Dents du Midi
The Dents du Midi are a multi-summited mountain situated in the Chablais Alps in the Swiss canton of Valais. They are composed of seven distinct summits and reach a height of 3257 metres. Highest mountain between Lake Geneva and the Mont Blanc Massif, they dominate the Val-d'Illiez and the Rhône Valley, from Martigny down to the lake. Together with the slightly lower Tour Sallière, they form a cirque around the Lac de Salanfe, an artificial reservoir. Geologically it makes up a part of the massif Haut-Giffre.
The seven peaks
The "Dents", or "Teeth" are, from east to west:- La Cime de l'Est
- La Forteresse
- La Cathédrale
- L'Éperon
- Dent Jaune
- Les Doigts or Doigts de Salanfe
- La Haute Cime
Rockfalls
Shortly after midday on Friday 17 August 2012, another significant rockfall occurred below the Cathédrale, amounting to at least 100,000m³ of rock. Twelve hikers were rescued by helicopter. All were unscathed, as was a flock of sheep grazing nearby. Again, the fall was put down to exceptional heat locally. Less serious falls continued over the next few days and hiking trails remained closed.
Origin of the name
The name "Dents du Midi" is of relatively recent origin, referring to the time of day at which the sun reaches a certain point. The native inhabitants originally called them the "Dents de Tsallen". The present Haute Cime was then called Dent du Midi, and it eventually gave its name to the entire mountain.Each peak, or "tooth", has had several names over the centuries:
- La Cime de l'Est was called Mont de Novierre before approximately the seventeenth century, then Mont Saint Michel after the landslides of 1635 and 1636, and finally Dent Noire till the 19th century.
- Dent Jaune was called the Dent Rouge until 1879.
- Les Doigts were called Le Doigt de Champéry then Le Doigt de Salanfe before finally just Les Doigts.
- La Haute Cime also had several names: Dent de l’Ouest, Dent du Midi, Dent de Tsallen, and Dent de Challent.
''L’Éperon''
First ascents
| Name of peak | Date of first ascent | Climber |
| Cime de l'Est | 16 August 1842 | Nicolaz Delez |
| Forteresse | 7 June 1870 | E. Javelle and J. Oberhauser |
| La Cathédrale | 1890 | Nicolas Delez |
| L'Éperon | ? | ? |
| La Dent Jaune | 24 August 1879 | ? |
| Les Doigts | ? | ? |
| La Haute Cime | 1784 | Jean-Maurice Clément |