Hiking the Mont Blanc Circuit is one of the hottest tickets right now and rapidly booking out for 2023 and into 2024. Here are five ways to tackle hikes on the Mont Blanc Circuit by trekking in the French, Italian and Swiss Alps.
Small group tour
8 days from CA$2,775
Rated: moderate
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 hotel or mountain chalet in Chamonix to enjoy great meals in the comfort of your homebase.
Hike up to L'Aiguillette des Posettes for stunning views all the way to Switzerland, summit Aiguillette des Houches for one of the finest views in the Alps, hike up to the Bonatti refuge for views of Mont Blanc, the towering peak of Grandes Jorasses, and the glaciers on the northern flank of Val Ferret and enjoy a circular walk to Lac Blanc for more excellent views of the whole massif.
This Mont Blanc highlights is one of the best one-week hiking holidays in the Alps and indeed all of Europe.
Small group tour
15 days from CA$6,275
Rated: moderate / challenging
With ten walking days and 3 rest days this accommodated trek is the ideal way to hike around the Mont Blanc Circuit in France, Italy and Switzerland. As your luggage is transported for you between overnight stops, you carry only a day pack, enabling you to enjoy the scenery to the max. Indulge in amazing alpine views of glacial lakes and mountain vistas while each night you sleep in a comfortable bed and enjoy a great meal.
Trek along the Grand Balcon opposite Mont Blanc, and enjoy excellent views of the whole mountain range, walk into Switzerland with views all of Aiguilles d'Argentière and du Tour, follow the historic 'Bovine route' through meadows and high-alpine pastures to Champex, hike through woods, pretty alpine farming villages and flower-strewn meadows and climb to the Grand Col Ferret, the highest pass of the tour and your entry point into Italy.
Enjoy a rest day in the Courmayeur area before climbing up to the Bonatti refuge and hiking a trail with exquisite views back to Courmayeur.
Next follow the old Roman road back into France where a long day of hiking takes you to the summer-only hamlet of Les Chapieux.
Trekking around both the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and Col du Bonhomme we reach the pretty village of St Gervais for another rest day.
Another long day to reach Les Houches before crossing to the north side of the Chamonix Valley from where you will get the best views of the French side of Mont Blanc.
The trip ends in Chamonix with another rest day during which you can choose to take a spectacular cable car ride to Aiguille du Midi or the Montenvers cog railway.
Mont Blanc Circuit - camping
Small group tour
15 days from CA$3,795
Rated: moderate / challenging
For those looking for the most adventurous way to tackle the Mont Blanc Circuit, this camping trek follows the same route as our Accommodated Mont Blanc Circuit. En-route you camp in comfortable campsites throughout the trek, often with outstanding views that aren’t possible from a hotel room.
As weather is changeable, this trip should only be considered by experienced mountain hikers.
Self-guided tour
12 days from CA$4,345
Rated: challenging
For experienced hikers, our self-guided Mont Blanc Circuit is the perfect trek through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Alps of France, Italy and Switzerland. Your accommodation is pre-booked for you and your luggage will be transported between overnight stops, leaving you to only carry the essentials in a day pack.
Start your trek with a hike along the Grand Balcon Sud, affording excellent views of the Mont Blanc range. Hike along Col de Balme into Switzerland before walking along the 'Bovine Trail' through meadows and high alpine pastures to Champex. Next, walk though flower-strewn meadows and alpine farming villages to La Fouly before climbing to Grand Col Ferret, the highest pass of the tour and your entry point to Italy. Spend the night in refuge Walter Bonatti for a true mountain hut experience before trekking around Mont de la Saxe to Courmayeur, all the way enjoying spectacular views.
Joining an old Roman road climb to Col de la Seigne where you re-enter France to reach Les Chapieux, a hamlet inhabited only in summer. Turning north you hike over Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and Col du Bonhomme to Les Contamines from where a challenging with good views of the north side of Mont Blanc takes you to Les Houches. Another long hiking day will give you the best views of the French side of Mont Blanc before reaching Chamonix, where the trip ends.
Small group tour
15 days from CA$4,775
Rated: challenging
Our Haute Route passes beneath 10 or the 12 highest mountains in the Alps, from Mont Blanc near Chamonix in France to Matterhorn near Zermatt in Switzerland. Spectacular mountain views, stunning valleys and pretty glacial lakes are all around on this fantastic trek through the Alps.
Start your trek with a warm-up day near Chamonix before tackling the Brand Balcon, offering some of the best views of the Mont Blanc range. Hike into Switzerland enjoying views along the way and cross the Fenêtre d'Arpette to Champex. Traverse around Bec des Rosses to Col Termin, then cross two passes, Col de Louvie and Col Prafleuri, the highest of our route. Climb above glacier Dix through meadows where you may spot Edelweiss before descending along steep ladders to Arolla, enjoying excellent views, sometimes as far as Matterhorn.
After a well-deserved rest day climb to Col Torrent to enjoy more wonderful mountain views before descending to a wild camp near Grimentz.
Next is our longest walking day with excellent views of the Weisshorn after which we join the main Zermatt Valley where we follow a high-level balcony path that contours along the valley towards Zermatt, affording spectacular views of the Matterhorn.
Your trip has one last rest day near Zermatt, which you can use to take some of the excellent mountain excursions in the area.
