a travel expert's personal review of Exodus Travels Mont Blanc Highlights
- Adventure Coordinators
- Jul 14, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 15, 2024
In June of 2024 I had the pleasure to travel with Exodus on their one-week long centre-based hiking trip of the best sections of the Tour du Mont Blanc Circuit. Here is my personal review of Exodus Travels Mont Blanc Highlights.
A slow start
As mentioned in the trip notes, the tour started with a coach transfer from Geneva Airport to Chamonix; other Exodus groups heading out to trek in the Alps share this transfer. In fact, there may be as many as three simultaneous departures of the Mont Blanc Highlights trip, although you rarely meet them later in the week.
I had been instructed to be at the airport at 11am but as other guests arriving had delayed flights, we didn't leave the airport until 1pm. That meant a mid-afternoon arrival at the chalet, and an even later lunch.
Hosts cooking great meals
Once at the chalet we met the hosts, a lovely Argentine couple, Laura and Gon, who looked after our meals and some of the transfers during the week. Meals were a mix of local specialities and Argentine "grandmother's favourites" and always plentiful and very tasty. There was a reasonably well-stocked bar from which you could help yourself to beer, sodas or wine - payment was done on an honour system. Some of us opted to buy drinks at the local supermarket where there was a greater selection at lower prices.
Meeting the group & the chalet
My group consisted of three UK couples and myself, which was a bit of a surprise to me as I had indicated a preference to be with as many solo travellers as possible. (Having said that - requests are exacty that and they are not guarantees. And it all worked out for the better.
And I needn't have worried - one of the couples consisted of two best friends while the other two couples were very social. In fact, we got along really well during the trip. Ages ranged from mid-30's to late 60's and all were enthusiastic hikers.
Being the odd man out meant I had a room to myself, which was fantastic, as Exodus doesn't offer a single supplement on this tour.
My room was fairly small - sharing would have been tight - but the beds were comfortable. (Other rooms were larger and some even had a sofa and a balcony). The bathroom was clean but hot water was erratic with very little water pressure. There was no WiFi in the bedroom and if I wanted to connect to the internet, I had to go down to the common room.
That common room was where we hung out both before and after dinner, which made for a cosy and homey atmosphere, another factor why the group gelled so well.
The chalet also had a wooden deck (a great place to soak up the sun in the afternoon), and a hot tub, which was well used after each hike. The chalet, named Chalupa, was in Les Houches, a village twenty minutes by bus from central Chamonix. Staying at Chalupa means you are away from the main tourist hub, but as most meals are included, this was never an issue. Besides, Les Houches has its own restaurants and shops and I liked the quiet of the village.
Breakfast & our tour leader Mike
Day 2 started with a breakfast of croissants and the much sought-after pain au chocolat, yoghurt and fruit. At breakfast there was also a table with a lunch spread; typically there was baguette, cheeses and cold cuts, salads and fruit, with which each hiker made his or her own lunch.
After a leisurely breakfast we set off, either by private transfer, public bus or a mix of both, to the start of the hike. Before starting our walk, our hike leader Mike had us do a brief warm-up to prevent any injuries.
Mike was a qualified International Mountain Leader with loads of experience both in the region as well as further afield (Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp). Mike had a great personality and a wicked dry sense of humour to boot. He joined in for all included meals and he always made sure everyone in the group was well looked after.
A relaxed pace
The weather forecast had been for a week of solid rain but as so often is the case, reality was a lot better. And while we had some rain, Mike was very adept at changing the walks according to local circumstances. And he set an easy pace so the entire group was able to stay together. At times I felt it was a little too slow but Mike was also flexible enough to let me go ahead, just as long as I stopped at any trail junctions. At other times the pace allowed me to drop behind to take photos of flowers and the stupendous scenery.
Adjusting to the season
As the season had started late and the weather had been cool, the hike to Lac Blanc using the gondola to La Flégère was still under three metres of snow. On our first day of hiking we therefore fell back on the spring itinerary and started with a hike from Argentière (4,100ft/1,250m) to the Grand Balcon Sud that contours the Chamonix valley. The panoramic views over the valley to Mont Blanc and all the other peaks, valleys and glaciers were breathtaking. We had lunch sitting by a small mountain lake at La Flégère, followed by a descent via Chalet Floria.
Exodus being a UK-based tour operator, were very enthusiastic about having "time for a cup of tea" at the chalet. I had a beer instead in what turned out to be a lovely cafe along the trail - and our last dry moment for the next 24 hours. This day we hiked just short of 12 kms with a 650 m ascent and a 870 metre descent, taking about 5 hours.
Ibex in the rain
Day 3 saw us wake up to rain. All of us were tired from the hike the day before, but our group was positive and no matter the weather we were going to be enjoying ourselves.
