The pass was originally a track used by mule teams and smugglers that zig-zagged up the mountain face from Martigny and over into France.

Today, the pass is an important link to the tourist areas around the Mont Blanc.

There is a restaurant and shop at the pass, and it is a popular destination for weekend excursions and bicycle and motorcycle tours.

A number of trailheads at the pass invite hikers into the mountains (Arpille, Bovine, etc.)

In the event of closure, travellers who want to go to Chamonix must take the long detour around Lake Geneva.