Tour Du Mont Blanc
Tour Code: GAEUR-TDMB-SG8
Self-guided tour – Carry only your small bag with daily things & picnic
France/ Italy/ Switzerland
Level: Intermediate
Season: Mid June to Mid September
Departure date at your convenience (subject to availability).
Cost: from S$ 1358
Faithful to its myth, the Mont Blanc is no doubt one of the most beautiful massifs of the Alps. Our circuit will lead you from France to Italy and Switzerland in order to discover its various faces. The sceneries are stunning with innumerable alpine peaks and beautiful glaciers all around with the impressive Mont Blanc massif constantly in the background. This walk is reasonably demanding, but you only need to carry a light back each day and in the evening you will enjoy French and Italian cooking and Swiss hospitality in the traditional alpine villages you stay in.
A complete hiking itinerary with luggage transport, an incontestable must of alpine trekking.
Details
Departure possible every day of the week from mid-June to mid-September. Due to the high attendance on the Tour du Mont Blanc, it is good to book well in advance.
Very complicated availability during the periods of the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc and the Marathon du Mont Blanc, generally the last weekend of August and the last weekend of June.
Warning: from 15/06 to 30/06 and from 01/09 to 15/09, there is a high risk of snow and névés. Some buses do not work during these periods, and they must be replaced by a taxi: Day 3 from Chapieux to the town of Glaciers (possibility of doing it on foot, 5 km) (70 € for 1 to 3 people). And the Day 3 of the Cantine de Visailles in Courmayeur, possibility of taking a taxi (60 € for 1 to 3 people).
8 days, 7 nights TOUR DU MONT BLANC
From Les Contamines – Charmonix
Day 01: Arrival in Les Contamines. O/N 2* Hotel
Day 02: Les Contamines – les Chapieux / France. O/N Refuge (Walk ~ 7hr)
Day 03: Les Chapieux – Courmayeur (room version) or Refuge Elena (dormitory version) / Italy. O/N Hotel or Refuge (Walk ~ 6-7hr)
Day 04: Courmayeur or Refuge Elena – Champex (Val d’Arpette) / Switzerland. O/N Gite (Walk ~ 5-7hr)
Day 05: Champex (Val d’Arpette) – La Forclaz (or Trient) / Switzerland. O/N Mountain Inn (Walk ~ 5-9hr)
Day 06: La Forclaz (or Trient) – Le Tour (Dormitory Version) or Argentières (Room Version) / France. O/N Gite (Dormitory Version) or 3* Hotel (Room Version) (Walk ~ 6-7hr)
Day 07: Le Tour or Argentières – Chamonix / France. O/N 4* Hotel (Walk ~ 6hr)
Day 08: Depart Chamonix or extension on own
8 days, 7 nights TOUR DU MONT BLANC
From Les Contamines – Charmonix
Hotels and rooms or dormitories in Lodges, Gites or Refuges, 1st night in hotel
Day 1 Les Contamines
Arrival in the charming, traditional village of Les Contamines. Check in hotel.
A first walk is possible depending on your arrival time.
Overnight in a nice 2* hotel; half board.
Day 2 Les Contamines – les Chapieux / France [7 hrs, 15.25km, +1200m, -930m]
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 in dormitory or in room in Refuge Inn “la Nova”; half board.
Day 3 Les Chapieux – Courmayeur (Room version) or Refuge Elena (Dormitory version)/ Italy
Over the Col de la Seigne to the Italian side of the boarder. A very spectacular walk with panoramic descent with views of Aiguilles de Peuterey and Mont Blanc de Courmayeur. Then continue to your stay in Courmayeur. For Dormitory version, continue by bus transfer to the bottom of Val Ferret and another 1 hour to reach the beautiful Refuge Elena, close to the glacier Pré de Bar.
Overnight in Refuge Elena in dormitory (half board) or in Courmayeur in a 3* hotel in B&B.
Room Version in Courmayer: [6 hrs, 15.3km, +700m, -1000m]
Dormitory Version in Refuge Elena: [7 hrs, 17km, +720m, -920m]
Day 4 Courmayeur or Refuge Elena – Champex (Val d’Arpette) / Switzerland [5 to 6 hrs, 15km, +600m, -1150m. (If overnight in Courmayeur on D3: +1hrs, +250m)]
Across the Grand Col Ferret and arrival in the splendid village of La Fouly in Switzerland. Exceptional views over the massif of Combins in the East and on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. Transfer by postal bus to Champex. The Gite in Val D’Arpette, Relais d’Arpette, is some 45 min further by foot.
Overnight in dormitory or in room in Relais Arpette; half board.
Day 5 Champex (Val d’Arpette) – La Forclaz (or Trient) / Switzerland [4 to 5 hrs, +475m, -930m]
The highest point of the walk is reached today as you climb over the Fenêtre d’Arpette (2850 m). The views are tremendous while you go down alongside the Trient glacier.
[7 to 9 hrs, 13.8km, +1100m, -1400m]
In case of uncertain weather, we propose you a shorter itinerary by the Cold de Bovine pass.
[5:30 hrs, 13.7km, + 800m, -1135m]
Overnight in lodge in Col de La Forclaz or in Trient, in dormitory or in room; half board.
