Chalets de Plate via Passage du Derochoir
Our Rating
7
Good
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Length
14.7km
Elevation + / -
1201m / 1201m
Altitude Range
1244m / 2354m
When to go
Mid Jun - Start Oct
Hike duration
5.0 - 8.0 Hours
Run duration
3.0 - 5.0 Hours
Technical level
Very Difficult
Natural beauty
Very Nice
Families
15+ Years old
Dogs
No Dogs
Provision Sources
3 Restaurants
Trail type
Loop
This is a shorter version of the Tour des Fiz where you still get to experience the Desert de Plate and the Refuge de Plate and see the views from on top of the cliffs above Servoz and Plateau d'Assy. The trail takes you from Plaine Joux to Ayeres des Rocs and then a very rocky and scenic route takes you to the very steep cliff passage of Derochoir. This is pretty spectacular with ropes and metal railings enabling you to scale the cliff and reach the top. Definitely not something you can do with young kids or dogs. From the passage du Derochoir you will have a nice view all around you. In front you will be a view towards Refuge de Sales and behind you a pretty great view over the Sallanches Valley and Mont Blanc. From Derochoir you will climb up to the Col de la Portette before descending to the Chalets de Plate. From there a fairly steep and rocky passage will bring you down from the cliffs and back to the plateau below it. From there its a horizontal traverse back to Plaine Joux. Overall a pretty diverse and spectacular route and a quicker way of seeing a large part of the Tour des Fiz
Video of this Trail
We have made a video presentation for this trail. The video will provide full 3D fly over of the route and then give a great overview of the experience you can expect when you take on this trail. It is a great way to quickly understand if this is the perfect trail for you. Please visit our channel on YouTube and like the video and subscribe to our channel. Putting together these videos is a lot of work!
Photos of this Trail
Below are all the photos we have in our Chamonix Photos collection for this point of interest. All our photos are tagged with the GPS coordinates and linked to the trails that you can take to find the location where the photo was taken. So if you want to see the full details for a specific photo then just click on it.
Trail Directions & Safety Considerations
Risk Considerations & Difficulty Assessment
This route reaches an altitude of 2354m at the Col de la Portette. The route has highly technical parts and should really only be undertaken when the trails are completely snow free. The Passage du Derochoir uses ladders and ropes to make you scale the cliff face and you should never try this with snow and ice making this a slippery affair. I would generally recommend this route from mid June to the start of October but you need to check the conditions ahead of time. The Refuge de Plate could be a good source of local information if they are open. The trails are well marked and not hard to navigate. The main waypoints are Ayeres des Rocs, Derochoir, Col de la Portette, Chalets de Plate and Plaine Joux. The trails themselves are highly technical and the ropes and metal handrails at the Passage du Derochoir are probably the steepest I have experienced in and around Chamonix.
Children
15+ Years old
Dogs
There is a vertical cliff that you will climb using rope and handholds. You cannot bring your dog here!
Trail Directions
Head east from Plaine Joux and make your way up the 4x4 track towards Barmus, You will pass an orientation table. Keep going east till you reach Ayeres des Rocs. Stay on the 4x4 track and you will see the trail marker for Derochoir. Take this trail to make your way up the slope towards the cliffs. This trail will have a large of large rocks and its very scenic. The Passage du Derochoir is very steep and there will be ropes and metal handrails to assist you in making your way up. Once you reach the top head westward towards de Col de la Portette. From there make your way down to the Chalets de Plate where there is a refuge serving snacks and drinks if they are open. From Chalets de Plate head south towards the steep path taking you down from the plateau. Once you reach the 4x4 track you can make your way back to Plaine Joux
Points of Interest
Our hiking and trail running trails around Chamonix are chosen for their natural beauty and variety. We also always try to combine as many sights, attractions and points of interests as possible in our trails. Below you will find a list of the points of interests linked to this trail.
