Tour du Mont Blanc
Trekking 5 days

Trip

Tour du Mont Blanc in 5 days

The Tour Mont du Blanc in 5 days, you will leave Saint Gervais to hike in France and then in Italy: the hikes are sporty with beautiful alternative paths outside the Tour du Mont Blanc classical route, the itinerary we have chosen is wild with generally much less people than on the classic path. We favor the Italian part, which is on our opinion the most beautiful side of Tour du Mont Blanc. The Southern side of Mont Blanc is worthy of the Himalayas with vertiginous faces, which are more than 3000 meters high.

Program

5-day Tour du Mont Blanc programme:

DAY 1
BOURG SAINT MAURICE - THE TOWN OF GLACIERS - VAL VENY

Distance and elevation: 18km and + 1000m and - 1300m
Walking time: 7 to 8 hours

Meeting point: 7:30 a.m. in front of the Bourg-Saint-Maurice SNCF train station to get to know each other and share a coffee together. The shuttle bus is scheduled to leave at 8 a.m. for the Ville des Glaciers. From there, you will begin your 5-day Tour du Mont Blanc with a spectacular stage.
We will discover the mountain pastures of the Ville des Glaciers and cross a wild, off-trail pass to cross the Italian border. From here, the balcony trail will offer us breathtaking panoramic views. The day will end in Val Veny, after a visit to the superb Lake Combal.

DAY 2
VAL VENY - REFUGE BERTONE - CHAMONIX

Distance and elevation: 11km and +900m and - 900m
Walking time: approximately 6 to 7 hours

After a short transfer to Courmayeur, we will take the trail leading to the Bertone refuge, where we will enjoy one of the most beautiful panoramas of the south face of the Mont Blanc massif. Once we have completed this climb, we will descend into the Val Ferret valley to catch our transfer to Chamonix.
We will then have two options: either take the shuttle directly to the French town, or cross the mountains using the ski lifts. This second option will depend on the weather conditions and the agreement of the whole group, and will require an additional fee for the cost of the lifts. The guide will explain all this to you at the appropriate time. Once we arrive in Chamonix, we will check into our mountain accommodation.

DAY 3
ARGENTIERE - SAINT GERVAIS

Distance and elevation: 12km and + 800m and - 800m
Walking time: approximately 6 hours

We will set off early in the morning by headlamp towards Montroc, where we will begin the ascent to one of the iconic sites of the Tour du Mont Blanc: Lac Blanc, perched at an altitude of 2,352m. Once we arrive, you will be struck by the contrast between the turquoise waters of the lake and the immensity of Mont Blanc rising in the background. The site is particularly popular with hikers and photographers, especially in summer, when the melting snow reveals the full beauty of the landscape.
We will then take the rack railway to Saint-Gervais, followed by the ski lifts that will take us to Mont d'Arbois. From there, it will be about three kilometres to our refuge. Located at an altitude of 2,000 metres, facing Mont Blanc, this small, cosy refuge with twenty beds will provide the ideal setting to end the day.

DAY 4
SAINT GERVAIS - MONT JOLY - REFUGE FACING MONT BLANC

Distance and elevation gain: 12km and +1000m and -1100m
Walking time: approximately 6 to 7 hours

You will start the day with the ascent of Mont Joly, whose summit, at 2,525 m, is the highest point of the stage. The trail then continues along panoramic ridges offering superb views of the Megève valley and the Mont Blanc massif. The descent to the refuge is gentle, through green pastures and flower-filled meadows. The sunrise and sunset will enhance the end of the day and are sure to amaze you.

DAY 5
COL DU BONHOMME - COL DES FOURS - VILLE DES GLACIERS - BOURG SAINT MAURICE

Distance and elevation: 12km and +950m and -750m
Walking time: approximately 6 hours

We will then take two classic routes of the Tour du Mont Blanc: the Col du Bonhomme, at 2,329 m, then the Col des Fours, perched at 2,665 m. After a final break at Lac de Mya, the descent continues off-trail, where we will be practically alone facing the Aiguille des Glaciers and heading towards Ville des Glaciers, which marks the end of your 5-day Tour du Mont Blanc. This will be an opportunity to taste and buy some delicious local cheeses before taking the shuttle back down to Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

End of the trip: Arrival in Bourg-Saint-Maurice (train station) is scheduled for the end of the day. It is recommended that you do not plan any connections before 7:30 p.m.

Materiel

How to prepare your backpack for your Tour du Mont Blanc Trekking

The hiking backpack

If possible, take a bag that is light enough to be carried well, and no heavier than 1.5 kilos.

Small : 45 litres max
Large : 50 litres max
Your rucksack should have 10 to 15 litres of space for the food you will be carrying for lunch and sometimes the next day, which the mountain huts or guides will give you.

