The Mont Blanc Express in Numbers
Here are some figures about the Mont Blanc Express:
| Numbers | Martigny-Vallorcine | Vallorcine-Chamonix | Chamonix-St-Gervais |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance (km) | 18 | 20 | 19 |
| Time (min) | 50 | 40 | 45 |
| Tunnel | 12 | 9 | - |
Mont Blanc Express: Stops
The Mont Blanc Express runs between Martigny (Switzerland) and Saint-Gervais-les-Bains (France), making these stops along the way:
- Martigny (Switzerland)
- Les Fumeaux
- Vernayaz MC
- Salvan
- Les Marécottes
- La Médettaz
- Le Trétien
- Finhaut
- Le Châtelard-Frontière (border between Switzerland and France)
- Vallorcine (France) transfer
- Le Buet
- Montroc-le-Planet
- Argentière (Haute-Savoie)
- La Joux
- Les Tines
- Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
- Chamonix-Aiguille du Midi
- Les Moussoux
- Les Pélerins
- Les Bossons
- Taconnaz
- Les Houches
- Viaduc-Sainte-Marie
- Vaudagne
- Servoz
- Chedde
- Saint-Gervais-les-Bains Le Fayet (final stop)
These stops provide access to various alpine villages, hiking trails, and attractions along the route.
Mont Blanc Express: Attractions along the Route
On the route of the Mont Blanc Express between Martigny (Switzerland) and Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (France), there are plenty of impressive sights and natural beauties to see. Here are a few examples:
Martigny
Martigny is a historic town featuring Roman ruins, the Pierre Gianadda Museum, and the famous vineyards in the Rhône Valley. Barryland is a museum dedicated to the Bernese mountain dog, known as Switzerland's national dog. These beautiful animals originated at the Great St. Bernard Pass.
The Fondation Pierre Gianadda showcases a Gallo-Roman museum, a sculpture park, and a car museum in Martigny. They also host temporary art exhibitions. At the Kids Fun Park, children can enjoy a little wonderland filled with brightly colored play structures of all kinds.
Finhaut and Le Châtelard-Frontière
Finhaut is a mountain village with a stunning view of the surrounding peaks. A special feature is the Kletterhallen La Parey. The diamond-shaped building offers 200 m² of climbing surfaces with bouldering.
Le Châtelard-Frontière is part of the municipality of Finhaut and is the border town to France.
From here, you can take trips to the Lac d'Emosson, an impressive reservoir in the mountains. Its dam provides beautiful views of the Alps and has a visitor center. You can reach it via three small funiculars:
- Funicular from Le Châtelard to Les Montuires
- Panoramic train from Les Montuires to the foot of the Emosson dam
- Mini funicular to the large area of Emosson above the reservoir
Vernayaz
Vernayaz is famous for the impressive Trient Gorge. This deep, narrow gorge showcases a stunning waterfall. You can visit the “Gorges of Trient,” with the entrance located close to the train station. Here, you can see the enormous erosion forces that have carved out a canyon several hundred meters deep, with a glacial river flowing at the bottom. Two of the highest bridges in Europe span the valley at a height of 200 m.
Nearby is the Pissevache Waterfall, which at 116 m is one of the tallest in the region. It offers not only a fascinating natural spectacle but is also easily accessible, making it a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers. You can reach it via a well-marked path in about 20 minutes from the Vernayaz train station.
Salvan and Les Marécottes
Salvan and Les Marécottes are known for the Zoo des Marécottes. This is the highest zoo in Europe, which also includes a swimming pool.
The Dailley Gorge features a beautifully renovated path that takes you through galleries, dizzying stairs, and walkways from Les Granges to Van d'en Bas. Here, you can see how the Salanfe River cascades down the steep gorge in several stages. In the background, the snow-capped Alps and the mist of the Rhône Valley create a striking contrast.
You can quickly access the Triège Gorge from the train station through the village of Le Trétien. It has three bridges and well-designed walkways. In the middle of the gorge, there's a water extraction point operated by the SBB.
If you enjoy canyoning, this region is perfect for you. You will find three beautifully carved canyons in the granite here. They mainly consist of natural slides and waterfalls:
- Triège Canyon
- Salanfe Canyon
- Tinda Canyon
Vallorcine (FR)
Vallorcine is a charming French mountain village in a peaceful valley, perfect for hiking and outdoor activities. From here, you can also see Mont Blanc. A lovely walk awaits you at the entrance of the Bérard Valley to the Cascade de Bérard waterfall. It takes about 1 hour, is 1.5 km long, and has an elevation gain of 110 meters up and down.
You can explore the Aiguilles Rouges Nature Reserve via a path that starts at Col des Montets.
Argentière (FR)
Argentière is a popular spot for skiers and mountaineers with direct access to the glaciers. The Argentière Glacier is one of the most well-known glaciers in the region and is visible from here. You can also easily reach the Col des Montets from here.
Les Chosalets is a ski area for beginners where you can practice jumps and slopes before venturing into the larger ski areas.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (FR)
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is a world-famous town at the foot of Mont Blanc. The place is known for outdoor sports like mountaineering and skiing.
The Aiguille du Midi cable car offers a direct view of Mont Blanc and is an absolute highlight. In just 20 minutes, you'll reach an altitude of 3,842 m above sea level, right in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif. An elevator takes you to the observation terrace. A unique experience is the step into the void. The glass box has glass on five sides, so there's more than 1,000 m of emptiness beneath your feet.
The ice sea Mer de Glace is one of the largest glaciers in Europe. A small cogwheel train takes you from Chamonix to Montenvers at an altitude of 1,913 m above sea level. Here, you can also visit the ice cave Grotte de Glace, which was carved by humans into the glacier ice. For the entire visit to the ice sea, including the cave, you should plan about 2-3 hours.
This route not only offers stunning views of the Alps but also a variety of natural wonders and cultural attractions that are definitely worth a visit.