Normal route

Approach

Get to the Lac Blanc hut (2352m) by either: - From the Col des Montets by the Remuaz path, - The path from the Tre le Champ parking that passes underneath the Chéserys cliffs and then climbs up behind the Aiguillet d’Argentière, (equipped with an iron ladder.) - From the téléphérique de la Flégère (1877m) or the Index chairlift.

Route

Pass the lake on its true right bank and go NW, up a series of shelves towards the col des Dards. Gain the right hand moraine of the Dards glacier and then traverse horizontally across the glacier. Climb a scree slope to a gap on the Dards ridge (2790m Col des Dards). Follow the ridge, (to the right,) to reach the Aiguille du Belvédère. After climbing a rock step, one turns a rock spire on the side facing the lake, on friable rock. One then reaches a gap in the ridge, dominated by an obvious finger of rock, by climbing a chimney. This is the key passage of the climb, (exposed but with good holds, the leader can assure the party by using flakes at the top.) Continue, still roped, along an airy ridge with a nice passage on easy angled slabs, to the foot of the “chapeau calcaire” (limestone hat) of the Belvédère, which one turns to the right by a stone covered ledge. A last steep bit, on the N ridge, leads to the summit terrace.

Descent

By the same route. The chimney can be abseilled (12m) using one of the flakes as a belay