Kilos to carry - it's better to wash than to carry :

Small : 5/6 kilos max, without water and food
Large : 6/7 kilos max, without water and food
Allow 2 litres of water and 500 grams of food for the day.

Head-to-toe equipment for the trek:

• a cap or hat for the sun
• a hat for the cold
• a buff or choker (optional, but great in bad weather)
• a Gore Tex jacket or equivalent for bad weather
• a pair of gloves, waterproof if possible
• a small down jacket or fleece to withstand sub-zero temperatures
• two jumpers: one light and one warmer; if it's cold, we'll use all the layers
• two or three technical T-shirts
• 2 to 4 pairs of socks, which you can wash in the torrents near the refuges (use solid soap to wash)
• trousers
• tights
• shorts
• a bag cover for the rain
• a waterproof bag to keep a change of clothes dry
• a change of clothes for the refuge
• A pair of hiking boots with Vibram soles or good quality trail shoes from 20 July, if possible try them on before the trek.

Essential items:

• a sleeping sheet for the hut
• 2 telescopic walking poles
• Canteen or water bottle to provide at least 2 litres of water
• sun cream factor 30 to 50
• A pair of category 3 sunglasses
• a light headlamp
• small treats such as dried fruit and chocolate
• cash and your identity card or valid passport

Toiletries :

• a light, quick-drying towel, hiking style
• body soap
• toothbrush with toothpaste or solid toothpaste
• small shampoo (specialist shops sell small bottles that you can keep for the rest of your hiking life)
• a pair of earplugs to help you sleep at night in the refuge

Pharmacy & other items :

• your medication
• a light survival blanket
• nail clippers
• enough to make small dressings
• a few compresses and plasters or, better still, Strappal

Your guide will have a more comprehensive first-aid kit in case of a major accident.

A small book or card game (weighing less than 150 grams)...

Necessities for meals :

• a light Opinel-type knife
• a fork and a spoon
• A local speciality to share with the rest of the team, liquid or solid.

Weight is the hiker's enemy, but a frozen or soaked hiker is a hiker without pleasure!

So take the time to prepare your rucksack well and weigh it before you set off, to check that without water or food your rucksack weighs 6 to 7 KG, but no more !

IMPORTANT: if a person is not properly equipped and dressed, the mountain guide may decide not to allow him/her to take part in the climb. We ask you to read carefully the equipment list provided in the programme PDF and to call us if you have any doubts.

Level

Physical level 3/5

For sporty people, we will have some good walking days and make some beautiful summits, you are confirmed in the activity or welcome in Trail initiation! Effort corresponding to approximately 900 - 1200 m of elevation gain in trekking.

Technical Level 3/5

Difficult trekking, there are several vertiginous, physical and technical passages, the path is sometimes equipped with cables and ladders to help the progression, it is not a Via Ferrata but we are obliged to use them. You must master the activity, you are independent in the mountains in easy passages, the guide will help you in difficult passages.
Weather forecast learning and learning of walking progression techniques with a mountain rope.
Maximum 10 people per trekking guide.

Useful infos

Useful Info to plan your TMB Trekking Tour

Insurance

Cancellation and repatriation insurance is mandatory, as is mountain search and rescue insurance (minimum cover of 10,000 Euros).

Esprit Montagne offers the following insurance: https://www.assurance-multi-sports.com. You must get the “impact evasion multirisque” insurance. Other insurance policies may not cover you as well, so read your insurance policy carefully.

How to get to Bourg Saint Maurice (73700)

• By train, you can get to Bourg Saint Maurice by TGV . From Saint Gervais, allow around 6 hours.
• By car, take the motorway to Albertville, then the main road to Bourg Saint Maurice.

Meeting on the first day:

In front of Bourg Saint Maurice SNCF station at 7.30am.

You can park your car in the funicular car park next to the station for the week without any problem.

For those arriving by train, you will find your guide just outside the station.

End of the trip 

In Saint Gervais or Argentière (train station) at the end of the day on D5.

Please note : There is no return journey available to Bourg Saint Maurice, so you may need to arrange your own return transport. It is therefore advisable to come by train if you can, to make it easier for you to get there and back. If you leave your car in Bourg Saint Maurice, take an extra night in Saint Gervais so that you can return by train (about 6 hours) the day after the end of the trek.

Accommodation before or after your stay

In Bourg Saint Maurice:
 

• Hôtel Base Camp Lodge
• Hotel L'Autantic
• Hôtel L'Angival

Car sharing

When you register online, you can choose whether or not you wish to take part in the car-sharing scheme to get to the starting point of your course. Once you have made your booking, you can log back into your Esprit Montagne account to access a section dedicated to carpooling. Here you will find the contacts of the other participants who are interested in car-sharing, so that you can contact them directly.

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