Tour du Mont Blanc Alpine Walking Holiday

11 Nights Self Guided
21st June to 12th September 2012
£1195 Per Person Based Upon 2 Sharing

This is one of the classic walks in Europe circuiting Mont Blanc and passing through France, Italy and Switzerland

Basic Itinerary

Day 1 arrive Les Contamines
Day 2 Les Contamines – La Nova
Day 3 La Nova – Courmayeur
Day 4 Courmayeur – Lavachey
Day 5 Lavachez – La Fouly
Day 6 La Fouly – Champex
Day 7 Champex – Col de la Forclaz
Day 8 Col de la Forclaz – Argentières
Day 9 Argentières – Chamonix
Day 10 Chamonix – Les Houches
Day 11 Les Houches – Les Contamines
D12 Les Contamines - Breakfast and departure.

What is included:
•Half board in mountain hut (private room), inns and small hotels (but no evening meal in Courmayeur)
•Maps and route details in English
•Luggage transfers
•Emergency support

Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps, probably needs no introduction to mountain walkers. Walking in France, and indeed in Europe, gets no more spectacular. Our Tour du Mont Blanc begins and ends in Les Contamines and takes you into both Italy and Switzerland. The scenery is stunning, with innumerable alpine peaks towering around you, pine forests, alpine valleys to explore and beautiful glaciers spilling from the high massif. You will pass through and stay in traditional alpine villages in three countries in eleven days. There are a number of bus transfers along the route, payable locally.

Please note that although the hotels and mountain lodges do not have high 'star' ratings this is simply because they are very traditional, alpine accommodations with fantastic charm and character

Grade: Quite demanding

Getting there:
By train via Paris to Le Fayet or fly to Geneva then bus (2 per day) or taxi to Les Contamines. OR by bus or taxi (which we can book for you) from Le Fayet to Les Contamines.

Day 1 arrive Les Contamines
Arrival in the charming, traditional village of Les Contamines. 1st walk possible
depending on the arrival time. Overnight and dinner at hotel La Gelinotte,
+300 m/+600 m
Day 2 Les Contamines – La Nova
A short transfer to Notre Dame de la Gorge. Climb over the Col du Bonhomme and
the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme leading to the Chapieux valley. Splendid views
over the Aiguille des Glaciers. Overnight and dinner in double/twin rooms in a
mountain lodge. 7 hrs, +1200 m
Day 3 La Nova – Courmayeur
Over the Col de la Seigne to the Italian side of the boarder. A very spectacular walk.
Descent into Val véni and bus from La Cantine de la Visaille to Courmayeur. A great
panorama upon the Grandes Jorasses. Overnight in a 2* hotel in Courmayeur
(overnight and breakfast). 6 hrs, +700 m
Day 4 Courmayeur – Lavachey
From Courmayeur to refuge Bertone, from where you arrive on an impressing
balcony with quite exceptional panoramas on the overhead peaks of the Mont Blanc
massif. Overnight in a hotel in Lavachey. + 1000 m, - 890 m, 6 hrs.
Day 5 Lavachez – La Fouly
You first walk from Lavachey to Arnuva and then further to Grand Col Ferret and
Switzerland, to the beautiful village of la Fouly. Overnight in a 2* hotel.
+ 1100 m, -1250 m, 6 hours.
Day 6 La Fouly – Champex
Val Ferret and the lake of Champex. A beautiful daily walk by several typical Swiss
villages in the Val Ferret. Overnight in a 3* hotel in Campex. +600m, -500m, 5 hrs.
Day 7 Champex – Col de la Forclaz
The highest point of the walk is reached today as you climb over the Fenêtre
d’Arpette (2750 m). The views are tremendous while you go down alongside the
Trient glacier. Overnight and dinner at the 2* hotel Col de la Forclaz in Switzerland.
7 hrs, +1100 m
Day 8 Col de la Forclaz – Argentières
Over the Col de la Balme and back to France; 2 alternative routes for the descent to
the village of Argentière. Overnight and dinner in a 2* hotel. 6 to 7 hours, +1000 m.
Day 9 Argentières – Chamonix
The wonderful Balcon des Aiguilles Rouges, before a climb to the Lac Blanc.
Just enjoy the scenery: Aiguille Verte, Les Drus, La Mer de glace, Aiguilles de
Chamonix, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Aiguille du Goûter, and last but not least, Mont
Blanc! Descent to Chamonix by Le Praz. 6 hrs, +900 m
Overnight and dinner in a 2* hotel in Chamonix.
Day 10 Chamonix – Les Houches
Lift to Plampraz 1939 m (or le Brévent), not included in the price.
Col du Brevent, 2368 m – Le Brevent 2525 m - Refuge Bel Lachat 2136 m.
From here 2 possibilities :
1/ From Bel Lachat to les Houches directly, +600 m, -1575 m, 5 to 6 hours
2/ From Bel Lachat to Aiguillette des Houches and descent to les Eaux Rousses
and les Houches via les Chalets de Chailloux, +750 m, -1600 m, 6 to 7 hours.
Overnight and dinner in a 2* hotel in les Houches
Day 11 Les Houches – Les Contamines
Lift to La Chalette (not included in the price). From there Pass Tricot, 2120 m.
Descent to les Chalets de Miage, then around the Mount Truc and descent to Les
Contamines. + 350 m, - 1000 m, 5 to 6 hours. Overnight and dinner in a 2* hotel in
les Contamines
Day 12 Les Contamines Breakfast and departure.