The legendary 7-day Tour du Mont Blanc in private rooms
In summary
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Sports
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Duration7 days
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LevelExpert
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DestinationMont Blanc Massif - France / Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
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AgeFrom 16 - 90 years
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CO₂-Emissions60.79 kg CO2
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Type of stayIndependent traveler
In a few words
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes you around the highest peak in Europe , at 4,807 meters , for an unforgettable immersion in France , Italy , and Switzerland . This legendary loop, accessible to experienced hikers , offers one of the most beautiful trekking routes in the world . At each stage, majestic glaciers , verdant alpine pastures , and rugged summits create a breathtaking landscape.
From Val Ferret to the Arpette window , via Chamonix and Courmayeur , the trail crosses alpine passes and glacial valleys , revealing the full natural and cultural richness of the massif. The route alternates between wild traverses and spectacular panoramas, for an adventure that balances effort , the pleasure of hiking , and the grandeur of the landscapes .
With this private room option, enjoy the peace and comfort of having a room all to yourself.
The highlights
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One of the most beautiful free-roaming trails in Europe
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The spectacle and proximity of the great glaciers
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The comfort of having a private room in the evening
Photos
Sport
Level
Hiking / Trekking
In figures
Trekking
- Average duration/day: 5h
- Average daily elevation gain: 995 m
- Average daily descent: 1039 m
- Maximum altitude: 2665 m
- Exposed Passages: Yes
Management
Program
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Les Houches (1800m) - Col De Tricot (2120m) - Les Contamines Montjoie (1170m)
- Activity Trekking
- Positive elevation gain 410 m
- Negative elevation 940 m
- Accommodation Cottage
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Meet early at 8:10 am in front of the Bellevue cable car in Les Houches, then depart from the top of the cable car. From the summit, enjoy panoramic views of the Mont Blanc massif, the Aiguilles Rouges, the Fiz mountain range, and the Aravis range. The hike begins along a balcony trail at 1800m and leads you to the foot of the Bionnassay glacier before descending to Les Contamines-Montjoie. We will pass over the Col du Tricot at 2120m, weather permitting!
Overnight stay in a gîte in a private room (shared bathroom)
If variant via the Col du Tricot: Elevation gain = 760m, Elevation loss = 1360m
Day 1 -
Contamines Montjoie (1170m) - Col Du Bonhomme (2329m) - Vallée Des Glaciers
- Transportation Bus - 00h30 - 10km
- Activity Trekking
- Duration of the activity 8h
- Positive elevation gain 1550 m
- Negative elevation 900 m
- Maximum altitude 2665 m
- Accommodation Rural hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
You leave your accommodation and head towards Notre Dame de la Gorge, a landmark of Baroque Romanticism. A long climb takes you to the Col du Bonhomme (2329m). This pass has been traversed for centuries by shepherds and their flocks, armies and soldiers, pilgrims, peddlers, and hikers on the Tour du Mont Blanc. The view then opens up to the Beaufortain region at your feet. You make your way towards the Crête des Gittes ridge to descend into the alpine pastures amidst Tarine and Abondance cows. The milk from these cows provides us with a variety of cheeses, notably Beaufort, which you will taste during the week. You take a shuttle (approximately €8) back to Bourg St Maurice . One last 1.5km walk brings you to a superb little family-run hotel where you can rest.
Day 2 -
Valley of the Glaciers - Col de la Seigne (2516m) - Val Veny (Courmayeur)
- Transportation Bus - 01h05 - 20km
- Activity Trekking
- Positive elevation gain 1000 m
- Negative elevation 1150 m
- Accommodation Rural hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
The same shuttle as yesterday (approximately €8) will take you to Ville des Glaciers. Today you'll cross your first border between France and Italy at the Col de la Seigne (2516m): frequented since antiquity, it's marked by a large cairn and lies on the watershed between the Mediterranean and the Adriatic! The view is breathtaking: a cascade of snow-capped peaks stands out against the Italian side of Mont Blanc. We enter the Val Veny, and the Aosta Valley unfolds before us. A local bus will take you to the capital of the Italian Alps.
Day 3 -
Courmayeur - Champex
- Transportation Bus - 01h15 - 25km
- Activity Trekking
- Duration of the activity 7h
- Positive elevation gain 900 m
- Negative elevation 740 m
- Maximum altitude 2537 m
- Accommodation Cottage
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
Today, after a transfer by public transport, you continue your ascent towards the Italian Val Ferret to reach the Grand Col Ferret, which marks the border between Italy and Switzerland . You hike while admiring the Pré de Bar Glacier and Mont Dolent, the summit that forms the border between the three countries. You descend to the village of Ferret and then take a bus towards Orsières to reach the charming village of Champex, nestled beside a pretty mountain lake. Overnight stay in a gîte (rural guesthouse) in a private room.
Day 4 -
Champex - Trient
- Activity Trekking
- Duration of the activity 7h
- Positive elevation gain 850 m
- Negative elevation 900 m
- Maximum altitude 2005 m
- Accommodation Cottage
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner included
You leave Champex to begin the ascent to the Bovine alpine pastures. From there, the view encompasses the Rhône Valley on the Swiss side and the Grand Combins massif to the southeast. You descend through a magnificent forest leading to the authentic village of Trient . An alternative route via the Arpette viewpoint is possible depending on weather conditions and your fitness level.
