Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Mont Blanc: the Tour du Mont Blanc from Chamonix, Courmayeur and Champex
8 days from Geneva: three nights in Chamonix, two in Courmayeur and two in Champex-Lac, walking the best stages of the Tour du Mont Blanc through France, Italy and Switzerland with lifts on the steep parts and your luggage in our vehicle.
8 days · Round trip from Geneva · up to 12 guests
The Aiguilles and the Aiguille du Midi above Chamonix, after a spring snowfall Photo: eGuide Travel, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chamonix_France_(6959362098).jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Geneva
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Active
Walks of 3 to 6 hours on six days, on marked mountain paths between about 1,500 and 2,550 m, with up to about 800 m of climbing and 950 m of descent on the longest day; cable cars and the rack railway take the steepest parts. Every walking day has an easier variant of about 2 hours, and you can sit any walk out. The active option over the Fenetre d'Arpette (2,665 m) is 7 to 8 hours over a boulder field. The highest points, Punta Helbronner at 3,466 m and the optional Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 m, are reached by cable car.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,155 (estimated price)
- Season
- Late June to mid September
Highlights
Why this trip
- Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles reflected in Lac Blanc at 2,352 m, reached before midday
- The Grand Balcon Nord from Plan de l'Aiguille to the Mer de Glace, then the rack railway down
- An early Skyway Monte Bianco cabin to Punta Helbronner at 3,466 m, included
- Through the Mont Blanc Tunnel to two nights in Courmayeur, on the Italian side of the mountain
- Lunch at Rifugio Bonatti facing the Grandes Jorasses
- On foot from Italy into Switzerland over the Grand Col Ferret at 2,537 m
- Two nights by the lake in Champex, with the Bovine path or the Fenetre d'Arpette as your last stage
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,155 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Geneva to Chamonix
Geneva Airport to Chamonix
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Chamonix
- Drive about 1.5 h
Your guide meets the group in the arrivals hall at Geneva Airport (GVA) at about 1 pm; the exact time is confirmed with your final itinerary, and if you land later we book you a seat on a scheduled shuttle to Chamonix and meet you at the hotel. Our own vehicle takes about an hour and a quarter up the Arve valley, and the last stretch opens onto Mont Blanc, at about 4,805 m the highest summit in the Alps, with the Bossons glacier hanging above the road. Chamonix sits at about 1,035 m and hosted the first Winter Olympics in 1924. After check-in there is time to walk the pedestrian streets around the Place Balmat and the statue of Saussure and Balmat pointing at the summit.
Evening
Before dinner your guide and mountain leader run through the week, check boots and layers, and explain how each walking day splits into an easier and a fuller route. Welcome dinner together in town, with Savoyard dishes on the menu.
Included
- Meeting at Geneva Airport (GVA) and the drive to Chamonix
- Welcome briefing and kit check with your guide and mountain leader
- Welcome dinner in Chamonix
Free time: Late afternoon free in Chamonix
Activity: Later arrivals travel on a scheduled shuttle we book for you.
Lac Blanc
Chamonix to Les Praz, the Flegere lift, Lac Blanc and back
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Chamonix
A short ride to Les Praz and one of the first lifts of the day to La Flegere at about 1,877 m take out the steep forest climb, so we start walking on the Tour du Mont Blanc while the air is still and the path quiet. The trail climbs steadily on the Aiguilles Rouges side of the valley, which faces Mont Blanc all day: across the gap you see the Aiguille Verte, the Drus, the Mer de Glace and the Aiguille du Midi.
Morning
After about two hours and some 480 m of climbing we reach Lac Blanc at 2,352 m, where on a calm morning the whole range reflects in the water.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal at the refuge by the lake. We walk back down to La Flegere and ride down to the valley by mid-afternoon, with the rest of the day free. Marmots whistle from the boulders, and ibex often graze above the lake.
