Tour of the Dents du Midi and Petits Perrons

Starting in Salvan and finishing in Les Marécottes (VS, Switzerland), this hike is almost circular. The route combines several circuits. In the Val de Trient, you’ll discover the Dailley Gorges and the Vallon de Van.
You will complete the entire Tour des Dents du Midi and enjoy this magnificent mountain range as well as the Sauflaz Gorges.
You’ll make a short detour onto the Tour des Dents Blanches, which you can admire from the Barme plateau.

Photos

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

1. S
   

   Salvan - Auberge de Salanfe

   5.21 mi 3,504 ft 646 ft

   From the hamlet of Les Granges to Van d'en Bas, you will climb up the Dailley Gorge via daring constructions, footbridges, galleries and vertiginous stairways. The Salanfe river rushes down the steep gorges in several stages. The view is breathtaking. You will enjoy numerous views of the Alpine peaks. You will cross the magnificent Vallon de Van. In the evening in Salanfe, you can already admire the Dents du Midi rising behind the lake

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2. 2
   

   Auberge de Salanfe - Mex

   5.95 mi 1,952 ft 4,180 ft

   During this stage of the Tour des Dents du Midi, at the Col du Jorat you will enjoy a panoramic view to the south of the peaks on the border with Italy. You will probably recognise the Matterhorn. You will also have a bird's eye view of the Lac de Salanfe, with the Dôme de la Sallière in the background. To the north, the Rhône valley awaits you. In the small village of Mex, nestled on a plateau, several viewpoints offer views of the villages in the valley, all the way to Lake Geneva.

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3. 3
   

   Mex - Chindonne

   7.95 mi 3,996 ft 2,421 ft

   During this beautiful stage of the Tour des Dents du Midi, you will cross pastures and forests to reach Chindonne. As the stage is quite short, you will not miss climbing the Dent de Valerette, a magnificent viewpoint. You will then enjoy a panoramic view of the Dents du Midi and the Rhône valley.

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4. 4
   

   Chindonne - Refuge d'Antème

   7.64 mi 3,061 ft 1,677 ft

   During this fourth stage of the Tour des Dents du Midi, the route offers more magnificent views overlooking the Val-d'Illiez. At Signal de Soi, you can admire the Tête de Chalin, the Cime de l'Est, the cathedral and the Dent Jaune. At the Cabane d'Antème, wonderfully located at the foot of the Haute Cime, you can enjoy a sunset over the Dents du Midi and the Portes du Soleil.

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5. 5
   

   Cabane d'Antème - Cantine de la Barmaz

   6.43 mi 1,617 ft 3,366 ft

   This stage partly follows the Tour des Dents du Midi, with a remarkable passage at the foot of the Sauflaz Gorges. As you climb back up towards Bonavau, you will switch to the Tour des Dents Blanches. The Barme Plateau is a magnificent place to contemplate these famous white teeth.

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6. 6
   

   Cantine de la Barmaz - Auberge de Salanfe

   8.61 mi 4,977 ft 3,917 ft

   After this detour on the Tour des Dents Blanches, you will rejoin the Tour des Dents du Midi and finish at the Auberge de Salanfe. Along the route, you will come across the Sauflaz, which you will overlook at the Pas d'Encel via a passage equipped with chains. In the Vallon de Susanfe, you can admire the Ruan massif. At the Col de Susanfe, you can contemplate the Haute Cime and the Dent Jaune. Further on, you will notice the Refuge des Dents du Midi.

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7. E
   

   Auberge de Salanfe - Les Marécottes

   6.08 mi 2,608 ft 5,089 ft

   This final stage will take you back to Les Marécottes station, very close to the starting point in Salvan. The Salanfe glacier cirque is located at the crossroads of numerous hiking trails. You will finish your tour via the Col de la Golette, which is not very busy. The passage is quite narrow and the start of the descent is equipped with chains. At the pass, you can enjoy one last view of the Dents du Midi and Lake Salanfe. To the east, you can enjoy the panorama of the Valais Alps.

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