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Cabane de Panossière, base for climbs in the Combin massif

Seen at its best from either Cabane de Panossière (for a close view), or the Sentier des Chamois (for a wider perspective), the Grand Combin is a major massif; high, majestic and complex, with an extensive glacier system, huge walls of rock on the south side, and on the north giant serac barriers, ice terraces and three distinct 4000m summits, namely: Combin de Grafeneire (4314m), Combin de Valsorey (4184m), and Combin de la Tsessette (4141m). Another 4000m top, the 4243m Aiguille du Croissant, was once considered the massif’s highest point, but is in fact a secondary point on Combin de Grafeneire’s snow dome, while other neighbouring mountains such as Combin de Corbassière and the Petit Combin, though not reaching the magical 4000m spot height, also make worthwhile goals.

The regal Combin massif and the long Corbassière glacier

  Combin de Valsorey is the West summit, and the massif’s second highest. A broad snow ridge links it with Combin de Grafeneire, and it is usually tackled from the nearer Cabane de Valsorey ssss1, but since the NW Face route is gained from the Corbassière glacier, approach from Cabane de Panossière is equally valid.