Col des Montets Panoramic Viewpoint
At 1,461 metres, the Col des Montets pass sits just two kilometres south of Vallorcine village and delivers an unobstructed, wide-screen view of the Aiguilles Rouges to the west and the Vallorcine valley stretching north toward Switzerland — all from a roadside pull-off that most tour buses simply drive through without stopping.
The View and Why It Matters
Unlike the cable-car viewpoints above Chamonix, the col gives a ground-level perspective that shows the true scale of the valley: larch forests tumbling down to the Eau Noire river, granite walls rising almost vertically, and on clear days the white dome of Mont Blanc floating above the treeline to the south.
Photographers prize the col at dawn when low mist fills the valley floor and the Aiguilles Rouges catch the first pink light — a scene that requires nothing more than parking the car and stepping out with a camera.
The col also marks the boundary between the Mont Blanc Tunnel traffic corridor and the quieter Vallorcine basin, so noise levels drop noticeably the moment you face north.
Getting There and Combining Stops
The Mont Blanc Express train (SNCF/TMB line) stops at Montroc-Le Planet, a ten-minute walk from the col, making this completely doable without a car even in winter.
Pair the viewpoint with the adjacent Asters nature centre for context on what you're looking at, then walk the flat botanic trail behind the building that identifies 80 species of alpine plant with illustrated signs.
In winter the col is a popular snowshoe starting point; hire shoes from Vallorcine's ski rental shops (around €12/day) and follow the signed Sentier des Gardes loop for 90 minutes of gentle Nordic scenery.
More of Vallorcine
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Vallorcine →
