Hiking in France
Aiguilles Rouges Hiking Tour - Chamonix
Technical lev. : 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.
Physical lev. : 2.5 / 5
Intermediate level, between 2 and 3 stars, we will make some nice summits!
Effort corresponding to approximately 800 - 1000 m of elevation gain in trekking.
Do you want to go into the heart of nature in the Alps for a beautiful Trek to get a change of scenery and enjoy your holidays? This trek is easily accessible with the trains arriving in Chamonix at the feet of Mont Blanc. Our guide team will take you on the aerial paths of the Tour des Aiguilles Rouges.
Dates & Prices
The Trip
The Massif des Aiguilles Rouges offers a magnificent panorama in front of Mont Blanc. You will discover this great massif on aerial paths with increasing difficulty, your Trekking Guide is there to take care of the orientation, the rhythm and help you on the more delicate passages.
You will be walking in two natural reserves, that of Passy and the famous Reserve of Aiguilles Rouges. It is one of the wildest massifs in Haute Savoie. We will walk through forests, pastures and more alpine terrain.
This tour allows you to discover diverse landscapes, which are the result of the geological variety that characterizes this place. To the northern part is characterized by a limestone massif at the level of the walls of the Chaine des Fiz, while the interior of the Aiguilles Rouges massif is characterized by a red gneiss. On the other side, Mont Buet is made of a black sedimentary rock (marl-limestone). The Mont Blanc massif, with its landscape of sharp peaks and glaciers, makes the Tour des Aiguilles Rouges one of the most beautiful treks in the Alps, with very easy access by train or by the motorway that arrive in Chamonix Mont-Blanc directly.
We will be able to cross ibex, marmots and with a little luck chamois or bearded vultures which nest in the Chaine de Bargy or the Chaine des Fiz. Lake Anterne and its lapiaz, with the summit of Mont Buet, will be a bonus on our way if the weather is fine. During this mountain trekking, your Guide will teach you some cartography, showing you on the field how to use the Ign maps and a GPS. This trekking can be done in trail running for a group formed on request.
Program
Vertical drop: +850 meters and - 800 meters mandatory, then 250 meters of elevation optional without backpacks towards the Col d'Anterne
Walking time: about 6 to 7 h
We leave from Chamonix station. After having checked the equipment and the backpacks, we cross the town of Chamonix where it will be possible to some last minute shopping in case you have forgotten something, but make sure to well prepare your backpack anyways. After that, we will take the Plampraz gondola so that the day is not too long. Leaving the cablecar station, we will pass next to the paragliding take-off then the hike begins. We will take the path that goes up to the Col du Brévent. The climb is fairly regular and fast, the view on the summit of Mont Blanc is magnificent. At the pass we dive into a valley which becomes very wild inside the Aiguilles Rouges reserve. After a little descent we will reach the path that goes up to the Refuge d'Anterne. If you still have energy left, we will walk a little further towards some small nice lakes or towards a small summit at the feet of the Chaine des Fiz.
Vertical drop: + 650 meters and - 800 m
Walking time: 6 to 7 hours of walking
We will leave early in the morning to take the valley that leads to the Col de Salenton. The climb is regular with a gentle slope throughout the first part. The pastures are magnificent, the view of Mont Blanc is quite exceptional. We are at the heart of a natural reserve where nature is preserved, it is quite regular to spot marmots and ibex during the walking day. The slope under the pass is a little steeper, at the start of the season in July, we may have to walk a little in the snow to cross the pass. We will be close enough to Mont Buet we might walk to the top with the most motivated people, while the others can take a nap in the sun. Depending on the weather and everyone's wishes, your Guide will decide in consultation with you on the route to be chosen. The descent to the Pierre à Bérard refuge is fairly quick. At the beginning we descend into a chaos of boulders and snowfields at the start of the season, then further below your Guide will find the path to catch the bottom of the valley and access the refuge. The refuge is comfortable with a very pleasant team welcoming us.
If the weather is good, we will be able to enjoy a sky without any parasitic lighting, to observe the stars.
Vertical drop: + 600m and - 600m
Walking time: About 6 to 7 hours of balcony paths or alternating ascent and descent.
