Mont Blanc Walks - A Walker's and Trekker's Guidebook

50 of the regions best walks and 4 multi-day treks are included in this guidebook, covering both French and Italian sides of Mont Blanc and based around Chamonix or Courmayeur. Multi-day treks for Vallorcine to Plaine Joux, the Tour des Aiguilles Rouges, Vallorcine to Servoz and a circuit of the Italian Val Ferret.

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Walk 43 - Mont Buet by the north ridge (2 days)

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Car park: Le Buet
Starting point: Le Buet 1350m
Finishing point: Le Buet 1350m
Highpoint: Mont Buet 3096m
Altitude gain: first day 1050m; second day 900m – 1100m depending on the route taken
Map: IGN Top 25 3630 OT Chamonix Massif du Mont Blanc
Time: first day 4 hrs; second day 6–7 hrs
Grade and difficulties: 2 first day; 3 second day. Paths to the hut are good; the paths on the second day are all reasonable but nevé remains on some slopes well into the summer and this route should certainly not usually be envisaged until mid-July at the earliest, sometimes much later. The via ferrata is not too difficult, but requires concentration in places.
Accommodation: Cabane du Vieux Emosson open end of June to end of October 079 342 9566 or 027 768 1421
Public transport: SNCF train to Le Buet
Tip: Mont Buet can also be climbed by its north ridge from the Loriaz Hut (see Walk 35), via the Col de la Terrasse. The path from the Col de la Terrasse to the Col des Corbeaux is good but from there the route behind the Pointe à Corbeaux to the Col du Vieux is quite exposed and often the shale slopes are slippery. Again nevé often remains on shady aspects throughout the summer. The map shows an ‘abri’ (shelter) on the Arête de la Mortine, just south-west of the summit. Do not search for this as it isn’t there.

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I defy anyone to find a walk more beautiful than that from the Vieux Emosson Hut to the summit of Mont Buet in good weather. A dawn start from the hut means the sun comes up just as you are walking around the Vieux Emosson lake and its rays blast through the gap formed by the Tête des Gouilles and La Veudale. Camera ready at exactly the right moment and you’ll have a magnificent shot with reflections and starburst. And the day has only just begun. At this time in the morning there are rarely any other walkers so you have the fascinating Dinosaur tracks all to yourself and the then wonderful ascent to Cheval Blanc with its stunning panorama of the Mont Blanc massif and the Chablais range. From here a flattish, barren section leads to the unnamed col beyond the Pointe de Genévrier where the trail comes up from Grenairon, and here there will certainly be fellow hikers heading in the same direction, towards Mont Buet. Even so, there won’t be too many of you as the vast majority of Mont Buet ascentionists come up the Normal Route from the Bérard Valley.

The via ferrata provides just enough excitement without being too alarming, then a pleasant rounded shoulder allows you to arrive at the summit looking suitably calm and relaxed.

Known locally as the Mont Blanc des Dames – the Lady’s Mont Blanc – Mont Buet was long regarded as a training route for Mont Blanc, (or substitute for those who shouldn’t aspire to the real thing!) if only in terms of the length of the ascent. This peak is sought-after, suffered-for and not always attained first time round. Do not underestimate those who have come up the Normal Route – when you descend it you’ll realise how very long it is and then you’ll be surprised how many people do make the journey to the top. On national holidays and religious festival days you are guaranteed a festive atmosphere on the summit.

Nevertheless, the belvedere provided by Mont Buet makes it all worth while. Take the time to drink it all in – from Mont Blanc all the way around past the Aravis, the Arve Valley, the Rochers des Fiz, Mont Ruan, the Tour Sallière, and the rest of the Alps – what you don’t see from here isn’t worth seeing!

Good fitness and plenty of stamina are essential criteria for any ascent of Mont Buet – getting to the top really is only half the challenge, so prepare to be pretty weary by the time you reach the oasis of the Bérard Hut. Beer is sold here which is usually an important motivator before staggering off for the final part of the descent down the Bérard valley. It goes without saying that this is a hike to save for later in the walking holiday rather than one to go at on the first day!

MONT BUET
This summit was long regarded as a training route for Mont Blanc (or substitute for those who shouldn’t aspire to the real thing!) if only in terms of the length of the ascent. This peak is sought-after, suffered-for, and not always attained first time round. Do not underestimate those who have come up the Normal Route – when you descend you’ll realise how very long it is and be surprised how many people do make the journey to the top. On national holidays and religious festival days you are guaranteed a festive atmosphere on the summit.