Included
- La Flegere lift up and down
- Guided walk from La Flegere to Lac Blanc (2,352 m) with your mountain leader
- Sit-down lunch at the refuge at Lac Blanc
Easier option: Walk about an hour on the balcony path towards Lac Blanc and back to the terrace at La Flegere, or take the Index chairlift higher and follow the path with less climbing.
More active option: Come down by the Lacs des Cheserys and continue along the Grand Balcon Sud to Planpraz, riding the gondola down from there (about 6 hours in all).
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Chamonix
Activity: About 4 to 5 hours on foot, 8 km, about 480 m up and down on a rocky path.
The Grand Balcon Nord and the Mer de Glace
Chamonix to Plan de l'Aiguille by cable car, walk to Montenvers, rack railway down
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Chamonix
- By train
We walk from the hotel to the Aiguille du Midi cable car and ride the first section to Plan de l'Aiguille at about 2,317 m, right under the granite needles. From here the Grand Balcon Nord runs across the mountainside below the glaciers, with the whole Chamonix valley under your feet and the Aiguilles Rouges, where we walked yesterday, across the way. The path is mostly level or gently down, with one short climb towards the Signal Forbes viewpoint, and after about three hours it reaches Montenvers at 1,913 m, above the Mer de Glace, the largest glacier in France. Boards along the path show how far the ice has shrunk since the 1820s.
Afternoon
Lunch is at Montenvers, then the red rack railway, running since 1908, takes us down to Chamonix in about twenty minutes. The afternoon is free for the town, the Alpine Museum or a rest before the move to Italy.
Included
- Aiguille du Midi cable car to Plan de l'Aiguille
- Guided walk on the Grand Balcon Nord to Montenvers with your mountain leader
- Lunch at Montenvers
- Montenvers rack railway down to Chamonix
Optional experiences
- The Aiguille du Midi top station (3,842 m) on an early timed slot before the walk, priced at booking
Easier option: Ride the Montenvers railway both ways and spend the morning at the Mer de Glace viewpoints with your guide.
More active option: Walk all the way down from Montenvers to Chamonix through the forest instead of taking the train, about 2 more hours and 880 m of descent.
Free time: Afternoon free in Chamonix
Activity: About 3 to 4 hours on foot, 7 km, about 200 m up and 600 m down.
Skyway Monte Bianco and Val Veny
Chamonix through the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Entreves, Punta Helbronner, then Val Veny and Courmayeur
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Courmayeur
- Drive about 45 min
We load the luggage early and drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel, 11.6 km under the massif, into Italy. At Entreves we take one of the first cabins of the Skyway Monte Bianco, whose cabins turn slowly as they climb, to Punta Helbronner at 3,466 m.
Morning
From the terrace you look straight at the south side of Mont Blanc, across the glaciers to the Dent du Geant, and on a clear morning far out to the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa.
Afternoon
Back down, the van takes us to La Visaille at the end of the public road in Val Veny, and we walk up the valley beside the rubble-covered Miage glacier to the Lac du Miage and Lac Combal, with lunch at a refuge in the valley. In the late afternoon we check in to our hotel in Courmayeur, an old mountain town at about 1,224 m, and dine together in town.
Included
- Drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel to Italy, with your luggage in our vehicle
- Skyway Monte Bianco to Punta Helbronner (3,466 m), first cabins of the day
- Guided walk in Val Veny to the Lac du Miage and Lac Combal
- Lunch in Val Veny
- Dinner in Courmayeur
Easier option: Stop at the Lac du Miage and walk back to La Visaille, about 1.5 hours in all.
More active option: Climb on from Lac Combal towards the Rifugio Elisabetta, below the Col de la Seigne, about 2 more hours.
Free time: Free hour before dinner in Courmayeur
Activity: About 3 hours on foot in Val Veny, 9 km, about 300 m up and down. At 3,466 m you may feel the altitude; move slowly on the terraces.