After a great starry night, we get back on the track early in the morning to walk back down to the village of Buet. We will be taking the path that climbs to the Col des Montets, then depending on your shape we can choose two routes to walk up to the Lac Blanc refuge. The easiest path starts from the Col des Montets to go to the Tête au Vent: this path is fairly regular and wide with a beautiful view of the Aiguille Verte and the Argentière and Tour glaciers. Alternatively, we can choose the ladder path, in case you want to get a more thrilling experience by taking the cable passage, near the mythical Aiguillette d'Argentière, which has been immortalized many times by photographers from all over the world! Higher up the path also joins the Tête au Vent. Once on the top, we will enjoy the beauty of the Chéserys lakes with the Mont Blanc massif on the background. The Aiguilles de Chamonix are impressive, the Mer de Glace, despite its retreat, is still great. The Drus, with their west walls 1200 meters high, are splendid. It is with this view that we sleep at the Lac Blanc refuge, one of the most beautiful places at the heart of the Chamonix valley.
Vertical drop: + 900m and - 1500m
Walking time: 6 to 8 hours of walking
After enjoying the sunrise over the Chamonix valley and its wonderful summits, we get back on the track to reach the Glière pass and the Lac Cornu pass. We will be staying well above the Flégère, the path is wired at the level of the Glière to facilitate passage through a small cliff. Then the path crosses a scree of large rock blocks. We will enjoy the view and maybe also of the Black Lakes if the temperature allows it, in a remote and wild place facing Mont Blanc. Your guide will show you the way back down to the Plampraz cable car, to take the gondola back down to Chamonix at the end of the day.
End of the trekking: we end the trekking in front of the Chamonix train station around 5 p.m., you can plan your return transport starting from 6 p.m.
Extra night
If you wish to stay one additional night after the end of the trekking, here are some advises:
Equipment
If possible take a light backpack with good carrying, the backpack itself should not exceed 1,5 kilos.
Backpack for 4 days:
Your backpack must have 10 to 15 liters of space for the food that you will carry for lunch and sometimes for the day after.
Kilos to carry - it is better to wash than to carry:
Count 2 liters of water and 1 kilo of food for the day.
Head to toe material for your hiking trip:
Do not forget:
Toiletries:
Pharmacy & others:
Your guide will have a more complete pharmacy in the event of a more serious accident.
A small book or card game (less than 150 grams) ... if you want !
Necessary for meals:
The hiker's enemy is weight, but a frozen or wet hiker is a hiker without pleasure! So take the time to properly prepare your backpack.
Level required
Intermediate level, between 2 and 3 stars, we will make some nice summits!
Effort corresponding to approximately 800 - 1000 m of elevation gain in trekking.
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
Cancellation and repatriation insurance is advised as well as other insurance guaranteeing search and mountain rescue (10,000 Euros guarantee approximately).
In front of the Chamonix train station on Monday at 8:00 am, to get to know each other and check the equipment. We will then take the Plampraz cable car around 9:00 am.
Free parking to park during the week not far from the station: Click here to see where the parking is located.
We end the trekking on Thursday in front of the Chamonix train station around 5 p.m. You can plan your return transport starting from 6 p.m.
In case you wish to stay in Chamonix one additional night, here are some advises:
. Guiding of a certified UIMLA Trekking Guide from our Team;
. Half board accommodation as described in the program (3 nights in mountain hut - room or dormitory);
. Picnics, every day (except for day 1, think of taking your own picnic lunch with you);
. Mandatory transports along the program (Plampraz cable car at the start and at the end of the trekking).
. Cancellation / interruption of stay / luggage loss and accident insurance;
. Drinks and personal expenses;
. Additional nights outside the program;
. Out-of-program visits and transfers;
. Tips;
. All that is not indicated in the section "The price includes".
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The Aiguilles Rouges Trek is done from the beginning of July to the 15th of September when the refuges are open. If you are physically fit and like walking in the snow, we advise you to come at the beginning of the season. From the 20th of July the paths are generally cleared of snow.
The Aiguilles massif is located above Chamonix facing the Mont Blanc in Haute Savoie, a nature reserve protects most of the massif.
Discover our other treks in the Alps here!
