Tour du Mont Blanc Camping Trek

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Description

Summary

Starts
Chamonix
Duration
15 days
Languages
English
Difficulty
Hard

Description

Embark on a thrilling 15-day journey that will take you through the heart of the majestic Mont Blanc massif. This multi-day tour is a dream come true for avid hikers and nature enthusiasts, offering breathtaking views of glaciers, alpine meadows, and picturesque hamlets. The trek starts from the campsite in Les Bossons, France, and takes you through Chamonix, Switzerland, and Italy, before circling back to Les Bossons. Along the way, you'll traverse high mountain passes, descend into charming valleys, and enjoy the stunning panorama of the Mont Blanc massif. The tour includes comfortable camping accommodations, scenic train rides, and optional cable car excursions. Whether you're a seasoned trekker or a casual walker, this tour promises an unforgettable adventure.

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Included

All transport and listed activities

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All transport mentioned in the itinerary and cable cars (except where these are marked as optional) are included. Transport and excursions on the three rest/free days are not included. For the transfers to and from Geneva airport we normally use a private coach. Other Exodus groups heading out to trek in the Alps may share this transfer.

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The campsites are in stunning settings and sharing an after-trek drink with newly made friends as the sun sets over a glaciated mountain is the perfect way to enjoy the great outdoors.

Campsites: The chosen campsites are comfortable and modern. On 12 nights, hot showers are available and there are electricity points to recharge batteries. Many campsites have a bar and wifi, plus a lounge or sitting area. We provide a large communal tent (if we do not use the communal area in the campsite), where we eat at tables with benches and have an unlimited tea and coffee station, plus a camp bar. Two remote campsites are in stunning locations but are a little more basic than others and do not have showers. We eat in restaurants on these nights.

Camp life: Accompanying you throughout the trek is a dedicated camp support leader who takes care of the logistics and catering. Your tent is put up for you each night. In the morning, you will be asked to take your tent down (this should take no more than three to four minutes), put your bag in the back of the van and wash your breakfast dish. On four nights out of 14, you will be asked to join a washing up team and help with the dishes that evening – a 20-minute job. Otherwise, you are free to relax and your time is your own.

Tents and equipment: All our equipment is bought with both comfort and practicality in mind and we hope represents a higher quality than most individuals would buy for themselves.

You spend 14 nights camping in roomy waterproof tents designed to sleep three people, but with a maximum of two people per tent. We use modern dome tents incorporating a 6.9ft x 6.9ft (2.1m x 2.1m) inner tent with sewn-in ground sheet and a supplementary 7.5ft x 2.3ft (2.3m x 0.7m) covered porch that is an ideal place to leave your walking boots and poles.

Single tents are available for a small additional cost, as are camping mats and sleeping bags with liner and pillow. Our full-length camping mats are filled with air and foam, which is comfortable to sleep on and provides excellent insulation from the ground. Our sleeping bags have a synthetic filling, as opposed to feathers, with a three-quarter-length zip and provide plenty of warmth.

Worth knowing

Thermal mattress hire: Approximately £36 – please request in advance with your sales representative.

Sleeping bag hire (three- or four-season), pillow and liner: Approximately £73 – please request in advance with your sales representative.

camping: 14 night(s);

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We provide 14 breakfasts, 10 picnic lunches, eight home-cooked three-course group meals in camp and four group meals in local restaurants. Due to the small size and remoteness of several of these restaurants, and for speed when serving a large group, these will be set menus.

Breakfast: Usually consist of coffee, tea, cereal, yoghurt, fresh fruit, bread and conserves.

Lunch: Picnic-style lunches will normally include bread, cold meat, cheese, sometimes boiled eggs or tinned fish, fresh salad and fresh fruit. You may wish to bring (or purchase locally) snack bars for an extra energy boost during the day.

Evening meal: Whether in camp or in a nearby restaurant, we endeavour to make dinner something to look forward to. Each day there will be a freshly prepared menu for the whole group, consisting of a soup, salad or similar; a main course of meat, fish or vegetarian served with a selection of vegetables and carbohydrates; and a dessert.

