Pointe de la Terrasse from the Buet station

The departure point is from the car park at Buet station.
By car: the hamlet of Buet is 16 km from Chamonix in the direction of Martigny, just before Vallorcine (French-Swiss border) on the descent from Col des Montets. The station and its large car park are signposted on the right.
By train: Buet station is served hourly and even every half hour in season by the line running from Saint-Gervais in France to Martigny in Switzerland via Chamonix.

(S/E) From the station car park, cross the road and take the path opposite marked: La Poya, Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard. Pass in front of the waterfall refreshment bar and continue along the right bank of the Ruisseau de Bérard towards the Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard until you reach the Fontaine Froide footbridge.

(1) Take the footbridge to cross the stream, heading towards Les Granges and Sur le Rocher. Walk down the left bank of the stream for a short distance before climbing steadily through the forest to reach a flat area called Sur le Rocher.

(2) Leave Les Granges and turn left towards Val de Tré-les-Eaux. Start by walking through a (very) grassy clearing before climbing gently westwards until you hear, then see and follow the Ruisseau de Tré-les-Eaux. Follow it up the left bank, moving away from its course until you reach a cliff blocking the way. The trail then climbs rapidly to the foot of a well-equipped fault (chains, metal steps, metal handrail) which you climb for about 40 metres. At the top, you will quickly come across the trail coming from Les Granges.

(3) Turn left towards Val de Tré-les-Eaux. The path descends slightly towards the stream and then remains more or less level to rejoin it further upstream. During this progression, you will reach a slightly steeper and longer descent protected by a long chain.
Rejoin the stream where the valley widens considerably and walk for a while in its bed (altitude 1930). When the stream turns left to follow a clear line of rocks, the path suddenly leaves its bed to the right and climbs the (steep) bank along a vague stream: La Gouille au Bouc.

(4) From here, the path is clearly marked with large yellow dots. The trail heads off along a gentler slope, passing over slightly inclined slabs and avoiding numerous small pools. It gradually heads west, then north, then north-east, and meets a stream flowing down from the pass. The slope becomes steeper and the path more difficult on its left bank, then on its right bank, before levelling out before the Col des Corbeaux.

(5) The junction to the Col de la Terrasse is easy to find, on flat ground, following the yellow dots along the Lac Vert.
Here I describe the passage via Pointe de la Terrasse, which is not to be missed for its sumptuous view but should be avoided if you are afraid of heights. (If you avoid it, remove 100 m from the total elevation gain and about 40 minutes from the estimated time).
Follow the signs for Col de la Terrasse for 300 or 400 metres, then climb as best you can on the right (no markings, very few cairns), aiming for the ridge to the left of the huge electricity pylon (there are two, this is the taller of the two). On the ridge, you will find a path to take to the right. Pass under the pole and reach the summit of Pointe de la Terrasse.

(6) Return to the pole, take the ridge path towards Col de la Terrasse and gradually leave the ridge to join the yellow-marked path much lower down, which leads to Col de la Terrasse.

(7) Head towards Chalets de Loriaz and Couteray. The start of the descent is very steep and badly eroded by repeated use. It is essential to follow the numerous yellow dots carefully, otherwise you may find yourself in a precarious situation. Gradually, the slope becomes gentler and, after a scree slope, you will reach the mountain pastures and then the Refuge de Loriaz.

(8) Head towards Couteray. Pass an isolated rock topped with a cross and enter the forest. After the stream bridge, you will find a fork in the road for Les Granges, "La roche dessus" (altitude 1590).

(9) Do not follow this path, but head towards Le Couteray until you reach and follow the track leading down to the Loriaz chalets. On the left, just after a white-walled chalet, there is a path at the foot of two wooden statues.

(10) Follow this path until you reach a tarmac road.

(11) Follow this road downhill (two hairpin bends with parking) until you reach the main road to Chamonix.

(12) Turn right and walk 400 metres uphill to the Buet station car park (S/E).

Notes: alternative route: during the descent from the Loriaz chalets, there is a fork (elevation 1590 or point (9) in the description) for Les Granges and "Sur le Rocher". Follow it to find the path up to "Sur le Rocher" and follow it to the starting point. It is a little longer but avoids the tarmac and the road to Chamonix. This alternative route can also be used on the way up. It avoids the cable-assisted cliff.
This hike is classified as difficult because of three tricky sections: in the Val de Tré-les-Eaux, the very steep 40-metre section with cables, then the steep descent with chains that follows, and finally the tricky descent from the Col de la Terrasse.
The access to the Pointe de la Terrasse itself is particularly vertiginous, but it can be avoided by going directly to the two passes (yellow dots).
This hike may be considered very difficult for people who are prone to vertigo or unaccustomed to having to "use their hands".
During this hike (early July), I only encountered a few small, easy snowfields. It is possible that with more snow, the lower part of the Col des Corbeaux may prove more difficult and require crampons... To be seen!

The Trè-les-Eaux valley is very wild (from the Vallon de Bérard to the Col de la Terrasse, I didn't meet a single person in July!). This is rare enough in Chamonix to be worth mentioning.