Val Ferret and Rifugio Bonatti
Courmayeur to Planpincieux, the balcony path to Rifugio Bonatti, down to Lavachey
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Courmayeur
- Drive about 30 min
Val Ferret is the long valley that runs north-east from Courmayeur under the Italian face of the massif, and its south-facing balcony path is one of the finest stretches of the whole Tour du Mont Blanc. A short drive takes us to Planpincieux, and we climb through larch forest to the open pastures of the balcony, where the Grandes Jorasses, at 4,208 m, fill the view across the valley with the Planpincieux and Frebouge glaciers hanging off them.
Afternoon
After about three hours we reach Rifugio Bonatti at about 2,025 m, named after the Italian climber Walter Bonatti, for a sit-down lunch on the terrace. From the refuge it is about an hour down to Lavachey on the valley floor, where the van waits.
Evening
Back in Courmayeur by mid-afternoon, you have time for the shops of the Via Roma, a coffee, or a rest before an evening at your own pace.
Included
- Guided walk on the Val Ferret balcony path to Rifugio Bonatti with your mountain leader
- Sit-down lunch at Rifugio Bonatti
- Descent to Lavachey and the drive back to Courmayeur
Easier option: Drive to Lavachey and walk straight up to Rifugio Bonatti for lunch and back, about 2.5 hours in all.
More active option: Start on foot from Courmayeur and climb to Rifugio Bertone and along the Mont de la Saxe ridge to Bonatti, the full stage, about 7 hours.
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Courmayeur
Activity: About 4 to 5 hours on foot, 10 km, about 700 m up and 400 m down.
Over the Grand Col Ferret into Switzerland
Courmayeur to Arnouva, on foot over the Grand Col Ferret to La Fouly, then Champex-Lac
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Champex-Lac
- Drive about 1 h
Today you walk from Italy into Switzerland. The van drops us at Arnouva at the head of Val Ferret, about 1,769 m, and takes the luggage round through the Great St Bernard Tunnel to Champex. We climb steadily past the Rifugio Elena, with the Pre de Bar glacier to the left, to the Grand Col Ferret at 2,537 m, the border, where a stone marks the line and Mont Dolent rises above the meeting point of the three countries.
Afternoon
The descent into the Swiss Val Ferret is long but gentle, through pastures to the alpine farm of La Peule, where we stop for a hot lunch, and on down to La Fouly at about 1,593 m. The van meets us there for the half-hour drive to Champex-Lac, a small resort around a lake at about 1,466 m.
Evening
Dinner together at the hotel or in the village.
Included
- Guided crossing of the Grand Col Ferret (2,537 m) from Italy to Switzerland with your mountain leader
- Lunch at the alpine farm of La Peule
- Luggage moved to Champex-Lac by our vehicle
- Dinner in Champex-Lac
Easier option: Ride round with the van and your guide, and walk the level riverside stage of the Tour du Mont Blanc from La Fouly to Praz-de-Fort, about 2.5 hours.
Activity: The longest standard day: about 5.5 to 6 hours on foot, 13 km, about 770 m up and 950 m down. The leader decides on the morning whether the col is clear of snow and safe in the forecast.
The Bovine path or the Fenetre d'Arpette
Champex-Lac to the Col de la Forclaz by the Bovine path or over the Fenetre d'Arpette to Trient, then back to Champex
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Champex-Lac
- Drive about 45 min
The last stage gives you a real choice, and the two leaders make it possible. The Bovine route is the main line of the Tour du Mont Blanc: it drops gently from Champex through forest to Plan de l'Au, then traverses high pastures to the Alpage de Bovine at about 1,987 m, with the Rhone valley and Martigny far below and the Grand Combin behind.
Afternoon
We stop there for lunch at the farm's buvette, then walk on through larches to the Col de la Forclaz, about 5 to 6 hours in all. The Fenetre d'Arpette variant is for strong walkers in good weather: a 1,200 m climb up the Arpette valley and a boulder field to the notch at 2,665 m, then a steep descent beside the Trient glacier, 7 to 8 hours with a picnic.
Evening
The van collects both groups and brings everyone back to Champex for a farewell dinner by the lake.
