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Classic 12-day Tour of Mont Blanc

Sport, Pedestrian sports, Hiking itinerary in Argentière, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
164.3 km
Hard
  • Iconic itinerary, the tour of Mont Blanc goes through three countries and offers a variety of alternative routes.

  • Counter-clockwise route

    Allow between 8 to 15 days to explore the French, Italian and Swiss Alpine valleys. You will have many options of lodging in shelters or lodges throughout this tour. The tour outlined below describes the stages in the high mountains of Savoy, from the Col de Balme to the Col du Bonhomme. You will discover many glacier panoramas and will pass through nature reserves, with landscapes changing over the altitudes
    Car access
    From Chamonix, pass the village of...
    Counter-clockwise route

    Allow between 8 to 15 days to explore the French, Italian and Swiss Alpine valleys. You will have many options of lodging in shelters or lodges throughout this tour. The tour outlined below describes the stages in the high mountains of Savoy, from the Col de Balme to the Col du Bonhomme. You will discover many glacier panoramas and will pass through nature reserves, with landscapes changing over the altitudes
    Car access
    From Chamonix, pass the village of Argentière, park at the Col des Montets car park, near the Chalet Reserve

    Stage 1: Col des Montets (1,461 m)/Chalet Lac Blanc – 2,358 meters
    Col des Montets (1,461 m) - Lac Blanc Refuge (2,358 m): 3 hrs 15 min.

    Stage 2: Lac Blanc Hut/Bel Lachat Lodge – 2,166 meters
    Lake Blanc Hut (2,358 m) - Planpraz (1,995 m): 2 hrs 50 min
    Planpraz - The Brévent (2,525 m): 1 hr 45 min
    Brévent - Bel Lachat Lodge (2,166 m): 1 hr

    Step 3: Bel Lachat Lodge (2,166 m)/village of Les Houches (1,014 m)
    Bel Lachat Lodge (2,166 m) - Merlet Park (1,480 m): 1hr 45 min.
    Merlet Park - Les Houches (1000m): 1 hr 15 min

    Stage 4: Les Houches (1,000 m)/Contamines Montjoie (1,170 m)
    Les Houches (1,000 m) - Fioux Lodge (1,449 m): 2 hrs 10 min
    Fioux Lodge - Champel Hostel (1,205 m): 1 hr 10 min
    Champel Hostel - Les Contamines (1,187 m): 1 hr 45 min

    Stage 5: Contamines Montjoie (1449 m)/Lodge at the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2,443 m)
    Contamines Mont-Joie Tourist Office (1,449 m) - (1,210 m): 1 hr 50 min
    Our Lady of the Gorge – Balme Lodge (1,706 m): 45 min
    Balme Lodge - Col du Bonhomme (2,329 m): 1 hr 30 min
    Bonhomme Pass - Croix du Bonhomme hut (2,443 m): 45 min

    Stage 6: Bonhomme Cross Lodge (2,443 m)/Elisabetta Lodge - Italy (2,168 m)
    Bonhomme Cross Lodge (2,443 m.) - The Chapieux (1,554 m): 1 hr 50 min
    The Chapieux - Glacier City (1,789 m): 1 hr 30 min
    City of Glaciers - Col de la Seigne (2,518 m): 2 hrs 50 min
    Col de la Seigne - The Lower Alps of the White Lily (2,285 m): 50 min
    Lower Alps of the White Lily – Elisabetta Lodge (2,168 m): 10 min

    Stage 7: Elisabetta Lodge (2,168 m) - Courmayeur (1,226 m)
    Elisabetta Lodge (2,168 m) - Lake Combal: 30 min
    Lake Combal - Arp Upper Town (2,303 m): 1 hr
    Arp Old Lake Checroui (2,165 m): 1 hr 20 min
    Lake Checroui - Courmayeur (1,226 m): 1 hr 30 min

    Step 8: Courmayeur (1,226 m) - Bonatti hut (2,025 m)
    Courmayeur (1,226 m) – Bertone Lodge (1,989 m): 1 hr 35 min
    Refuge Bertone - Bonati Lodge (2,025 m): 2 hrs 15 min

    Step 9: Bonatti Lodge (2,025 m) - La Peule chalet (2,071 m)
    Bonatti Lodge (2,025 m) - Arp Nouva Desot (1,776 m) (or Arnuva): 1 hr 30 min
    Arp Nouva Desot (or Arnuva) – Héléna Lodge (2,054 m): 1 hr
    Héléna Lodge - Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m): 1 hr 40 min
    Grand Col Ferret - La Peule chalet (2,071 m): 1 hr 5 min

    Stage 10: La Peule chalet (2,071 m) - Champex-le-lac (1,460 m)
    La Peule chalet (2,071 m) - Ferret (1,705 m): 45 min
    Ferret - Fort Praz (1,151 m): 3 hrs
    Fort Praz - Champex le Lac (1,460 m): 2 hrs

    Stage 11: Champex-le-lac (1,460 m) - Trient (1,297 m)
    Champex le Lac (1,460 m) - Bovine (1,975 m): 3 hrs 40 min
    Bovine - Col de la Forclaz (1,526 m): 1 hr 30 min
    Col de la Forclaz - Trient (1,297 m): 30 min

    Stage 12: Trient (1,297 m) - Col des Montets (1,461 m)
    Trient (1,297 m) - Herbageres (2,036 m): 2 hrs 15 min
    Herbageres - Col des Posettes (1,997 m): 55 min
    Col des Posettes - Col des Mottets (1,461 m): 2 hrs
  • Departure
    Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
  • Difference in height
    10462.4 m
  • Plain text period
    From 15/06 to 30/09.
  • Environment
    • Near shuttle stop
    • Lake view
    • Mountain view
    • Mountain location
    • Station district
    • Close to a public transportation
    • Village centre
    • Close to GR footpath
    • Pond within 5 km
    • In a nature reserve
  • Documentation
    GPX / KML files allow you to export the trail of your hike to your GPS (or other navigation tool)
10462 meters of difference in height