Tour du Mont Blanc Trek

The trip starts today at our chalet-style hotel in the village of Les Houches in the Chamonix Valley. Our tour leader plans to meet everyone in the hotel reception at 6pm for a welcome meeting and trek briefing. Afterwards, for those that wish, there will be the chance to dine together as a group either at the hotel or a nearby local restaurant. There are no other activities planned for today. We don't include an arrival transfer on this tour but it's easy to reach our joining hotel in Les Houches independently. The easiest way to get from the airport to our hotel is via the Mountain Drop Offs shared shuttle bus service, which departs regularly from Geneva Airport throughout the day and takes just over an hour. The shuttle will drop you at the door of the hotel, tickets cost €50 and can be booked online at https://www.mountaindropoffs.com/. If you miss the welcome meeting, our tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. Please note that the official check-in time at the hotel is from 3 pm, although rooms will be allocated as soon as they are available. If you arrive earlier in the day and would like to explore, the lively centre of Chamonix, with its many shops and pavement cafes, is just 15 minutes away by local bus. ...more ...less

After breakfast, we take a local bus for 20 minutes from Les Houches to Chamonix and walk along the River Arve for about 30 minutes to Les Praz (1,065 metres/3,494 feet) from where we take the Flegere cable car up to 1,900 metres/6,234 feet. From here we hike through open countryside for one-and-a-half to two hours to Lac Blanc (2,352 metres/7,717 feet). There are incredible views of the whole Mont Blanc range, including the Grandes Jorasses, Aiguille Vert and Le Dru. We then follow a beautiful path back through the forest to our hotel at Argentiere (1,252 metres/4,108 feet). Today's trekking will take approximately six to seven hours with a cumulative ascent of 450 metres/1,476 feet and descent of 1,110 metres/3,641 feet.

From the hotel, we walk through Old Argentiere and hike up to the Col des Posettes (1,997 metres/6,552 feet) for superb views of Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Valley. From here, we traverse to the Col de Balme (2,191 metres/7,188 feet) and look directly into Switzerland. We then descend through open country with views of glaciers to Trient (1,297 metres/4,255 feet) where we spend the night at an auberge. This is a traditional mountain inn that is clean, friendly, full of fellow trekkers and has a great atmosphere. At the auberge, we aim to have twins, triples or quads, but you may be in a dormitory if it is a busy part of the season. The bathrooms are shared. All bedding is provided. You will have your main baggage delivered to the auberge tonight. Today's trekking will take approximately five to six hours with a cumulative ascent of 1,000 metres/3,281 feet and descent of 900 metres/2,953 feet.

Today's hike starts with a short climb to the Col de la Forclaz (1,526 metres/5,007 feet) from where we walk along the Bovine Route to Champex (1,486 metres/4,875 feet). The route winds its way through meadows, forests and open country with views of the great Sion Valley and the mountains of Verbier. There are no great ascents today and we arrive at our hotel near Champex Lake where you can head to for a sundowner. You will not have access to your main luggage tonight. Today's trekking will take approximately six hours with a cumulative ascent of 950 metres/3,115 feet and descent of 750 metres/2,460 feet.

From here it is a gentle five to six-hour trek to La Fouly (1,600 metres/5,249 feet) along the Val Ferret. We start our walk descending from Champex following the river along a pretty valley covered in trees to Praz-de-Fort. We then ascend in similar surroundings with wonderful views of Mt Dolent and the South Face of the Mont Blanc range. You will not have access to your main luggage tonight. Today's trekking will take approximately six hours with a cumulative ascent of 540 metres/ 1,771 feet and descent of 440 metres/1,443 feet.

We continue from La Fouly along the Val Ferret and cross the impressive Grand Col Ferret (2,537 metres/8,324 feet). From here, the descent is slightly steeper but rewards us with outstanding views of two of the Alp's most iconic mountains - Le Grandes Jorasses and Mont Blanc. We stay at La Palud (1,350 metres/4,429 feet), 3 kilometres/1.9 miles from Courmayeur and you will have your main baggage delivered to the hotel tonight. It's worth noting that we usually shorten today's walk by taking a bus for the final 7 kilometres/4.3 miles of the walk. Today's trekking will take approximately nine hours with a cumulative ascent of 970 metres/3,182 feet and a descent of 1,170 metres/3,838 feet.

Today has been left free to take a rest from the trail and soak up the ambience of the Alps. Nearby Courmayeur is one of Italy's premier ski resorts and is full of pretty shops, cafés and restaurants. Close by, there is the hot spring spa at Pre St Didier, the Skyway cable car that revolves as you ascend and plenty of other walking opportunities.

We take public transport for approximately 25 minutes and travel to Val Veny under the spectacular South Face and ridges of Mont Blanc. We trek along a wide glacial valley surrounded by glaciers and high peaks to the Col de la Seigne (2,516 metres/8,255 feet) which marks the border between France and Italy. We then descend to Les Chapieux (1,549 metres/5,082 feet). Today is quite a long day (it is possible to take a bus for the final 5 kilometres/3.1 miles if you wish), although it's not steep. You will not have access to your luggage tonight, so you will want to pack accordingly. Today's trekking will take approximately seven hours with a cumulative ascent of 860 metres/2,821 feet and a descent of 967 metres/3,173 feet.

We make a steep ascent above Les Chapieux through marmot country and on through open meadows to more barren scenery. We cross two cols (2,479 metres/8,133 feet and 2,329 metres/7,641 feet) in wild surroundings with fabulous Alpine Flowers and marmots, weasels and chamois. We then head down through open country and a narrowing valley. Our destination is Les Contamines (1,167 metres/3,829 feet), a pretty ski village with an interesting church. We'll stay approximately 1 km/0.6 miles before the village of Les Contamines. There will be no access to your main luggage tonight. Today's trekking will take approximately seven hours with a cumulative ascent of 930 metres/3,051 feet and a descent of 1,320 metres/4,331 feet.

Leaving Les Contamines we follow the Tour du Mont Blanc, passing the pretty hamlets of Gruvaz, Champel and Bionnassay. We then make the short, 500 metre/1,640 foot ascent to the Col du Voza (1,653 metres/5,423 feet) which forms part of the huge massif above Les Houches. This is a fitting end to our trek with the most outstanding views of the Chamonix Valley, the Chamonix Aiguilles and the Mont Blanc massif. We descend back down to Les Houches on the Bellevue gondola and walk back to our hotel where we started our trek nine days ago. We are reunited with our luggage and will have a final meal in the evening, bidding farewell to our tour leader. Today's trekking will take approximately seven hours with a cumulative ascent of 1,120 metres/3,675 feet and descent of 550 metres/1,804 feet.

The trip ends today after breakfast at our hotel in Les Houches. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Les Houches at any time. If you're departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. As with your arrival, we don't include a departure transfer on this tour, but you can use the Mountain Drop Offs shuttle to easily reach Geneva Airport. The shuttle runs regularly throughout the day and takes just over an hour to the airport. Tickets cost €50 and can be booked online at https://www.mountaindropoffs.com/.