If you enjoy the comfort of a bed every night, we offer the Mont Blanc Circuit as a fully accommodated walking holiday, with all nights spent in a variety of lodgings from family-run two- and three-star hotels to basic inns or pensions. We include 10 walking days and three rest days, in which we cross the borders of Switzerland, Italy and France and enjoy unrivalled views of the Alps and Mont Blanc itself.
Overall the trekking will feel tough with long walking days but the three rest days are incorporated to give you time to rest the legs whilst enjoying three fascinating alpine towns.
Courmayeur is an old worldly Italian gem with windy pedestrian streets lined with chic shops and delightful cafes, bars and restaurants. A short, free, bus ride away is the luxurious QC Therm Spa and wellness centre, a lovely treat. Les Contamines and St Gervais are charming alpine towns with interesting local markets, electric bike hire and gondoliers taking you up to stunning view points. The last free day is in Chamonix, the vibrant heart of the Mont Blanc massif, with a wide choice of activities to try, including paragliding and taking the Aiguille du Midi cable car up to 12,605ft (3,842m) for spectacular, close-up views of Mont Blanc.
The itinerary follows the same route as our camping version (trip code TWB). With your qualified International Mountain Leader (IML) guiding the way, you will complete the famous circuit, and your baggage is transported for you by our support vehicle. In most places, we use a hotel for just one night, before moving on the next day; occasionally we settle in for a few nights and use local transport to take us to the next point of the circuit.
Activity Areas
Multi-Country Holidays
Multi-Country Walking Holidays
Point-to-Point
Walking & Trekking
Region & Country & City
Europe: Chamonix, France, French Alps, Italy, Mont Blanc, Swiss Alps, Switzerland
Included in the Price
— All breakfasts and 12 hotel/restaurant dinners
— All accommodation
— All transport and listed activities
— Tour leader throughout (IML qualified)
— Group arrival and departure transfers available
Not Included In The Price
— Travel insurance
— Single accommodation (not available)
— Visas or vaccinations
Accommodation Information
— Accommodation: 11 Classic nights (hotels), 3 Simple nights (1 hotel, 2 auberge)
— 10 days point-to-point trekking with baggage transfers; three rest days
— Eight days challenging and two days moderate walking
— Group normally 4 to 14, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
Map
Itinerary
Day 1 Adventure starts in Chamonix
Your adventure begins in Chamonix, one of the best-known ski resorts in the world.
Around 6pm, say bonjour to your tour leader and fellow travellers, where we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead during a welcome briefing. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome over dinner together. The base for the first two nights is along the Chamonix valley in Argentière.
Want extra time in Chamonix? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Accommodation: Hotel de la Couronne (or similar)
Day 2 Lac Blanc and the Grand Balcon Sud from Chamonix to les Frasserands
From our hotel we head to Les Praz and take the cable car to La Flégère. The trail today is named the Grand Balcon and is on the opposite side of the valley from Mont Blanc, affording excellent views of the whole massif lying to our south. Initially we contour and then climb to reach the high point of the day, Lac Blanc (7715ft/2,352m). The trail descends and then contours high above the valley before dropping steeply to the hamlet of Les Frasserands and Montroc. In the afternoon, there is a very short section of ladders/steep steps with handrails to descend.
Accommodation: Hotel de la Couronne (or similar)
Day 3 Over Col de Balme into Switzerland; night at Col de la Forclaz
We travel back to Montroc at the top of the Chamonix valley where we begin our ascent to the Aiguillette de Posettes (7,200ft/2,201m), descend a little and then climb towards the Col de Balme from where we follow one of the paths across the border from France to Switzerland. Excellent views all morning of Aiguille d'Argentière and Aiguille du Tour and its glacier. After lunch we walk through to the small Swiss hamlet of Trient. Good views of the Trient Glacier. A sting in the tail today as we finish with a steep climb from Trient to our hotel at the Col de la Forclaz.
Accommodation: Hotel Col de la Forclaz (or similar)
Day 4 Follow Bovine Route to Champex
We leave the Col de la Forclaz, where we can look directly down into the Rhône valley and the Swiss town of Martigny and follow a historic path used to take the cows to high pasture, the 'Bovine route' (6,720ft/2,049m). Our trail takes us through meadows and high-alpine pastures before we descend to the charming town of Champex set beside a picturesque alpine lake.
Accommodation: Hotel Splendide (or similar)
Day 5 Head up the Val Ferret to La Fouly
Now on the east side of the main Mont Blanc Massif we walk south, descending through woods to the Val Ferret and on to Issert and other small, pretty, alpine farming villages. This is quite a good day for flowers, including orchids. We continue up the valley to the remote village La Fouly (5,250ft/1,600m). This is at the foot of Mont Dolent, whose summit is at the meeting point of France, Switzerland and Italy. We then take a public bus to our hotel in the village of Orsières.
