Alpine Passes Trail

The lovely hike starts in the holiday village of Morgins, politically a part of the municipality of Troistorrents. It is situated at 1333 metres in the Val de Morgins, a side valley of the Val d'Illiez, and belongs to the Portes du Soleil ski area. The first 400 metres altitude difference up to Portes du Culet are mostly on a paved road. It takes about one and a half hours to reach the barely used pass. It belongs to the Chablais region, a mountain range in the French and Swiss pre-alps between lake Geneva in the north, the Rhone in the east and the Giffre valley in the south. The view of the highest peak in the area, the Dents du Midi with its seven rock teeth, is superb. The highest peak is the Haute Cime (3257 m.a.s.l.).

The trail continues uphill to the Portes d'Onne. After another two hours along the rocky ledge, you reach the highest point of the hike at the Tour de Don (1999 m.a.s.l.). A bench invites you to take a rest. The view of lake Geneva, the Valais alps and the Mont Blanc is fantastic. If you are lucky, you may spot ibex or chamois on the surrounding rock faces.

A varied and partly steep ridge continues to the Col de Croix. Forest and pasture sections alternate until you reach Les Fignards. Over the 151-metre Pont de Torgon bridge, the stage ends in Torgon after about six hours of hiking. The village is also part of the Portes du Soleil ski area. A total of 12 alpine villages in France and Switzerland connect this area to form the largest ski area in Europe.