Tour of Mont Blanc at your own pace

After a gentle start, you climb through forests and clearings for a traverse along the mountainside above the Gruvaz Gorges . You then pass from the V-shaped valley carved by the stream to the U-shaped glacial valley of the Miage Alpine Pastures (1559 m). It's a true little paradise at the foot of the Dômes de Miage. A burst of energy is needed to reach the peaceful Plateau du Truc (1740 m) before descending to Les Contamines-Montjoie . You then ascend the Val Montjoie via Notre Dame de la Gorge , a splendid 17th-century Baroque church.

Via the ancient passage, wrongly called the Roman Road , you cross over the Bon Nant torrent which roars below to reach the " Roman Bridge" , then to the Chalet du Nant Borrant ( Accommodation only possible in 8-person dormitories ).

You are in the Contamines Montjoie Nature Reserve. Vehicles can only enter before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m.

You will not be able to collect your luggage until around 7:30 pm.

An alpine stage with the ascent of two mountain passes is on the agenda for today. You begin by discovering the tranquility of the Balme pastures before reaching the Col du Bonhomme (2329 m), gateway to the Beaufortain region. The hardest part is over, as a gentle uphill traverse leads you to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2479 m). The route then descends into the alpine pastures of the Vallée des Glaciers to reach the village of Les Chapieux , the end of your stage.

You can stay in Ville des Glaciers by crossing the Col des Fours (2665 m), the highest point of your hike (+200 m, +1 hour). This will shorten your stage the next day.

You can also be accommodated in Bourg St Maurice after using the shuttle (+ €6 to be paid on site, operates from mid-June to mid-September ).

The Col de la Seigne (2516 m) This marks the entrance to the Aosta Valley and Italy. Mont Blanc appears before you in its wildest aspect. You descend the Val Veni to the enormous moraine of the Miage Glacier, which blocks the entire valley. A short detour leads to Lake Miage , nestled between the moraine and the glacier. Following the valley floor, you discover the prestigious and legendary routes of Mont Blanc: the Brouillard, Innominata, and Peuterey ridges.

Night at the Monte Bianco Refuge. A shuttle between Les Chapieux and Ville des Glaciers allows you to shorten this stage by one hour, but it only runs in July-August.

After visiting the Chapel of Our Lady of Healing, you descend to Courmayeur (which you can also reach by bus in July and August) to perhaps enjoy a cappuccino. In fine weather, the warm climb through scattered larch trees is rewarded at Pré de la Saxe (2000 m), a splendid viewpoint overlooking the Dent du Géant and the Grandes Jorasses. A siesta is highly recommended.

You then descend to the Italian Val Ferret and reach Lavachey (room option) for the night.

If you have chosen the dormitory option, you will stop at the Elena refuge , at the end of the Val Ferret, after a short (inexpensive) bus transfer, at your own expense.

You begin the day with a leisurely ascent of the Italian Val Ferret and the discovery of the Pré de Bar Glacier , a genuine demonstration glacier featured in many geography books. Then it's time to tackle the real climb to reach the Grand Col Ferret (2537 m), gateway to the Swiss Val Ferret.

You are facing Mont Dolent, which is very symbolic, since it is at its summit that the three borders, Italian, Swiss and French, meet.

Night in Ferret (1700 m) or La Fouly (1600 m).

This long, leisurely stage allows us to savor the gentle charm of the Swiss Valais. You descend the Swiss Val Ferret through the delightful villages of La Fouly, Praz de Fort, Les Arlaches, and Issert. The Valais architecture is admirably preserved: houses, barns, and raccards (wooden granaries on stilts) line the path. In this meticulously maintained landscape, you climb back up through the forest to the Champex health resort (1473 m). After following the shores of the lake, an ideal spot for a nap, all that remains is to reach the entrance of the Val d'Arpette to spend the night.

Depending on accommodation availability, you may also be accommodated in the Champex valley.

After a slight descent, you begin the climb, initially gentle then becoming steeper, which leads you to the Bovine Alpine pastures (1987 m). This is a balcony suspended above the Rhône Valley, an immersion in wide open spaces and horizons, from which you can see Martigny, the Valais region, and the Dents Blanches mountains. The ascent ends at Collet Portalo (2049 m), before descending through larch forests to reach the Col de la Forclaz (1526 m).

You can also stay in Trient (1297 m, + 30 min) or in Martigny (541 m, descent on foot + 2 h 00, ascent the next day by bus + 10 CHF to be paid on site).

After following the Bisse de Trient (a water supply channel carved into the rock), you climb the path leading to the Bergeries des Grands (2113 m), above the Trient Glacier. A balcony trail takes you to the Col de Balme (2191 m) where you cross back into France and the Chamonix Valley. Mont Blanc appears there, visible from the side you discovered nine days earlier.

The descent offers stunning views of the Glacier du Tour and the Aiguille Verte. Overnight stay in the village of Le Tour , at the foot of the glacier. If you have chosen the comfort option, you will be accommodated in Argentière (+ 30 minutes).

You climb the ladders of the Aiguillette d'Argentière to reach the Balcon des Aiguilles Rouges . You then reach one of the Lacs des Chéséry (2133 m) for your last nap away from the crowds at Lac Blanc. You finish the hike in a magnificent setting, facing the Aiguille Verte and the Drus.

Arrival is scheduled for around 5:00 PM at Chamonix train station, where you will find your luggage.