Trail Running in Chamonix and the Mont Blanc Massif: Chamonix Valley, Italy and Switzerland

ByTravesía Pirenaica
Trail running for beginners / Photo: Brian Metzler
Trail running for beginners / Photo: Brian Metzler

Known as a mecca for trail runners, the Chamonix Valley and Mont Blanc region is home to some of the best trail running races in the world, such as the Tour des Géants and the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc.

Starting from Chamonix, Les Houches, Servoz, Champex, Courmayeur, Orsières and Vallorcine among others, and covering classic ultra trail routes as well as shorter distances, the region offers alternatives for every runner.

Index

Practical guide

When to go?

The key season for most of the routes in this book is the alpine summer season, between early June and late September.

Cities & Services

Chamonix, Courmayeur, Champex, Martigny, Orsieres, St Gervais, Servoz, Les Houches, Le Buet, Vallorcine, Trient, Bourg St Pierre.

Not to be missed

Explore some of the classic regions of the Mont Blanc massif, visiting France, Switzerland and Italy. Tour the full ultra-trail circuit of Mont Blanc, or shorter day tours, including the Mer de Glace, the summit of Mont Buet, and the Col du Grand Saint Bernard.

Routes

Trail running routes in the Chamonix Valley and around the Mont Blanc massif, visiting France, Switzerland and Italy.

France

  • From Chamonix // Mer de Glace / Path of the estuary to Argentière / Merlet / La Flégère / Refuge Moëde Anterne / La Jonction / Vertical km of Chamonix / Marathon du Mont Blanc / 80km du Mont Blanc /
  • From the Vallorcine Valley // Lac d'Emosson / Col de la Terrasse / Albert Premier / Aiguilles Rouges / Mont Buet /
  • From Les Houches/Servoz // Le Brévent / Le Prarion / Col de Tricot / Lac Vert / Charousse /
  • Beyond the Chamonix Valley // Nid d'Aigle / Refuge de Doran / Mont Truc / Mont Joly / Refuge de Tré-le-Tête / Tête Nord des Fours /

Switzerland

  • Mont de l'Arpille
  • Croix de Fer
  • Fenêtre d'Arpette
  • Cabane d'Orny
  • Mont Fourchon
  • Cols Fenêtre and Chevaux

Italy

  • Mont de la Saxe
  • Tête Entre Deux Sauts
  • Italian Val Ferret
  • Col d'Arp
  • Punta della Croce

International careers

  • Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB)
  • Orsières, Champex, Chamonix (OCC)
  • Courmayeur, Champex, Chamonix (CCC)
  • Traces des Ducs de Savoie (TDS)