Beer, wine, bottled water, coffee, tea or other drinks are not included in the price of evening meals taken in restaurants. Coffee and tea are included with the evening meal when we eat in camp and beer and wine are also available for purchase at a modest cost.

Vegetarians: We happily cater for vegetarians – please inform us at the time of booking.

Vegans: If you adhere to a vegan diet, you may find the variety of food offered to be limited, since veganism is relatively uncommon in this region.

The feedback we receive for the food we serve is great but please be aware that facilities are limited and practicality forces us to put our efforts into making one excellent group meal with a vegetarian option. Of course, any allergies will be respected.

vegetarian, vegan, meat

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We provide a qualified International Mountain Leader to escort the group on each walking day. Our walking leaders are true mountain professionals. As well as being skilled group leaders, they are there to help assure safety on the mountain. They also impart their knowledge of the wider mountain environment such as flora and fauna, geology, weather and local customs. The leaders are required to prevent anyone participating in an activity if they believe the person is not capable of completing it safely or in a reasonable time. Our support leaders are also vital members of the team and ensure the camp is set up and ready when you walk off the hill (wherever practically possible) and hot, tasty and nutritious food is served.

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Map

Attractions

photo of the mountain top station of the Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix, France.Aiguille du Midi
Aosta Cathedral, Aosta, Aosta Valley, ItalyAosta Cathedral
Grande Dixence damGrande Dixence dam

Daily Itinerary

Day 1

Day 1 – Day 1: Arrival at Les Bossons

  • Les Chosalets - Arrival day
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Begin your adventure at the campsite in Les Bossons, nestled amidst the stunning views of Mont Blanc and the Glacier des Bossons. As the sun sets, the trek crew will provide an introductory briefing to prepare you for the journey ahead.

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Day 2

Day 2 – Day 2: Les Bossons to Les Frasserands via Chamonix

  • Les Chosalets
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After a short bus journey from Les Bossons to Chamonix, we embark on a walk to Les Praz, followed by a cable car ride to La Flégère. We then hike along the Grand Balcon trail, offering excellent views of the Mont Blanc massif. The day's high point is Lac Blanc, after which we descend to the hamlet of Les Frasserands. A scenic valley train ride brings us back to our campsite.

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Day 3

Day 3 – Day 3: Les Frasserands to Trient via Aiguillette de Posettes and Col de Balme

  • Les Chosalets
  • Martigny
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  • Aiguille du Midi
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Starting from Les Frasserands, we climb steeply to the Aiguillette de Posettes, descend a little, and then ascend towards the Col de Balme. Crossing the border from France to Switzerland, we enjoy excellent views of Aiguille d'Argentière and Aiguille du Tour and its glacier. After lunch, we descend to the small hamlet of Trient, where we will have lovely views of the Trient Glacier.

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Day 4

Day 4 – Day 4: Trient to Champex via Col de Forclaz and Martigny

  • Martigny
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We start the day by climbing to the Col de Forclaz, then onwards to look directly into the Rhône Valley and the small Swiss town of Martigny. We follow the historic 'Bovine route', which takes us through meadows and high alpine pastures before descending to Champex, a town beside a picturesque alpine lake.

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Day 5

Day 5 – Day 5: Champex to La Fouly via Val Ferret and Issert

Day 5: Champex to La Fouly via Val Ferret and Issert

Today, we descend through woods to the Val Ferret and on to Issert and other pretty alpine farming villages. We continue up the valley to the remote village of La Fouly, which lies at the foot of Mont Dolent, whose summit marks the meeting point of France, Switzerland and Italy.

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Day 6

Day 6 – Day 6: La Fouly to Planpincieux via Grand Col Ferret and Arp Nouva

  • Pré-Saint-Didier
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  • Grande Dixence dam
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Following the same valley and the river La Drance, we climb to the Grand Col Ferret, the highest pass of the tour. Now in Italy, we walk down the valley to Arp Nouva and then take an optional bus to Planpincieux.

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Day 7

Day 7 – Day 7: Rest Day in Planpincieux

  • Courmayeur
  • Pré-Saint-Didier
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  • Aosta Cathedral
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Today is a free day for you to rest and explore the nearby towns of Courmayeur and Entrèves. You can take the Skyway cable car from La Palud to Point Helbronner for close-up views of the peaks, or relax in the spa baths at Pre Saint Didier.