Route
From Le Buet take the chemin des diligences track which sets off near the railway then across the road to Le Morzay. Follow this to the church then continue through Le Molard to a bridge where there is a junction. Take the left which goes around the hillside and meets a good trail coming up from Barberine (nearby is the Cascade de Barberine which is worth a look). Follow this good trail up and out of the trees, past several small cliffs. Sometimes steep, sometimes less so, this is certainly a hot and sweaty ascent and will require several breathers. Luckily the views are good. Ahead is the unmistakable looming wall of the Emosson dam so you can see exactly where you’re headed. The final climb is a bit of a sting in the tail but once the Col du Passet 2000m is reached the views of the lake are superb. From the col descend by a rather smart staircase made of a tree trunk to the road (you may want to go along to the dam as it’s very impressive when seen close up. There is a café beyond but getting there involves a small ascent). To continue, follow the road around the lake away from the dam. Up left the smaller Vieux Emosson dam is just visible and the hut is just in front of it. It is signed at a hairpin on the road that goes off left after about 30 mins and this road leads to the hut through a couple of tunnels which on hot days give a brief respite from the heat.

Once at the hut, if its hot, a dip in the higher lake may be in order. During the evening keep a look out for the herds of ibex that often roam the nearby hillsides.
Go early the next morning so as to have plenty of time for all the joys of this day and also for any hitches you may encounter en route. If the weather is bad don’t go at all.

The road leads through a tunnel onto a path around the north side of the Vieux Emosson lake. At its end the dinosaur tracks are signed up and left and they are not to be missed, unless they are still covered by snow, but if they are this is a good indication that it is too snowy to do the rest of the route. The tracks date from the Triassic Era (230 million years ago give or take) when the dinosaurs were not too big. There are tracks and wave marks clearly visible on the orange rock slabs. Continue to go uphill until a junction where the path straight ahead goes to the Col des Corbeaux. Our route goes right and traverses around under the Pointe à Corbeaux to the Col du Vieux 2572m. (Neither of these paths is marked on the current 1:25 000 map.) From the Col du Vieux the route is fairly clear and goes across diagonally to the south-east slopes of the Cheval Blanc 2831m. A zigzag route goes all the way to the summit with a couple of sections of chain.

From the summit head south-west. The terrain descends a little but in general it’s fairly flat. Red paint marks and cairns mark the way but you need to concentrate and if the visibility is bad then it’s best to be satisfied with the Cheval Blanc and return to Emosson – it would be easy to get disorientated, and the consequences could be bad.

We are heading to the Col Genévrier 2691m from where a decision must be made. We need to get beyond the next summit, the Pointe Genévrier, to the unnamed col on the other side 2808m. If the east slopes of the Pointe Genévrier are snowfree then this is the way and the waymarks and cairns lead across in a slightly rising line to the col beyond. However, if these slopes are snowy then this is very dangerous and you must follow a descending path on the west side of the summit which goes all the way down to the Plan du Buet at 2543m. Here you will pick up the good trail coming from Grenairon which goes up to the unnamed col. Whilst this clearly adds 250m more of ascent there is no option if the east slopes are snowy – do not try to cross in the snow as a fall could be fatal.

From the col the north arête looks fairly intimidating so enjoy in the views to the south whilst you take a break. The way is obvious, along to the ridge then follow the cables. Whilst it is not difficult to climb this ridge a loss in concentration could easily lead to a slip. Poles should be attached to the sac as you do need both hands in places.

At the top get your breath back and continue along the gentle narrow track. The summit cairn can be seen from afar but more interesting for this section are the steep slopes of the east face of Mont Buet, adorned with remnants of the dying Tré-les-Eaux Glacier, the summit of which is often overhung by old snow cornices.

Once on the top join the crowds and celebrate.

The descent route takes the broad south-west shoulder for about 500m before the path descends to the left around the hillside to a small col at 2700m from where there your gaze will stretch over to the Plateau d’Anterne and the Rochers des Fiz.
Continuing down, the at times indistinct trail leads around the north ridge of the Aiguille de Salenton and beneath the Col de Salenton, becoming increasingly rocky. Red flashes mark the way, along with the odd cairn, but a keen eye is needed to not miss the way here, especially if there are patches of snow.

Eventually the path improves and you’ll spy the hut far below, with lots of lucky people already sitting outside enjoying an ice cold beer. As you mouth waters and your lips become unbearably dry you will finally exit from the interminable zigzags and find yourself in heaven.

Some time later take the big and very pleasant trail all the way down the Bérard valley. Just stay on the main trail, which meanders along next to the idyllic Bérard River all the way to the Hotel du Buet.