Day 5 -
Trient - Argentière
- Activity Trekking
- Duration of the activity 7h
- Positive elevation gain 1100 m
- Negative elevation 1190 m
- Maximum altitude 2201 m
- Accommodation Rural hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
Today you return to France by crossing the border at the Col de Balme (2191m). You hike to the Col des Posettes before traversing along a balcony trail to Tré-Le-Champ. Finally, you descend to Argentière to spend your last night. Overnight in a hotel.Day 6 -
Argentière (1250m) - Lac Blanc (2350m) - Chamonix (1035m)
- Activity Trekking
- Duration of the activity 7h
- Positive elevation gain 1150 m
- Negative elevation 1450 m
- Maximum altitude 2355 m
- Exposed passages Yes
- Breakfast included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
For this final day, you will explore the Aiguilles Rouges massif and nature reserve, which face Mont Blanc. The route ascends to the Chéserys lakes and then to Lac Blanc , where the panorama is breathtaking. The descent follows a balcony trail via La Flégère and Le Brévent towards Chamonix . (It is possible to take the cable cars back down to the valley).
If you have parked your vehicle in Les Houches, bus No. 1 will take you back to the Bellevue cable car approximately every 30 minutes.
Day 7
Note
Transfer times with shuttles and public buses are given as an average; they depend greatly on traffic conditions in the valleys.
Accommodation
Access
For the return journey: if you have parked your vehicle in Les Houches, bus No. 1 will take you back to the Bellevue cable car, approximately every 30 minutes.
Go to the starting point
🚂 Take the Saint Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet train, then transfer to the Saint Gervais - Martigny line and stop at Les Houches station. From there, it's about a 20-minute walk to the Bellevue cable car departure point.
🚌 Possibility to go to Chamonix by train and take bus No. 1 to reach Les Houches - Bellevue stop.
🚗 If you are coming by car, please park before reaching the meeting point.
The Prarion car park is now a paid parking lot, as are all car parks in Chamonix. All car parks fill up very quickly, and there are very few parking spaces in Les Houches (a few spaces in the Bellevue car park, but very limited). Therefore, allow plenty of time if you want to find free parking.
Price details
The price includes
- Accommodation in private rooms in guesthouses, hostels and hotels
- Breakfasts from Day 2 to Day 7
- Dinners on days 1, 4 and 5
- The digital travel guide for a group of 2 to 4 people
- A personalized welcome on Day 1 in Les Houches by a representative from our partner
The price does not include
- Transportation to the starting point of the stay
- Local transfers (shuttles, local buses, cable cars)
- Lunches
- Dinners on days 2, 3 and 6
- Drinks and personal expenses
- Travel using public transport and ski lift fees
Options
- 🎒 Luggage transfer - for 2 to 3 participants : CHF201.26 / person
- 🎒 Luggage transfer - for 4 to 5 participants : CHF182.96 / person
- 🎒 Luggage transfer - 6 to 8 participants : CHF164.66 / person
- Flex fare and insurance
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
Before your departure, check with the embassy or consulate regarding the entry and stay requirements for your destination country. You can also find this information on the France Diplomatie website ( https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ ).
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (for example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return) , visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to consider any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
Equipment
Equipment to bring
- A pair of lightweight sandals for the evening or a pair of sneakers
- A toiletry bag (earplugs recommended)
- A bath towel
- A nightgown
- A waterproof plastic pouch containing your personal documents: passport or identity card, driving licence, vaccination record, European health insurance card, travel insurance/assistance leaflet, currency, credit card, personal papers (emergency numbers)
- Medium-sized plastic container with cutlery and a plastic cup if you wish to prepare some meals
- Plastic bags to ensure your belongings, cameras and clothes are watertight
- Earplugs, always useful
- A notepad and pen, a good book, a deck of cards...
- Walking poles (optional): they are a valuable aid to save your knees on the descent (up to 30% of your weight + that of your bag is supported by the poles) and to support your effort on the ascent (the arms help in addition to the legs)
- Gaiters (highly recommended, especially at the beginning of the season when there is still snow on some trails)
- A survival blanket
- Mobile phone
- A small flashlight (with spare batteries)
- Telescopic walking poles (recommended)
- A water bottle with at least one liter of water / an extra thermos is also good for having hot tea during the break (0.75L)
- A knife, a spoon, and a fork
- An individual plastic container if you're making salads for lunch
- Sunscreen cream (skin and lips) + after-sun lotion
- Toilet paper + lighter (to burn it)
- Optional: camera, binoculars...
Warning: the mountains are unpredictable and unpredictable. We've tried to consider all the different weather conditions they can present. This equipment list will help you adapt comfortably to Mother Nature's moods!
Clothing to bring
- A cap or a hat
- A pair of sunglasses
- A hat or a headband
- T-shirt (carline type, quick-drying material)
- Warm shirt or fleece
- A warm jacket (fleece or down type)
- A windproof jacket (like a K-Way or Gore-Tex)
- A closed rain cape with sleeves, without snaps, made of polyamide
- Lightweight canvas trousers
- Windproof trousers (like Kway or Gore-Tex)
- Shorts, capri pants
- Socks (100% wool: warm, absorbs and wicks away moisture, prevents foot overheating; synthetic fibers: very good resistance, absorbs and wicks away moisture, but be careful if 100% synthetic as it can cause foot overheating; cotton: absorbs moisture but doesn't wick it away well)
- Trekking shoes: they are a hiker's best friend! They must have three qualities: sturdiness, good foot and ankle support (high-tops), and waterproofing.
- Choose shoes with non-slip, cleated soles that are relatively rigid. They need to grip the ground well. Vibram soles have a long-standing reputation; choose them if you have the option.
- A pair of long gaiters
- A pair of warm gloves
- Spare underwear
- A pair of lightweight canvas trousers and a spare pair of shorts
- Spare socks
They traveled with us
The Paulin team
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