Included
- Guided walk on the Bovine path to the Col de la Forclaz, or over the Fenetre d'Arpette to Trient with your mountain leader
- Lunch at the Alpage de Bovine buvette (picnic for the Arpette group)
- Transfer back to Champex-Lac
- Farewell dinner in Champex-Lac
Easier option: Walk around the lake and up the Arpette valley to the Relais d'Arpette and back, about 2 hours, with the afternoon free in Champex.
More active option: The Fenetre d'Arpette (2,665 m) to Trient: 7 to 8 hours, about 1,200 m up and 1,400 m down, crossing a boulder field. Only in settled weather and when the col is clear of snow.
Activity: Bovine: about 5 to 6 hours on foot, 15 km, about 700 m up and 650 m down.
Back over the Forclaz to Chamonix and Geneva
Champex-Lac to Martigny, the Col de la Forclaz and the Col des Montets to Chamonix, then Geneva Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
After breakfast we drive down to Martigny in the Rhone valley and climb back over the Col de la Forclaz, where yesterday's walk ended, and down through the Trient valley to the French border at Le Chatelard. Past Vallorcine, the road crosses the Col des Montets, at the edge of the Aiguilles Rouges nature reserve, and drops into the top of the Chamonix valley at Argentiere, so the whole range you have walked around comes back into view one last time. We stop in Chamonix for a last coffee and a walk to the river, about an hour and a quarter after leaving Champex. From there it is about another hour and a quarter down the Arve valley to Geneva Airport, arriving around 1 pm. Your guide sees you to the terminal before saying goodbye. If you are staying on in Chamonix, you can leave the group there.
Included
- Drive over the Col de la Forclaz and the Col des Montets to Chamonix
- Drop-off at Geneva Airport (GVA), or in Chamonix if you are staying on
Activity: Book a flight leaving after about 3 pm.
- Genevastart
- Chamonix3 nights
- Courmayeur2 nights
- Champex-Lac2 nights
- Genevaend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Late June brings flowering meadows but snow can linger on the Grand Col Ferret and the Fenetre d'Arpette, which we only cross when the leader judges it clear. July and August are warmest, with afternoon thunderstorms, so we walk in the mornings. September is often clearer and quieter, with first frosts. Marmots are common around Lac Blanc and in Val Ferret, and ibex graze near Lac Blanc.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Regular hill walkers comfortable on their feet for 4 to 6 hours with steep descents
- Walkers who want the Tour du Mont Blanc's best stages without carrying a pack or sleeping in refuges
- Mixed-ability couples and friends: one can take the easy variant while the other does the full stage
- Travellers who want three countries, three cuisines and two nights or more in each base
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: mountain paths, cable car stations and the Mer de Glace stairs involve steps and uneven ground
- Thru-hikers who want to walk the whole 170 km loop on foot
- Anyone with a strong fear of heights: cable cars and the Skyway are part of most days
- Winter or shoulder-season travel, when the refuges and many summer lifts are closed
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Chamonix3 nights
- Courmayeur2 nights
- Champex-Lac2 nights
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights in central hotels of at least a 3-star-plus standard: 3 in Chamonix, 2 in Courmayeur, 2 in Champex-Lac
- Rooms with their own bathroom, shared, or your own for a supplement
- We name each hotel when we confirm your dates
Transport
- Meeting at Geneva Airport (GVA) on day 1 and drop-off there on day 8
- A private vehicle and driver for the group on days 1 and 4 to 8, including the Mont Blanc Tunnel
- Your luggage moved between hotels by our vehicle on days 4 and 6
- Every lift and train in the day plan: the Flegere lift, the Aiguille du Midi cable car to Plan de l'Aiguille, the Montenvers rack railway, the Skyway Monte Bianco and the Val Veny shuttle
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip, who carries every ticket and handles each connection
- A qualified mountain leader on the six walking days, days 2 to 7, so the group can split between the easier and the fuller walk
Activities
- Lac Blanc from La Flegere, Chamonix
- The Grand Balcon Nord from Plan de l'Aiguille to Montenvers and the Mer de Glace, Chamonix
- Skyway Monte Bianco to Punta Helbronner (3,466 m), Courmayeur
- Val Veny walk to the Lac du Miage and Lac Combal, Courmayeur
