Tour des Dents du Midi
EPIC (9.1/10)Mex VS → Refuge de Chalin
An epic alpine undertaking — the Tour des Dents du Midi packs 64.3 km and 2,716 m of climbing into a 19h 27min day. Running from Mex VS to Refuge de Chalin, the trail spans an elevation range of 1,059 m to 2,423 m. The 42 m/km climb ratio means sustained effort on the ascents.
The route breaks into 13 segments. The toughest stretch is the 12.0 km from Mex VS to L'Église de la Tour Sallière, climbing 1,466 m — an unrelenting 122 m/km grade. In contrast, the 1.4 km from Pointe de l'Erse to Dent de Valerette is much gentler and makes for a welcome recovery section.
About 75% of the trail is runnable, but the remaining steep sections will push most people into power-hiking mode. Some pitches hit 60% gradient, so trekking poles are strongly recommended.
Budget roughly 13,622 kcal of energy expenditure and 11.7 L of water. Aim for 60–90 g of carbs per hour to avoid bonking on the longer climbs. No confirmed water sources along the route — carry all the water you need.
Alpine route. Usually accessible from June to October. Early and late season may have snow patches above 2200m.
Elevation Profile
Route Map
Trail Splits
Waypoint-to-waypoint breakdown with estimated hiking times (Naismith's Rule).
| Segment | Dist | ↑ Ascent | ↓ Descent | Time | Cum. km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📍 Mex VS → L'Église de la Tour Sallière | 12.0 km | +1466m | -282m | 5h 04m | 12.0 |
| ⛰️ L'Église de la Tour Sallière → Arête Fabien | 2.0 km | +104m | -238m | 45 min | 14.0 |
| ⛰️ Arête Fabien → Dents de Rossétan | 5.3 km | +197m | -713m | 1h 59m | 19.3 |
| ⛰️ Dents de Rossétan → Chaux d'Antème | 2.6 km | +295m | -6m | 1h 00m | 21.9 |
| ⛰️ Chaux d'Antème → Tinderray | 2.0 km | +98m | -99m | 38 min | 23.9 |
| ⛰️ Tinderray → Pierre à Midi | 1.9 km | +46m | -96m | 31 min | 25.7 |
| ⛰️ Pierre à Midi → Cathédrale | 2.2 km | +51m | -119m | 37 min | 28.0 |
| ⛰️ Cathédrale → Dent de Valère | 1.4 km | +13m | -74m | 21 min | 29.4 |
| ⛰️ Dent de Valère → Pointe de l'Erse | 2.1 km | +68m | -99m | 36 min | 31.5 |
| ⛰️ Pointe de l'Erse → Dent de Valerette | 1.4 km | +2m | -51m | 19 min | 32.9 |
| ⛰️ Dent de Valerette → La Dzornive | 5.1 km | +21m | -502m | 1h 28m | 38.0 |
| ⛰️ La Dzornive → L'Aiguille | 2.6 km | +153m | -157m | 54 min | 40.6 |
| ⛰️ L'Aiguille → Refuge de Chalin | 6.9 km | +202m | -58m | 1h 45m | 47.5 |
| Total | 64.3 km | +2,716m | -2,494m | 19h 27m | 64.3 |
Terrain Analysis
Nutrition & Hydration
Estimates based on metabolic equivalent (MET) for hiking with significant elevation gain. Actual needs vary by body weight, fitness, weather, and pack weight.
Pace Estimates
Based on Naismith's Rule adjusted for distance, elevation, and technical difficulty. Click a pace to update split times above.
Current Conditions
Best Season
Alpine route. Usually accessible from June to October. Early and late season may have snow patches above 2200m.
Logistics
💧 Water Advisory
No confirmed water sources along this 64 km route. Carry all water needed — plan for 11.7 L minimum.
Nearby Points of Interest
⛰️ Peaks
- Signal de Soi 187m · km 26.6
- Tinderray 232m · km 24.1
- Chaux d'Antème 382m · km 22
- Pierre à Midi 398m · km 25.7
- Pointe de l'Erse 680m · km 31.3
🏠 Mountain Huts
- Cabane d'Anthème 65m · km 22.6
- Cabane de Susanfe 204m · km 14.2
📍 Nearby Places
- Le Fahy 208m
- Chindonne 217m
- La Chaux 274m
- Valère 294m
- Mettecui 369m
Route Details
- Network
- Regional Trail Network
- Sport
- hiking
- Start
- Mex VS
- End
- Refuge de Chalin
- Start Coordinates
- 46.18599, 6.99944
- OpenStreetMap
- View on OSM →
- Official Website
- Visit →
Similar Trails
Plan this route
This epic route demands careful planning. Use the TrailSplits planner to set waypoints at key mountain huts, get turn-by-turn navigation, and export to your GPS.