We started our day with a transfer to Merlet park from where we hiked up to the summit of the Aiguillette des Houches (7,500ft/2,285m). In clear weather this offers one of the finest views in the Alps as you would be looking directly across the Chamonix Valley to the Mont Blanc summit. However, the curtain was decidedly closed and all we saw was fog and snow. But that's all part of the adventure, n'est-ce-pas?
We descended partially along the same route through alpine meadows where we had a lovely surprise - three male ibex, massive beasts with majestic curved horns, were hanging around the hillsides we traversed. Mike told us it was one of the best sightings he had had.
This day we hiked just over 10 kms with a 900 metre ascent and descent.
To Italy for gelato
Day 4 had us drive through the Mont Blanc tunnel to Italy. From the start of our hike we climbed 500 metres up to the Bonatti refuge where we enjoyed a coffee in the morning sun. At just over (6,560ft/2,000m), the view from here was one of the finest of our trip. Mont Blanc itself, the towering rocky peak of Grandes Jorasses, and the glaciers that crowd the northern flank of Val Ferret are there to be admired.
We followed a splendid traversing path, a so-called balcony walk, high above the valley before descending back to the valley floor, a total hiking distance of 11 kms. Here we were met by our transfer vehicle and drove to Courmayeur. We had a brief discussion and education about the differences between ice cream and gelato, the details of which escape me now (sorry Mike). I am, however, a convert to the Italian version of this frozen treat.
Cable car to Aiguille du Midi
In the middle of the week Exodus scheduled a free day for people to do their own walks or sightseeing. There are several cable car excursions one can make from Chamonix and I would highly recommend the ascent to the Aiguille du Midi (12,600ft/3,842m). It offers fantastic views of Mont Blanc and surrounding peaks but the catch is that in high season it is often booked out days ahead. Booking ahead however, you may find you spend EUR70 when the clouds are low and the views are not there.
Our entire group decided to go up and we were lucky enough to score tickets the night before when we knew we would have clear weather. We enjoyed a great morning taking in the stunning views and just as we were ready to go down, the curtain closed and the clouds rolled in.
That afternoon I took a walk back from Chamonix to the chalet, a walk of about 90 minutes along a delightful flower-lined forest trail.
Views down to Chamonix
Our fourth day of hiking saw us do a climb of 900 metres to the Col des Posettes. At times steep, the climb followed a ridge offering spectacular views down the Chamonix valley. After a picnic lunch, an 800 metres descent led to La Tour from where we caught the bus back to Chamonix. At the end of this 11 km, 5 hour hike, it was time for a treat and while gelato was not an option, a great ice cream store was waiting. They offered the option of a giant cone with ten different flavours, but this was too big, even for me.
Flowers in the rain
The fifth and last day of hiking on the Mont Blanc Circuit saw a second morning of rain. But our tour leader Mike had picked a hike that was perfect for this kind of weather: through villages, hamlets, flower-filled meadows and forests to the Col de Voza, where we enjoyed a hot chocolate with cognac in a chalet. After warming up we had our picnic lunch in a nearby shelter. Right after lunch the rain stopped and we enjoyed a long descent all the way to Les Houches, where we had a victory drink in a local bar.
Is this trip for you?
Exodus rates this trip as moderate (3 out of 7), which is spot on. They state the "trek follows mountain paths throughout, which are generally well maintained but rocky and steep in sections, so not suitable for vertigo sufferers. The walking hours (6-7 hours) stated in the day-to-day itinerary, which include lunch and photo stops, are given as approximates only and will vary depending on your group’s pace. The longest days can have an ascent of up to 900m followed by a similar descent. This means walking uphill for two to four hours and the same down again. For this reason, those new to hill walking will likely find the trip quite tough and need to train beforehand."
I would add to Exodus' advice to bring trekking poles as they certainly came in handy, especially on some of the steeper descents.
My opinion of the trip
I would rate this trip an 8.5 out of 10. The walking is excellent and well within the capabilities of anyone who regularly engages in activities. This was a splendid holiday with enough free time in the afternoon to relax or discover the local area. If however you are looking for a good workout you may wish to pick a more difficult trip. The few issues with the chalet (water pressure, room size and internet) were not enough to hugely influence my rating.
Best time to go
I chose mid-June as my departure date to coincide with the summer itinerary and in the expectation of seeing flowers bloom. Unfortunately neither quite panned out due to the extended cold and wet spring this year. Still, it was a fabulous time to go, but any time between mid-June and mid-September will give you a great trip.
Trip details
The Mont Blanc Circuit is one of the finest hikes in all of Europe and normally takes about two weeks to complete. For those short on time, this highlights trip has you walk the best sections of the Mont Blanc Circuit. Each night you return to your comfortable mountain chalet in Chamonix to enjoy great meals in the comfort of your homebase.
With its stunning views, towering peaks and hanging glaciers this Mont Blanc highlights trips is one of the best one-week hiking holidays in the Alps and indeed all of Europe.
The trips is eight days long and priced from CA$2945
You can find full details on the trip here.