- Val Ferret balcony path to Rifugio Bonatti, Courmayeur
- The Grand Col Ferret crossing from Italy to Switzerland
- The Bovine path to the Col de la Forclaz, or the Fenetre d'Arpette, from Champex-Lac
Meals
- 7 breakfasts
- 6 lunches, days 2 to 7, at refuges and alpine restaurants (a picnic for the Arpette group on day 7)
- 4 dinners: a welcome dinner in Chamonix, one in Courmayeur and both nights in Champex-Lac
Not included
- International flights to and from Geneva
- Travel insurance, which must cover hiking and mountain rescue
- ETIAS fee, if it applies to your dates
- Dinners on days 2, 3 and 5
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities: the Aiguille du Midi top station
- Personal expenses
- Walking boots and poles
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,155 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in hotels, breakfast daily, six lunches at refuges and alpine restaurants, four dinners, Geneva Airport transfers both ways, our own vehicle and driver, luggage moves, a See Sight Tours guide all week, a mountain leader on the walking days, and every lift in the plan, including the Skyway Monte Bianco and the Montenvers railway.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. With a guide and a mountain leader on every walking day, the group can split into a faster and an easier party, so nobody is rushed and nobody waits at every bend.
Who leads the walks?
A See Sight Tours guide is with you for the whole trip, and a qualified mountain leader joins on the six walking days. The leader sets the pace, reads the weather and decides on the morning whether high variants such as the Grand Col Ferret and the Fenetre d'Arpette go ahead.
How fit do I need to be for this Tour du Mont Blanc?
You should be comfortable walking 4 to 6 hours on rocky mountain paths, with up to about 800 m of climbing and 950 m of descent on the longest day. Lifts take out the steepest climbs, and each day has an easier variant of about 2 hours. Training walks with hills in the two months before help a lot.
Do we walk the whole Tour du Mont Blanc?
No. The full loop is about 170 km and usually takes 10 to 11 days. This trip walks its best-known stages, Lac Blanc, the Grand Balcon Nord, Val Ferret, the Grand Col Ferret and Bovine or the Fenetre d'Arpette, and uses lifts and our vehicle to skip road sections and long forest climbs.
Do we sleep in mountain huts?
No. Every night is in a hotel room with its own bathroom: three nights in Chamonix, two in Courmayeur and two in Champex-Lac. You still stop at the refuges for lunch, at Lac Blanc, Bonatti and Bovine, without sharing a dormitory.
I am travelling solo. Do I pay more?
Only if you want a room of your own, which is from CAD 1,155 more and shown before you book. Solo travellers get the same hotels, room standard and seat at the table as everyone else. If you would like to share a room, tell us when you request to book and we will tell you whether a match is possible.
When is the best time to walk around Mont Blanc?
Late June to mid September, when the lifts and refuges are open. Late June has flowers but can leave snow on the high cols. July and August are warmest, with afternoon storms, so we walk in the mornings. September is often clearer and quieter, with cold starts.
Do I need a visa for France, Italy and Switzerland?
Canadian, US, UK and Australian citizens do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in the Schengen area, which covers all three countries. The EU's ETIAS travel authorisation is planned; we confirm whether it applies to your dates when you book. Carry your passport on the border-crossing days.
What if the weather turns bad?
The leader checks the forecast every morning. We can swap walking days within Chamonix and Courmayeur, take the lower variant, or skip a high col and walk a valley route instead. Cable car rides to Punta Helbronner run only in safe conditions, and we reschedule within the base if they close.
Can we travel privately or on our own dates?
Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own guide, mountain leader and vehicle. If you would rather walk independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote hotels and luggage moves.
How does booking work?
Choose small group or private and pick a start date, then send a request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken until then. The small group starts from CAD 6,795 per person sharing, taxes included.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.