoint over the Aiguilles Rouges and the Mont Blanc massif. This is a long and demanding hike in a wild setting offering superb panoramic views. This hike can be done in a single day (Very Difficult) or over two days with a night in a refuge (Difficult).

Walking The Mont Buet loop

Visorando Member
↔14.75 mi ↗+7,238 ft ↘-7,257 ft ◔7 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
Starting from Buet, this is a large loop in a very rocky landscape. After the Refuge de la Pierre in Bérard, the ascent of Mont Buet and the Cheval Blanc pass, the circuit makes a short detour into Switzerland to visit the dinosaur site. The return journey is via the Col de la Terrasse, the Refuge de Loriaz and the hamlet of Couteray ⚠️ This route crosses the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve. Please respect the regulations in force. See practical information.

Walking Pointe de la Terrasse from the Buet station

Visorando Member
↔9.57 mi ↗+4,760 ft ↘-4,767 ft ◔8 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
A loop via the magnificent and wild Trè-les-Eaux valley on the way there and via the Col de la Terrasse and the Refuge de Loriaz on the way back. Exceptional 360° panorama from the summit!Trè-les-Eaux is one of the few places in the Chamonix valley that is still untouched by mass tourism.

Walking In the forests and mountain pastures around Vallorcine

Visorando Member
Dans les forêts et alpages autour de Vallorcine
↔11.74 mi ↗+4,396 ft ↘-4,396 ft ◔10 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
Loop through forests and mountain pastures.From the Col des Posettes via the Croix des Posettes or from the Col de Balme via the Catogne chalets, you will have a complete view of the surrounding Vallorcine landscapes.It's like a balcony overlooking Mont Blanc. ⚠️ This route crosses the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve. Please respect the regulations in force. See practical information.

Walking Tré-les-Eaux - Col de la Terrasse - Loriaz

Visorando Member
Tré-les-Eaux - Col de la Terrasse - Loriaz
↔11.24 mi ↗+4,747 ft ↘-4,747 ft ◔10 hrs ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
A superb circular at the edge of the high mountains (2,700 metres) with a very significant elevation gain. This hike should only be attempted at the beginning of summer (as snow may still be present and obscure the markings).

Walking Col de Salenton, via the waterfall and the Bérard valley

Visorando Member
Col de Salenton, par la cascade et le vallon de Bérard
↔8.80 mi ↗+3,944 ft ↘-3,930 ft ◔7h 30 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
A lovely mountain walk, easy at first, at the bottom of a wooded and green valley, then difficult, on the mountainside, exposed to the sun. Interesting waterfall. Panoramic view from the pass. ⚠️ This route crosses the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve. Please respect the regulations in force. See practical information.

Walking Couteray - Refuge du Vieux Emosson

Visorando Member
Couteray - Refuge du Vieux Emosson
↔7.45 mi ↗+3,753 ft ↘-1,053 ft ◔6h 40 ▲Difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
A pretty route, with views of the Tour and Argentière glaciers, which passes through the Refuge de Loriaz to reach the Barrage d'Emosson via a balcony path and finishes at the Refuge du Vieux Emosson.

Walking Tour of the Dents Blanches massif, Ruan, Tenneverge

Visorando Member
Tour du massif Dents Blanches, Ruan, Tenneverge
↔75.55 mi ↗+33,983 ft ↘-33,875 ft ◔8 days ▲Very difficult
⚑Departure from Vallorcine (Haute-Savoie)
Straddling the Franco-Swiss border, the Dents Blanches, Dents du Midi, Tenneverge, Mont Ruan and Aiguilles Rouges. An area strongly shaped by the folding of the Alps, with surprising landscapes ranging from lunar deserts to high-altitude lakes, waterfalls and forgotten mountain pastures. A wild and unspoilt nature that only hikers can discover. Alpine valleys, often isolated by "pas", technical and cabled paths opening the doors to this universe of raw and grandiose nature...

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