The Grand Combin is a mountain in the western Pennine Alps in Switzerland. With its 4,314 metres (14,154 ft) high summit it is one of the highest peaks in the Alps and the second most prominent of its range. The Grand Combin is also a large glaciated massif consisting of several summits, among which three are above 4000 metres.
The normal route starts from the Panossière Hut, which lies on the north side in the Corbassière valley. Despite the fact that no major difficulties exist, a particularly dangerous passage has to be traversed on the north flank: Le Corridor. It is a couloir dominated by seracs continuously falling on it.
(right)]] The Grand Combin de Grafeneire or simply Grand Combin lies between two minor summits, Grand Combin de Valsorey (4184 m) on the west and Combin de la Tsessette (4135 m) on the east, the three forming a large homogeneous massif.
The north-western facing side of Grand Combin is entirely covered by eternal snows and glaciers which are prone to serac falls. The southern and eastern walls are more steep and thus exempt of snow.
The north side of Grand Combin is located at the end of a 10 km long glacial valley, above the Corbassière Glacier. It is surrounded by the peaks of Petit Combin, Combin de Corbassière and Combin de Boveire on the west, Grand Tavé and Tournelon Blanc on the east. Smaller glaciers lie on the external flanks such as Boveire and Mont Durand Glacier.
The massif lies between the Val d'Entremont and Val de Bagnes, facing the mountain resort of Verbier to the north. The Grande Tête de By, on the main watershed, lies a few kilometres south.
All the waters flowing on the region end up in the Dranse river and the Rhone. After Dom, Weisshorn, it is the highest massif of the Alps situated out of the main chain.
The first four expeditions on Grand Combin reached only a minor summit east of Grand Combin de Grafeneire: the Aiguille du Croissant (4,260 m). The first one was made by mountain guides from the valley (Maurice Fellay and Jouvence Bruchez) on July 20, 1857. The first complete ascent of Grand Combin was made on July 30, 1859 by Charles Sainte-Claire Deville with Daniel, Emmanuel and Gaspard balleys, and Basile Dorsaz.
The Grand Combin de Valsoray on the west was reached for the first time on 16 September 1872 by J. H. Isler and J. Gillioz. They climbed the south south face above the Plateau du Couloir. The itinerary on the south-east ridge was opened on 10 September 1891 by O. Glynne Jones, A.Bovier and P. Gaspoz.