If you sleep in Trient, from Col de La Forclaz it is additional 20 min, -230m, +1, 5 km. It shortened a little the stage of day 6.
Day 6 La Forclaz (or Trient) – Le Tour (Dormitory version) or Argentières (Room Version) / France [6 to 7 hrs, 15.5km, +1000m, -750m.]
Over the Col de la Balme and back to France with fanstatic views on the Mont Blanc and Aiguille Verte ; 2 alternative routes for the descent to the Tour for overnight in the Gite du Moulin or de la Boerne in dormitory or continue descent to the village of Argentières for stay in 3* hotel in Argentières; half board.
Day 7 Le Tour or Argentières – Chamonix / France [6 hrs, +900m, -1100m.]
The wonderful Balcon des Aiguilles Rouges, before a climb to 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. You can also choose to take the cableway of La Flégère or even by bus (transfers not included in the price).
Overnight in 4* Hotel in Chamonix; B&B.
Day 8 Chamonix
Departure after breakfast.
Itinerary
We can be brought to modify the indicated route: either at the level of the organization (problem of overload of the accommodations, the modification of the state of the ground, the collapses, the degraded paths, etc.). These modifications are always made in your interest, for your safety and for a better comfort!
Tour Du Mont Blanc – Self Guided 8 Days
Tour Code: GAEUR-TDMB-SG8
Min 2 pax
LAND Price per person in SGD
| Room Type | 2-5 pax | 6-14 pax | Single Supplement |
| Dorm + 2N Room | 1,388 | 1,358 | + 410 |
| Room | 1,658 | 1,468 | + 660 |
Without luggage transport: Less S$ 170
Extra cost per person per night in SGD
| Chamonix | 4* Hotel with breakfast | 200 (Double room) | 310 (Single) |
| 3* Hotel with breakfast | 160 (Double room) | 245 (Single) | |
| les Contamines | 2* Hotel Half-Board | 160 (Double room) | 230 (Single) |
Price is subjected to changes without prior notice
LAND Price includes
- Accommodation 7 nights as per program
- Meals : half-board accommodation (except in Courmayeur in B&B for room version) in a dormitory or in a room for 2 depending on the option chosen
- Luggage transfer from Day 2 morning till Day 7
- Day 2 morning transfer to Notre Dame de la Gorge from Hotel
- The travel pack (maps and walking notes)
- Tourist taxes
- 15% discount at X-Boundaries (TC applies)
Price excludes
- All airfare & taxes
- Bus transfers (Courmayeur, Champex, Chamonix)
- Cableways
- Personal gears
- Expenses of a personal nature like laundry, phone calls, alcohol, beverages, cigarettes
- Travel Insurance
- Any costs arising out of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, landslides, road conditions and any other circumstances beyond our control.
- Picnics
- Single supplement
- Meals not mentioned (such as lunches, Courmayeur dinner for room option)
- Visa and Visa application fees
- All those not mentioned in “the price includes”
More information
LEVEL
Average to good walker, you need to have hiking experience with 4-7h of walk per day (or even 9hrs!) and +400m to +1200m of ascent by day.
CARRIAGE
You only carry a back pack for the day with the necessary for your hike and the packed lunch (own expenses). Your luggage will be transported by vehicle. 1 follower bag per person limited to 15 kg.
ACCOMMODATION/ FOOD
Dormitory Version ~ Accommodation in lodges in dormitory with shared facilities (showers and toilettes) except 1st night in hotel in Les Contamines** and last night in Chamonix****.
Room Version ~ in hotel, inns, lodges – refuges. About half of the route, showers and toilets can be upstairs or on the landing, no reduction for that.
Possibility of single room on request and rarely on the whole route, impossible at Chapieux and Relais Arpette in this case you are in a small dormitory or collective room.
Refuge-inn of Nova aux Chapieux ® Refuge-inn of Nova
NB: Photos of non-contractual accommodation. Accommodation may change. Depending on availability, we can book other hotels of equivalent comfort and level.
Hotel classification
In France, more and more hotels and guesthouses refuse any classification, even establishments that were still classified a year or two ago. However, these establishments do not lose quality, far from it. Among the guest rooms, many are charming rooms.
If we indicate for example a level of comfort “3 * or equivalent”: this means that the establishment is not necessarily classified, but has a comfort corresponding to that of a 3 * hotel.
Food:
Half-board formula: breakfasts and dinners served hot.
Except for the night in Courmayeur on the room version & Chamonix, bed and breakfast.
ORGANISATION
We are in charge
- Accommodation reservation
- Luggage transfers.
- Detailed guidebook & briefing
- 1-2 weeks before departure, we will send you the travel documents (1 set for 2-3 persons):
- 1/25 000 maps
- vouchers for the hotels
- GPS application
BOOKING
2 person minimum.
START / END (6 Days Walking)
Start: Day 1 Les Contamines in the afternoon. The walk will start on Day 2
End: Day 8, in Chamonix (after breakfast)
DATES
At your convenience, from 15 June to 15 September.
When you book the tour please give us one or two other departure dates in case your 1st choice is not possible.
Getting There
In your luggage
More from Blanc
7/9 Days Tour Du Mont Blanc (Guided)
11 Days Tour Du Mont Blanc (Self-Guided)
