Tour du Mont Blanc Hiking

Chamonix

In Chamonix, settle in, stroll through the town and get your bearings. We will meet for a wine reception and dinner at 7 p.m.

Les Houches to Les Contamines-Montjoie

We transfer to the village of Les Houches to start our trip. Take a picture under the TMB arches and then we’ll take a gondola up to start the first hike up a trail to an enchanting chalet where we will enjoy a lunch of fresh salad, omelette, cheese board and chocolate mousse. Stop at the lovely Refuge de Mirage, in fields of wildflowers where horses roaming freely. We’ll make our way down to the village of Les Contamines-Montjoie which boasts the highest nature reserve in France and the only protected area on the Mont Blanc range; marmot, ibex, chamois and ptarmigan are found in the hills above town.

Hike Distances: 13km; +620m/-1075m or 16km; +620m/-1240m

Les Contamines-Montjoie to Les Chapieux

Walk along an old Roman road that follows Le Bon Nant river into the alpine. Enjoy a morning coffee or hot chocolate at the Refuge La Balme. Fields of wildflowers and dramatic views mark your way to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme where another rustic chalet awaits – an ideal lunch venue with an outstanding view. Our destination is Les Chapieux, a lovely Savoyard village from where we’ll take a short shuttle to Bourg Saint Maurice.

Hiking Distance: 14.3 km; +1,240 m/-9,140 m (8.8 mi; +3,720’/-2,730’) or 17.5 km; +1,311 m/-910 m (10.8 mi; +3,900’/-2,730’)

La Ville des Glaciers to La Visaille and Courmayeur

We will take a short shuttle from the hotel to the trail head in La Ville des Glaciers. We walk into Italy today, climbing up to the Col de la Seigne and then descend along an easy going trail to the Elisabetta Refuge for lunch. This chalet boasts a spectacular setting and great food. From here, we continue on to La Visaille at the base of the Glacier Miage, the largest glacier in Europe. A short transfer will take us into the centre of Courmayeur, one of the most beautiful alpine villages in Italy.

Hiking Distance: 14.8 km; +760 m/-800 m (9 mi; +2,280’/-2,400’) or 19.8 km; +850 m/-1,130 m (12 mi; +2,550’/-3,990’)

Courmayeur

Take a day to rest in this alpine resort town. For those interested in a local day hike, we’ll hike up to Refugio Bertone for lunch and locally produced wines; it’s a moderate hike with views of glaciers rolling down from the high peaks near Mont Blanc. Or if you prefer a day off, consider taking the SkyWay Monte Bianco cable car offering views of the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. Take time to also visit the Duca degli Abruzzi Alpine museum that documents the history of mountain guides. This is a free night for dinner and we’ll provide recommendations of our favourites.

Courmayeur (Arnouva) to Ferret (Champex)

We start the day with a shuttle to Arnouva and the start of today’s hike. We’ll climb along winding footpaths to the lovely Rifugio Elena (where your morning coffee or hot chocolate awaits) and over the pass of Grand Col Ferret which marks the border between Switzerland and Italy. On the descent, we will hear Swiss cowbells and enjoy wildflowers in abundance, passing picture-perfect chalets into the village of Ferret, where we transfer into Champex-Lac.

Hiking Distance: 12 km; +790 m/-880 m (7.4 mi; +2,370’/-2,640’)

Champex to Col de la Forclaz

Walk on quiet paths and then trail that climbs up to the alpine. Enjoy lunch at a rustic chalet near the summit and then stroll down to the valley to the Col Forclaz, where we’ll stay at a comfortable inn that has been in the same family for six generations. The unspoiled wilderness makes this a special location to overnight.

Hiking Distance: 13.7 km; +740 m/-680 m (8.5 mi; +2,200’/-2,040’)

Trient to Argentière

Leaving Switzerland, we transfer to the trail head and climb gradually from the valley into the alpine to the Col de Balme in France. From the col, the entire Mont Blanc Massif stretches ahead: the Chamonix Valley, the summit of Mont Blanc, the Aiguilles, the Mer de Glace and the Argentière glaciers. On the descent, enjoy a lift via gondola to the village of Tour and then continue hiking along the valley to Argentière to our comfortable hotel in the center.

Hiking Distance: 7 km; +860 m/-340 m (4.3 mi; +2,580’/-1,020’)
Add-on: 4.1 km; +50 m/-270 m (2.5 mi; +150’/-810’)

Argentière (Col de Montets) to Chamonix

A short taxi transfer takes us from the hotel to the trail head at Col de Montets, where we will begin today’s hike passing hanging mountain tarns including Chéserys Lakes and spectacular Lac Blanc. If you would like to shorten the hike, take the La Flégère cable car down to the Chamonix valley. From the base of the lift, there is a lovely riverside walk to Chamonix and the completion of our hike.

Hiking Distance: 8.4 km; +890 m/-470 m (5.2 mi; +2,670’/-1,410’)
Add-on: 3.2 km (2 mi)

Depart

Our trip ends after breakfast on this day. If you have time, consider taking the famed cable car up to the top of the Aiguille du Midi where you can browse exhibits on the history of mountaineering and the geology of the Mont Blanc massif and of course, take in the view.