Mountain hutCHvariant
2,113 m
Chalet des Grands (Refuge Les Grands)
Les Grands (Trient Valley)
A Swiss Alpine Club (CAS) chalet perched at 2,113 m on the Grands variant, a balcony route between Trient and the Col…
Elevation profile
1,250 m1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m0 km2 km4 km6 km8 kmCol de Balme 2,191 m
Description
Starting from the Col de la Forclaz, this variant first follows the flat path along the Bisse du Trient to the Chalet du Glacier. It then climbs steeply up the opposite slope, facing the snout of the Trient Glacier, to the Refuge des Grands (2,113 m), a small hut in a spectacular setting.
The trail continues as a balcony path to the north-west, above the Trient valley, before reaching the Col de Balme, where you rejoin the main route and the view over the Chamonix valley.
Walked more by lovers of solitude than by groups, it includes a few steep and airy sections. In wet weather, the rock slabs can be slippery.
Tips
- Start at the Col de la Forclaz rather than Trient so you can enjoy the bisse path.
- Check the Refuge des Grands' opening dates and whether it is wardened before planning a night there.