Accommodation: Hotel de l'Union (or similar)
Day 6 Follow river La Drance; climb to the highest point of the tour at Grand Col Ferret and into Italy. Overnight at La Palud
Still following the same valley and the river La Drance, we climb to the Grand Col Ferret (8,320ft/2,537m), the highest pass of the tour. Now in Italy, the valley is also called Val Ferret. The mountain views from the Col are stunning with the Grandes Jorasses dominating the scene. We walk down the valley to Arp Nouva then travel by bus to our hotel in La Palud near Courmayeur.
Accommodation: Hotel Astoria (or similar)
Day 7 Rest day
The nearby ex-spa towns of Courmayeur and Entrèves have picturesque older sections, which are worth a visit, especially for the keen photographer. There is a cable car from Entrèves to Point Helbronner (11,350ft/3,461m) and on across the glacier to Aiguille du Midi (and in fact on down to Chamonix). This is a splendid (optional) excursion, which gives close-up views of all the big peaks. Alternatively you might wish to relax and recover in the spa baths at Pre Saint Didier a short bus ride from Courmayeur. It is recommended to book in advance for the spa to avoid disappointment, by clicking https://www.qcterme.com/en/pre-saint-didier/qc-terme-pre-saint-didier
Accommodation: Hotel Astoria (or similar)
Day 8 Climb to Bonatti refuge and traverse high above the spectacular Ferret Valley around Mont de la Saxe to Courmayeur
We start with a short bus ride to pick up the TMB and from the road climb up to the Bonatti refuge (6,640ft/2,025m). Today we follow a beautiful contouring path around Mont de la Saxe to Courmayeur. The views of the south Mont Blanc massif are exceptional as are those of the towering peaks of the Grandes Jorasses and the glaciers which crowd the northern flank of the Val Ferret. In the afternoon we have a long, steep descent to Courmayeur from where we take a short bus ride into the spectacular Val Veny.
Accommodation: Hotel Astoria (or similar)
Day 9 Cross the Col de la Seigne back to France, descend through la Ville des Glaciers to Les Chapieux
Today we are heading for the Val Veny and the start of our walk at La Visaille. We’ll reach this by bus to then start climbing gently along good paths beneath the massive glacier de Miage and pass Lac Combal before the gradient becomes steeper as we follow the old Roman road and head for today's pass: the Col de la Seigne (8,250ft/2,516m), which marks our re-entry into France. A fairly steep descent brings us through la Ville des Glaciers and finally after quite a long walking day to Les Chapieux, a remote hamlet inhabited only in summer (on some departures, we stay in Bourg St Maurice, so need to take a private transfer to our accommodation).
Accommodation: Auberge de la Nova (or similar)
Day 10 Ascend to Col de la Croix du Bonhomme, then contour across to the Col du Bonhomme
We have now reached the southwest corner of the circuit and turn north to climb once again. Today is a longer day; first we make a steep climb to the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (8,130ft/2,478m) and then contour around to the Col du Bonhomme. We then descend (again on a Roman road) to Les Contamines. A short bus ride down the valley takes us to the pretty village of St Gervais, the perfect place for a day off.
Accommodation: Hotel Val Joly (or similar)
Day 11 Free Day
A well-earned rest day. There are many options to fill your day including taking the cog railway to Le Nid d’aigle – the Eagles Nest – a popular start point to climb Mont Blanc, or browsing around the local market of Les Contamines. There are plenty of optional walks in the area or one can simply relax around the pleasant town of St Gervais or even treat yourself to a rejuvenating spa.
Accommodation: Hotel Val Joly (or similar)
Day 12 Over Col de Tricot to the Chamonix Valley; overnight at Les Houches
Today is a challenging day with plenty of ups and downs. From St Gervais we have a 10-minute transfer to re-join our route before ascending to the Chalets de Miage. From here we take a trail that climbs steeply to the Col de Tricot (6,950ft/2,119m) before descending very close to the snout of the Glacier de Bionnassay. Good views of the north side of the Mont Blanc Massif. Eventually we make another ascent to reach the Col de Voza where we re-enter the Chamonix Valley and make our final descent to the village of Les Houches.
Accommodation: Hotel St Antoine (or similar)
Day 13 Best views of Mont Blanc today; long ascent to the Brevent, descend to Chamonix
We cross to the north side of the Chamonix Valley and climb steeply through pine forest and then on open mountainsides to reach the high point of the day at Brevent (8,290ft/2,525m). This is a long walking day but will probably afford the best views of the French side of Mont Blanc and its neighbouring peaks that we shall have on the whole trek. We descend to Plan Praz and take the cable car to Chamonix for a well-deserved beer.
Accommodation: Hotel la Verticale (or similar)
Day 14 Free day in Chamonix
Free day in and around Chamonix. There are several good walks in the Chamonix valley. Chamonix itself is also a great place to spend a day. The most popular excursions, weather depending, would be the spectacular ascent by cable car to the Aiguille du Midi or the Montenvers cog railway.
Accommodation: Hotel la Verticale (or similar)
Day 15 Adventure ends in Chamonix
Invigorated after treading alpine trails, take one final look at Mont Blanc before starting your journey home. Not ready for the adventure to end? You can always speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in this magnificent region.
