A scene worthy of a Ferdinand Hodler painting! When Mont-Fort opens in summer, you can be part of an exclusive group to enjoy the sunrise at 3,300m. As a keen mountaineer, this activity was particularly appealing because climbing at night at this altitude can be tricky, despite my love for camping!
An early wake-up call for an unforgettable adventure
Leaving from Le Châble (new since summer 2024) at 3.45am means an early start with a bit of a sting. I packed my bag the night before with warm clothing and necessities for the day ahead, including:
- Trousers (+ a pair of shorts in my bag to make the most of the sunshine after the activity)
- First layer: merino wool t-shirt
- Second layer: fleece pullover
- Third layer: insulating winter down jacket
- Thick wool socks (+ thinner socks for after the activity)
- Hat
- Gloves
- Sunglasses
- Baseball cap for after the activity
- Sunglasses
- Bottle of water
It might be warm in the valley, but you should never underestimate the weather at high altitude!
We caught the bus at Le Châble and picked up other participants leaving from Médran before continuing our journey to La Chaux. It’s a strange atmosphere on the bus, a mixture of whispers and heavy eyelids. In La Chaux, the Jumbo cable car awaits to take us to Les Gentianes. It already feels cooler, and the silence of the mountains under the dark, star-strewn sky amplifies the melody of the cowbells in the pastures.
In Les Gentianes, the first rays tentatively emerge – a taste of what is to come. Here, we were joined by participants from Nendaz and continued our climb up to Mont-Fort in a cable car, accompanied by two well-behaved and somewhat sleepy dogs.
Gallery
A breathtaking view
Stepping onto the platform, I was immediately blown away. The spectacle opened with a gradient of blue and yellow over a sea of clouds before giving way to pink hues. From here, you can see the most spectacular peaks: the Matterhorn, Dent d’Hérens, Mont Blanc, Dents du Midi, and the list goes on…
As the chill set in, I decided to warm up at the Igloo with a hot drink which is included in the package. When I climbed back up to the platform, I discovered a very different panorama. Every passing minute painted a new and unique scene. When the alphorns rang out, emotion filled the air. Transported by this spellbinding moment, everyone fell silent and immersed themselves in the magic of it all.
The parallelism of the pyramidal peaks, the pastel gradients, and the cable car station below immediately brought to mind the paintings of Ferdinand Hodler, a leading Swiss artist at the turn of the 20th century, especially Lac Léman avec Mont Blanc à l’aube (Lake Geneva with Mont Blanc at dawn), 1918, and Dents du Midi depuis Chesières (Dents du Midi from Chesières), 1912. This made my experience even more personal, as I am particularly fond of Hodler’s work.
Returning to the restaurant felt almost melancholic. I would have loved to stay longer, but my stomach said otherwise! Those who chose to take part in the yoga class stayed on the platform to savour this incredible moment in the company of Emilien Badoux.
Breakfast is served at the Black Tap restaurant in Les Gentianes. Each of us was treated to a generous breakfast with both hot and cold drinks. We dined in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, sharing our experiences with neighbouring tables.
Continue your visit in the region
Once the activity is over, you can either take the bus down to Médran and then the cable car to Le Châble or continue your visit and enjoy the various activities on offer, including:
