Mont Blanc Paths in Chamonix

DAY 0 - SUNDAY

Arrival at La Chaumière Mountain Lodge which is 5 min walk from the Chamonix center. The hotel is accessible by bus, the details of the Hotel will be given to you at the time of booking.
At 5.30 pm small briefing with your trekking guide in order to explain you the week and check your equipment; for those who need to buy a little equipment you will find everything you need in Chamonix. Dinner at the Hotel and then free evening.
Welcome to Chamonix.

DAY 1 - MONDAY
ARGENTIERE - ARGENTIERE BASIN AND ITS GLACIER or LES POSETTES from LE TOUR - ARGENTIERE

Meeting in the morning at your Chamonix Hotel at 8:00 a.m. You will discover the Argentière Glacier and its Glacial Basin. Direction Argentière with the Chamonix Valley bus.
Depending on the weather and on the group's fitness, you might head up to the Aiguilles des Posettes: from up there the view on the Chamonix Valley is magnificent, walking through the woods at first and then arriving in the beautiful Alpine pastures. 

Night: Hotel La Chaumière Chamonix
Elevation: +900 m and - 900 m
Walking time: 6 to 7 hours

DAY 2 - TUESDAY
CHAMONIX - AIGUILLETTE DES HOUCHES - CHAMONIX

Night: Hotel La Chaumière Chamonix
Elevation: + 1300 m and - 1300 m
Walking time: 6 to 7 hours and

We start from the Gaillands climbing wall to walk on the Petit Balcon: we will be following the Merlet Park where we might see animals of the Park. We continue the walk up to the Aiguillette des Houches, where the view  on Mont Blanc is magnificent. We eat our picnic in the pastures and then descend via the Bel Lachat Refuge, the descent is fairly quick and pleasant down into the forest.

DAY 3 - WEDNESDAY
CHAMONIX - ROCHER DES MOTTETS - MER DE GLACE - SIGNAL FORBES - CHAMONIX

Night: Hotel La Chaumière Chamonix
Elevation: + 1150 and - 1150 m
Walking time: 6 to 7 hours

We start from the valley where the Mer de Glace glacier was in 1825, when the inhabitants of the valley called the bishop to stop the glacier which was going to destroy the houses of the villagers during the Little Ice Age.
We will then go in search of the Mer de Glace by a moraine path which will take us to the Mottet Hut, where a small pancake will be welcome!?We will begin to see the Mer de Glace at the feet of the Drus West Face and of the Aiguille Verte. Once at the Mer de Glace and thereafter at the Signal Forbes, the view opens up on the magnificent Grandes Jorasses North Face and on the Aiguilles de Chamonix.
We will continue our walk under the Aiguilles de Chamonix and walk back down to Chamonix again.

DAY 4 - THURSDAY
MONTROC - LAC BLANC - LAKE HEAD - TRE LE CHAMP - MONTROC

Night: Hotel ** Chamonix
Elevation: + 1150 m and - 1150 m
Walking time: 6 to 7 hours

We will walk up into the forest on a good path to reach the legendary Aiguillette d'Argentière and its magnificent view of Mont Blanc. Here there is a dizzying path section to climb on steal stairs, well known as the Passage des Echelles, where your guide will help you on. You will therefore reach the Chéserys Lakes and the White Lake. You will eat your picnic a little higher up in order to admire the magnificent view on Mont Blanc and some of the most beautiful and well known peaks in the Alps.
If you are in good shape and if the weather is good,  you will be walking back down on off trails to reach the Col des Montets, Tré le Champs and then Montroc.

DAY 5 - FRIDAY
CHAMONIX - THE JUNCTION - CHAMONIX

Night: Hotel La Chaumière Chamonix
Elevation: + 1400m and - 1400m
Walking time: About 7 hours

DAY 6 - SATURDAY

END OF TRIP, everyone goes on their way…
see you soon for new adventures!

* Price per person (without insurance)

The price includes

• assistance of a certified mountain guide from our Team;
• Half board accommodation as described in the program (6 guided days and 5 nights);
• Picnics, every day;
• Mandatory transports along the program.

Night before the trip and last night after the activity

We have chosen to include in the price the night before the trek beginning and the night after the end of the trek, in order to allow you to better organize your transports and to avoid to rush, as well as making your trip easier without having to worry about additional nights.

You will be given specific information about the hotel and how to reach it at the time of booking.

The price does not include

• Cancellation / interruption of stay / luggage loss and accident insurance;
• Cable car tickets (optional on free time);
• Drinks and personal expenses;
• Additional nights outside the program;
• All that is not indicated in the section "The price includes".

Your expenses on site

• Drinks;
• Out-of-program visits and transfers;
• Tips.

The backpack

If possible take a light backpack with good carrying, the backpack should not exceed 1.5 kg.

Backpack for 5 to 6 days:

Leters:

• Small people: 40 liters max
• Tall people : 50 liters max

Your backpack must have 10 to 15 liters of space for picnics that you will carry for lunch.

Kilos to carry - It is better to wash than to carry:

• Small size: 6/7 kilos max, without water and food
• Large size: 8/9 kilos max, without water and food

Count 2 liters of water and 1 kg of food for the day.
Count an extra kilo for 10-day treks.

Head-to-toe material for the Trek:

• 1 cap or hat for the sun
• 1 Hat for the cold
• 1 optional buff or choker but very pleasant in bad weather
• 1 Jacket Type Gore Tex or similar windproof and waterproof
• 1 pair of gloves, waterproof if possible
• 1 additional pair of ski warm gloves for altitude treks
• 1 warm fleece or thick down to withstand negative temperatures
• 2 sweater: a light one and a warmer one, if it's cold you can put all the layers on
• 3 Technical T-shirts
• 3 underwear and 3 - 4 warm socks, you can wash them in the torrents near the shelters (1 solid soap to wash)
• 1 Warm pant
• 1 Tight
• 1 Lighter pant, there are pants that you can zip off to make shorts
• 1 Short
• 1  waterproof over-pant  (Gore tex or other) for Trek with altitude passes around 3000m.
• 1 light rain hood or waterproof bag protector
• 1 waterproof bag to keep items dry inside your backpack
• 1 bag for dirty things
• 1 light sheetbag for sleeping at the huts
• 1 pair of light slippers for the refuge, in case you do not want to wear the hut' slippers or a pair of light Trail shoes.
• 1 pair of mountain shoes with Vibram type sole of good quality or similar: if possible try ans wear your shoes before the trek, watch out for old shoes which can deteriorate very quickly in the mountains.

Do not forget  :

• Sunscreen index 30 to 50
• one pair of sunglasses category 3
• one front lamp
• cash money for huts and documents

Toiletries  :

• 1 Lightweight Quick Dry Toilet Towel
• 1 Body soap
• 1 Toothbrush with small toothpaste or a started one
• 1 small shampoo (small format - specialized stores sell small bottles that you will keep your hiker's life).
• 1 pair of earplugs to better sleep at night in a refuge

Pharmacy & others:

• Your Usual or Personal Treatments
• 1 Light Survival Blanket
• 1 nail clipper
• What to make small dressings
• Some compresses and plaster or better Strappal

Your guide will have a more complete pharmacy in the event of a larger accident.

For realx time: A small book or Card game (less than 150 grams)…

Necessary for meals:

• 1 TuperWare large enough to contain a nice salad for lunch
• 1 light knife: Opinel type
• 1 Fork and 1 Spoon
• 1 nice specialty to share with the rest of the Team, liquid or solid

The hiker's enemy is weight, but a frozen or soaked hiker is a hiker without pleasure, so take the time to properly pack your bag.

Insurance

Cancellation and repatriation insurance is advised as well as other insurance guaranteeing search and mountain rescue (10,000 Euros guarantee approximately).

Access

How to reach Chamonix Mont Blanc

• By train to Chamonix Station, TGV possible to Annecy; the hotel is accessible with free shuttles;
• By car, by highway to Chamonix, by Annecy or Geneva.

Night before the trip and last night after the activity

We have chosen to include in the price the night before the trek beginning and the night after the end of the trek, in order to allow you to better organize your transports and to avoid to rush, as well as making your trip easier without having to worry about additional nights.

You will be given specific information about the hotel and how to reach it at the time of booking.

Accommodation throughout the stay: