Finhaut appears as you follow a bend; a mountain village with an old-fashioned charm, the arrival point of the old stagecoach road and a point of departure for numerous walks. Among the most spectacular excursions: the ascent to the Emosson dam. The first section was created in 1920 by the Funiculaire du Châtelard with the aim of building pressure pipelines to bring water to the centre of Châtelard. With its bare appearance, a reference to its initial industrial use, the convoy is a world champion in the «steepest slope» category with its 87%. The ascent only lasts twelve minutes but you rise 698 meters ! The peak of your emotions are not met at the summit, however. A small panoramic train takes over, following amazing precipices to the foot of the Emosson dam, whose summit is conquered with the help of a «Mini-funic», mini but steep! And here, at 2400m, with the Mont-Blanc at its back, is the Emosson lake, held in check by the dam which overhangs it. A pretext for fresh walks on the concrete crown, or for a search for dinosaur tracks, engraved in the rock for more than 200 million years.

More information:

The Châtelard transport network: www.chatelard.net
Dinosaur tracks: click here 
Emosson dam:  www.emosson.ch
Photo: Petit train panoramique du Châtelard, CCA