VerticAlp Emosson: funicular at 87%, scenic train and dam

An industrial heritage repurposed

VerticAlp was not built for tourists. The three railway installations that comprise the journey were designed in the 1920s to transport materials and workers for the Barberine dam (1921-1925), and later for the second Émosson dam, completed in the 1970s. The funicular long served the workers of the hydroelectric plant.

In 2014, the commune of Finhaut took over operations and converted it into a tourist circuit. The commercial brand VerticAlp Emosson was launched in 2015; the cabins were modernised, braking systems brought up to standard, and the red-and-white colours that now define the site’s signature were applied.

Three trains, one ticket

The complete route chains three distinct installations:

First, the Châtelard funicular, departing from the Trient valley (Le Châtelard, 200 metres from the French border). Seven minutes of ascent at 87% gradient, arriving at Montuires station at approximately 1,100 metres.

Then the scenic small train, which travels approximately three kilometres along the mountainside, hauled by an electric locomotive. The route winds around several ridges, crosses viaducts, passes through a tunnel, and emerges at the base of the Émosson dam.

Finally the mini-funicular, which climbs along the downstream face of the dam and deposits passengers on the crest, at approximately 1,965 metres altitude, facing the Émosson lake.

Émosson lake, a mirror before Mont-Blanc

The Émosson dam is among Switzerland’s most impressive. The reservoir forms a turquoise-coloured lake, positioned with the Mont-Blanc massif filling the entire southern horizon. The walking path makes a partial circuit of the lake and passes several viewpoints; a few mountain restaurants offer fondue and Valais specialities for lunch.

For the more adventurous, the dinosaur trail, a palaeontological site with fossil prints dating to approximately 250 million years ago, classified for its scientific interest, lies an hour and a half’s walk from the mini-funicular arrival point. The traces are visible in the rock, aligned over several tens of metres.

When to visit

The installation operates from late May to late September, outside the ski season. The best window is July to mid-September: snow melted, trails accessible around the lake, and contrasting light on Mont-Blanc. Departures from Châtelard run every 30 to 60 minutes depending on season; check the exact timetable on the VerticAlp Emosson website before departure.

Planning a stay in Vallorcine

AEC Collection selects and represents chalets in Vallorcine and the upper Chamonix valley. VerticAlp Emosson, like other attractions in the Trient valley on the Swiss side, is booked directly with the operator.