Classic 12-day Tour of Mont Blanc

Counter-clockwise route Allow between 8 to 15 days to explore the French, Italian and Swiss Alpine valleys. You will have many options of lodging in shelters or lodges throughout this tour. The tour outlined below describes the stages in the high mountains of Savoy, from the Col de Balme to the Col du Bonhomme. You will discover many glacier panoramas and will pass through nature reserves, with landscapes changing over the altitudes Car access From Chamonix, pass the village of Argentière, park at the Col des Montets car park, near the Chalet Reserve Stage 1: Col des Montets (1,461 m)/Chalet Lac Blanc – 2,358 meters Col des Montets (1,461 m) - Lac Blanc Refuge (2,358 m): 3 hrs 15 min. Stage 2: Lac Blanc Hut/Bel Lachat Lodge – 2,166 meters Lake Blanc Hut (2,358 m) - Planpraz (1,995 m): 2 hrs 50 min Planpraz - The Brévent (2,525 m): 1 hr 45 min Brévent - Bel Lachat Lodge (2,166 m): 1 hr Step 3: Bel Lachat Lodge (2,166 m)/village of Les Houches (1,014 m) Bel Lachat Lodge (2,166 m) - Merlet Park (1,480 m): 1hr 45 min. Merlet Park - Les Houches (1000m): 1 hr 15 min Stage 4: Les Houches (1,000 m)/Contamines Montjoie (1,170 m) Les Houches (1,000 m) - Fioux Lodge (1,449 m): 2 hrs 10 min Fioux Lodge - Champel Hostel (1,205 m): 1 hr 10 min Champel Hostel - Les Contamines (1,187 m): 1 hr 45 min Stage 5: Contamines Montjoie (1449 m)/Lodge at the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme (2,443 m) Contamines Mont-Joie Tourist Office (1,449 m) - (1,210 m): 1 hr 50 min Our Lady of the Gorge – Balme Lodge (1,706 m): 45 min Balme Lodge - Col du Bonhomme (2,329 m): 1 hr 30 min Bonhomme Pass - Croix du Bonhomme hut (2,443 m): 45 min Stage 6: Bonhomme Cross Lodge (2,443 m)/Elisabetta Lodge - Italy (2,168 m) Bonhomme Cross Lodge (2,443 m.) - The Chapieux (1,554 m): 1 hr 50 min The Chapieux - Glacier City (1,789 m): 1 hr 30 min City of Glaciers - Col de la Seigne (2,518 m): 2 hrs 50 min Col de la Seigne - The Lower Alps of the White Lily (2,285 m): 50 min Lower Alps of the White Lily – Elisabetta Lodge (2,168 m): 10 min Stage 7: Elisabetta Lodge (2,168 m) - Courmayeur (1,226 m) Elisabetta Lodge (2,168 m) - Lake Combal: 30 min Lake Combal - Arp Upper Town (2,303 m): 1 hr Arp Old Lake Checroui (2,165 m): 1 hr 20 min Lake Checroui - Courmayeur (1,226 m): 1 hr 30 min Step 8: Courmayeur (1,226 m) - Bonatti hut (2,025 m) Courmayeur (1,226 m) – Bertone Lodge (1,989 m): 1 hr 35 min Refuge Bertone - Bonati Lodge (2,025 m): 2 hrs 15 min Step 9: Bonatti Lodge (2,025 m) - La Peule chalet (2,071 m) Bonatti Lodge (2,025 m) - Arp Nouva Desot (1,776 m) (or Arnuva): 1 hr 30 min Arp Nouva Desot (or Arnuva) – Héléna Lodge (2,054 m): 1 hr Héléna Lodge - Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m): 1 hr 40 min Grand Col Ferret - La Peule chalet (2,071 m): 1 hr 5 min Stage 10: La Peule chalet (2,071 m) - Champex-le-lac (1,460 m) La Peule chalet (2,071 m) - Ferret (1,705 m): 45 min Ferret - Fort Praz (1,151 m): 3 hrs Fort Praz - Champex le Lac (1,460 m): 2 hrs Stage 11: Champex-le-lac (1,460 m) - Trient (1,297 m) Champex le Lac (1,460 m) - Bovine (1,975 m): 3 hrs 40 min Bovine - Col de la Forclaz (1,526 m): 1 hr 30 min Col de la Forclaz - Trient (1,297 m): 30 min Stage 12: Trient (1,297 m) - Col des Montets (1,461 m) Trient (1,297 m) - Herbageres (2,036 m): 2 hrs 15 min Herbageres - Col des Posettes (1,997 m): 55 min Col des Posettes - Col des Mottets (1,461 m): 2 hrs

En fonction des conditions météorologiques, certains passages peuvent être rendus délicats.