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Day 8

Day 8 – Day 8: Planpincieux to Val Veny via Bonatti Refuge and Courmayeur

  • Pré-Saint-Didier
  • Courmayeur
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We start with a short bus ride to pick up the Tour du Mont Blanc route, and from the road, climb up to the Bonatti refuge. 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 that crowd the northern flank of the Val Ferret. In the afternoon, we have a long, steep descent to Courmayeur where there will be time to stop for a tasty Italian gelato before taking a short bus ride into the spectacular Val Veny.

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Day 9

Day 9 – Day 9: Val Veny to Les Chapieux via Col de la Seigne

  • Les Contamines-Montjoie
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Today’s trail climbs gently along the Val Veny, beneath the moraine of the massive Glacier du Miage. Passing Lac Combal, the gradient becomes steeper as we follow the old Roman road across the Col de la Seigne pass, marking our re-entry into France. A fairly steep descent brings us through La Ville des Glaciers and finally to Les Chapieux, a small hamlet only inhabited in summer.

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Day 10

Day 10 – Day 10: Les Chapieux to Les Contamines via Col de la Croix du Bonhomme

  • Les Contamines-Montjoie
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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 and then contour around to the Col du Bonhomme. We then descend to our campsite in Les Contamines.

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Day 11

Day 11 – Day 11: Rest Day in Les Contamines

  • Les Contamines-Montjoie
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A chance to rest or enjoy independent exploration. There are short and long optional walks in the area, many accessed by a chairlift or gondola, with spectacular views of Mont Blanc. Mountain cafes make a nice place for a scenic lunch. Alternatively, you could take the Mont Blanc cog-driven tramway to the Eagle’s Nest – the starting point for many aiming to conquer Mont Blanc itself. Otherwise, time can be spent visiting the half-day market in Les Contamines, or you can simply relax around town or in camp and recharge your batteries for the days ahead.

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Day 12

Day 12 – Day 12: Les Contamines to Les Bossons via Col de Tricot and Les Houches

  • Combloux
  • Les Contamines-Montjoie
  • Les Chosalets
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Today will be another long but rewarding day as we return to the start point of our trek. We walk through Les Contamines, ascend to Chalets du Truc and then descend to the Chalets de Miage. From here, we take the trail that climbs steeply to the Col de Tricot before descending very close to the snout of the Glacier de Bionnassay, where we will enjoy fabulous views of the northern side of the Mont Blanc massif. Eventually, we make another short ascent to reach the Col de Voza, where we re-enter the Chamonix Valley and descend to the village of Les Houches. A short bus ride takes us to our camp in Les Bossons.

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Day 13

Day 13 – Day 13: Les Bossons to Chamonix via Brévent and Plan Praz

  • Les Chosalets
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We cross to the north side of the Chamonix Valley and climb through a pine forest. The high point of the day is Brévent, from where there are panoramic views of the Mont Blanc massif and Chamonix Valley. We walk down to Plan Praz, then descend by cable car to Chamonix and walk to our camp at Les Bossons. It is possible to take the cable car descent from the top. This extra journey will be payable locally should you choose not to walk.

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Day 14

Day 14 – Day 14: Rest Day in Les Bossons

  • Saint-Gervais-les-Bains
  • Les Chosalets
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  • Aiguille du Midi
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Today is a free day for optional walks or sightseeing. Your leader can advise you of possible walking routes or you may choose to visit the bustling alpine resort town of Chamonix, which has numerous shops, bars, restaurants and cafes. There are several cable car excursions you can make from Chamonix, of which the most spectacular is the ascent to the Aiguille du Midi, offering fantastic views of Mont Blanc and surrounding peaks. It should also be possible to take the mountain train up to Montenvers for close-up views of the Mer de Glace glacier, or if you are feeling adventurous you could enjoy a tandem paragliding flight.

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Day 15

Day 15 – Day 15: Departure from Les Bossons

  • Les Chosalets - Departure day
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The adventure comes to an end in Les Bossons after breakfast. Start your return journey home, and perhaps start planning your next great walking adventure.

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