Aiguillette des Posettes and the Vallorcine Valley
10
Overall rating
The Best
Length
14.3km
Elevation + / -
1023m / 1023m
Trail type
Loop
When to go
Mid Jun - Start Oct
Hike duration
4.0 - 6.0 Hours
Altitude Range
1320m / 2201m
Technical level
Moderate (3/5)
Natural beauty
Incredible (5/5)
Run duration
2.0 - 3.0 Hours
Families
9+ Years old
Dogs
No Dogs
Provision Sources
1 Refuge, 2 Restaurants
This is our most highly recommended route on the northern side of the Chamonix Valley. The highlights include the views during the climb up to the Aiguillette des Possettes which go deep into the Chamonix valley with the many peaks of the Mont Blanc Massif and the Aiguilles Rouges. Then as you continue your ascend to the Aiguillette des Posettes you are treated to the views across the Vallorcine valley including Mont Buet (3096m) and the Refuge de Loriaz. On your descend towards Vallorcine you will be passing through pristine pine forest as you reach Les Saix Blancs, a rocky outcropping with a cross and few benches with incredible views over the full length of the Vallorcine valley. You then have the option to descend all the way to the town of Vallorcine or you can stay on the very pretty balcony trail that cross the many meadows and forests on your way back to the Col des Montets.
The trail we describe here starts and ends at the Col des Montets which has a large carpark and a bus stop. You could easily start this in Vallorcine or Montroc which both have train stations. For fuelling, breaks, meals and snacks along the way you could visit the Auberge la Boerne in Tre-le-Champ, the Alpage de Balme or any of the restaurants in Vallorcine.
Older kids that have the stomach to take on 1000m+ of elevation gain will be able to enjoy this route and there are plenty of possible rest stops, picnic spots along the way.
Photos of this Trail
We have a large library of pictures from in and around the Chamonix Valley. All pictures are categorized and geo location tagged. These are the pictures we have for this trail. Click on any picture to view it's details and location.
Trail Directions & Safety Considerations
Children
9+ Years old
Dogs
The southern approach up to the Aiguillette des Posettes passes through a natural reserve where dogs are not allowed. The northern approach and the Aiguillette itself can be taken with dogs
When to Go
Mid Jun - Start Oct
Risk Considerations & Difficulty Assessment
The trail reaches an altitude 2201 meters at the Aiguillette des Posettes. There is likely to be snow cover until mid June at least but this vary greatly per year so make sure to check our resources for current trail conditions. Especially the backside of the Aiguillette has parts that remain in the shade of the mountain and will have stubborn snow patches till late in the season. This section is also the most technical with quite a bit of jagged rock on the trail. The trails are well marked with the main navigation points being the Aiguillette des Posettes, Vallorcine and the Col des Montets.
Trail Starting Point
The trail starts at the Col des Montets where you will find both a large carpark and a bus stop. If you prefer to come by train, then you can start at Montroc or at Vallorcine.
Trail Directions
The trail starts at the Col des Montets which has large car park and a bus stop. From there head south in de direction of Tre-le-Champ. On your way to Tre-le-Champ you will pass by two junctions with trail markers for the Aiguillette de Posettes. If you want to skip Tre-le-Champ then you can take either of these trails which will then shorten the route a little bit. We recommend you continue on to Tre-le-Champ as it has a nice Refuge, a water fountain and some nice scenery. From the Auberge la Boerne in Tre-le-Champ, we take the trail heading east towards Montroc. At the first junction we turn left and turn north towards the Aiguillette des Posettes. Keep following the trail markers for the Aiguillette as the trail snakes its way up the mountain. As the terrain open ups you will be following the crest all the way to the summit of the Aiguillette des Posettes. Descend in a northern direction towards the Col des Posettes. Before reaching the Col, you have an option to turn southwards towards the Alpage de Balme, a little mountain restaurant where you could enjoy a break. From the Col des Posettes head north and follow the wide ski run down the mountain. There will be trail veering off the ski run into the forest. Skip the first one and take the second path. It can be hard to distinguish between the two but both lead towards Vallorcine so a mistake will not be catastrophic. After the first switchback, you will see a trail marker for Les Saix Blancs. Keep following the trail as it loops around until you reach Les Saix Blancs. Afterwards, continue in a south-western direction down the mountain towards Vallorcine. You will reach a junction near a chalet that is perched in a meadow above the town. Here you can opt to either go down and visit Vallorcine or you can continue on the balcon path which will stay a little above the valley floor. The balcon path is prettier in our opinion as it crosses meadows, little streams and passes by a rock climbing wall. Both options will end up on the Chemin Vers la Chapelle which is the trail running next to the L'Eau Noire river. Keep following this trail all the way back to the start at the Col des Montets.
Points of Interest for this Trail
We have a large database of all of the points of interests in and around Chamonix. These are the points of interest you will find along this trail:
3D Map & GPS
Trail Route Map & GPS
You can download the GPX file and load this route into your own GPS enabled device or application. If you are on Strava, then you can open this route in Strava and save it to your account.
3D Map of this Trail
FATMAP in an incredible website and mobile application that you can use to view the trail in full 3D, do a fly over of the route and get a detailed vertical profile. You can view the FATMAP of this trail below and use the 'View larger map' link to visit the trail on the FATMAP website.
