The best hiking and trekking routes in the Mont Blanc massif near Chamonix and Courmayeur

ByTravesía Pirenaica
Tour du Mont Blanc / Photo: M.Paley [CC BY 3.0].
Tour du Mont Blanc / Photo: M.Paley [CC BY 3.0].

This guide explores the popular region of Mont Blanc (4808m), the highest mountain in Western Europe, showing the best routes on both the French and Italian sides of the massif. Valley trails, aerial ridges and via ferratas.

The large centres of Chamonix and Courmayeur are often busy with holidaymakers and associated industries: cafés, lodges, lifts and signage.... but these valleys have walks to match anywhere else for their views, terrain and variety, with their sublime glaciers plunging into the valleys, their high snow-capped peaks glistening in the sun, their flowery slopes and their rocky paths. Whether in spring, summer or autumn, the beauty and variety of the walks will satisfy any hiker, and there are plenty of facilities for the end of the day.

Index

Practical guide

When to go?

The season runs from late June to mid-September and is most intense between 14 July (Bastille Day in France) and 15 August (Assumption). Unsurprisingly, summer is the usual season for walking in the mountains, as this is when they tend to enjoy the most stable weather conditions: it is also when the huts are open and the cable cars operate.

Earlier, in June, the weather is usually warm and sunny and the days are long, but the snow often remains above 2,000 metres or less, and can avoid reaching the cols. On the other hand, huts may be closed, as is also the case in September and October: the chance of snow is also much lower in autumn.

Cities & Services

Chamonix; Courmayeur; Huron; Les Houches; Plaine Joux; Servoz; Vallorcine

Not to be missed

  • Chamonix, the "capital of mountaineering".
  • Sublime high-altitude landscapes: glaciers, flower-covered slopes and rocky paths.
  • Gastronomic specialities such as cheese, chocolate and ice cream.
  • The Alpine museum of Chamonix.
  • Cable cars and mountain railways for bad weather.

The routes

The routes are grouped according to the reference town in the area: St Gervais les Bains and Les Contamines, Servoz and Plateau D'Assy, Les Houches, Chamonix, Argentière and Courmayeur.

St Gervais Les Bains and Les Contamines-Montjoie

  • Mont Truc
  • Mont Joly
  • Lac d'Armancette
  • Col de la Fenêtre
  • Tête Nord des Fours
  • Lacs and Monts Jovet
  • Servoz and Plateau D'assy
  • Lac Vert
  • Pointe Noire de Pormenaz
  • Dérochoir and Désert de Platé
  • Les Houches
  • Le Prarion
  • Mont Vorassay
  • Aiguillette des Houches

Chamonix

  • Excursion in the Chamonix Valley
  • La Chapeau and Tête des Prapators
  • Montenvers
  • Montagne de Blaitière
  • Cerro Chalet
  • Montagne de la Côte
  • Refuge de Bel Lachat and Le Brévent
  • Grand Balcon Sud - La Flégère in Planpraz (6.0km, 2-4h, elevation gain: 320m, difficulty: medium)
  • Lac Blanc (6.0km, 2-3h, elevation gain: 269m, difficulty: medium easy)
  • Tête de Villy
  • Col de Salenton
  • Lac Cornu and Lacs Noirs. Lac Cornu (8.5km, 4-6h, elevation gain: 651m, difficulty: medium)
  • Great North Balcony (6.1km, 2.5-4.5h, elevation gain: 720m, difficulty: medium)
  • La Jonction (11.6km, 6-8h, elevation gain: 1,499m, difficulty: high)
  • Le Chapeau for the Fountains of L'Arveyron (8.5km, 2.5-4h, elevation gain: 610m, difficulty: medium)
  • Col de Balme (4.8km, 2-3h, elevation gain: 81m, difficulty: easy)

READ ALSO: Chamonix: mountain activities in the shadow of Mont Blanc".

Argentière

  • Excursion in the Argentière Valley
  • Pierre à Bosson
  • Tête du Grand Chantet
  • Aiguillette d'Argentière - Les Chéserys
  • Argentière Glacier Pointe de Vue (3.9km, 1.5-3h, elevation gain: 315m, difficulty: medium)
  • Aiguilletteis des Posettes (9.5km, 4-6h, elevation gain: 960m, difficulty: moderate)
  • Albert Premiere (8.7km, 4-6h, elevation gain: 997m, difficulty: moderate)
  • Croix de Fer

Vallorcine

  • Excursion in the Vallorcine Valley
  • Pointe de la Terrasse and Tré-les-Eaux Valley
  • Cheval Blanc
  • Dinosaur tracks
  • Bel Oiseau
  • Col de Barberine and Fontanabran
  • Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard
  • Mont Buet by the normal route
  • Refuge of Loriaz
  • Emosson from Loriaz
  • Mont Buet on the north ridge

Courmayeur

  • Punta della Croce
  • Mont Fortin
  • Mont Chétif
  • Col and Lac Liconi
  • Mont de la Saxe
  • Tête Entre Deux Sauts
  • Tête de Ferret

Multi-day treks

  • Tour du Mont Blanc".
  • Vallorcine to Plaine Joux
  • Tour of the Aiguilles Rouges
  • Vallorcine to Servoz
  • Italian Val Ferret Circuit