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Mont Blanc Walks

50 day walks and 4 multi-day treks

ISBN

9781852848194

Availability

Published

14 Jan 2016

Reprinted

20 Aug 2024

Edition

Third

Pages

288

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.50cm

Weight

310g

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Guidebook to 50 day walks in the Mont Blanc region near Chamonix and Courmayeur, plus outlines of 4 multi-day treks around both sides of the Mont Blanc massif. The walks range from 3 to 20km and cover a variety of terrains from easy valley walks to more challenging routes over boulders, scree and on via ferratas.

Seasons

Unsurprisingly, summer is the usual season for walking in the mountains, as its when they tend to benefit from more stable weather conditions: it's also when the huts are open and the lifts are working. So to have maximum choice of walks that's the time to come. This season extends from late June to mid-September and is busiest between 14 July (Bastille Day in France) to 15 August (Assumption). Earlier, in June the weather is often hot and sunny and the days are long, but snow often remains above 2000m or lower, and can seriously interrupt a high level walk, and facilities may be closed, as is also the case in September and October: the chance of snow is far less in autumn, too.

Centres

Chamonix; Courmayeur; Ferret; Les Houches; Plaine Joux; Servoz; Vallorcine

Difficulty

Walks are presented as one of three grades: • Grade 1 walks are of a standard that any reasonably fit person can manage, not involving more than about 500m of ascent and/or descent. Paths are good and usually waymarked. Grade 1 walks do not call for more than basic map-reading skills. • Grade 2 walks are usually quite long and involve up to about 1000m ascent and/or descent. Terrain can be rough but paths which are quite good and waymarked. • Grade 3 routes are long, often with no trail or where the path is difficult to find; there could be some scrambling, and there is considerable height gain and loss. These walks should only be undertaken by experienced walkers who have already hiked in the Alps.

Must See

54 alpine walks centred around Chamonix, the 'capital of mountaineering' Sublime high-altitude landscapes: glaciers, flower-decked slopes and rocky trails Gastronoic specialities including cheese, chocolate and ice cream Chamonix alpine museum, cable cars and mountain railways for the bad weather days All routes feature a detailed route description and mapping and are illustrated with spectacular photography

ISBN

9781852848194

Availability

Published

14 Jan 2016

Reprinted

20 Aug 2024

Edition

Third

Pages

288

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.50cm

Weight

310g

Overview

A guidebook to 50 day walks in the Mont Blanc region near Chamonix and Courmayeur, plus outlines of 4 multi-day treks around both sides of the Mont Blanc massif.

The day walks are 2–13 miles (3–20km) in length and range from high-level walks to easy summits, mountain huts, viewpoints and mountain lakes, as well as less strenuous valley walks. The multi-day treks range from 14–33 miles (22–52km) and include Vallorcine to Plaine Joux and Servoz, the Aiguilles Rouges and the Italian Val Ferret.

1:100,000 sketch maps (1:200,000 scale for treks) included
Bases include Les Houches, Chamonix, Argentiere and Courmayeur
Information on access, accommodation and recommended mapping
Walks are graded (1-3) according to difficulty
Valley walks included for bad weather or rest days

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map Key

Mont Blanc area map

Introduction

The Region

How it all Started

Glaciers

Via Ferratas

Animals and Birds

Flowers and Trees

Transhumance and Alpages

When to Go

Getting There

Alpine Accommodation

Language

Currency

Maps

Safety

Security and Rescue

Guided Walking

Walking with Dogs

Mountain Biking

Trail Running

Things not to be Missed

How to Use this Guide

Chapter 1 – St Gervais Les Bains and Les Contamines-Montjoie

1 Mont Truc

2 Mont Joly

3 Lac d’Armancette

4 Col de la Fenêtre

5 Tête Nord des Fours

6 Lacs and Monts Jovet

Chapter 2 – Servoz and the Plateau d’Assy

7 Lac Vert

8 Pointe Noire de Pormenaz

9 The Dérochoir and the Désert de Platé

Chapter 3 – Les Houches

10 Le Prarion

11 Mont Vorassay

12 Aiguillette des Houches

Chapter 4 – Chamonix

13 Chamonix Valley Walk

14 La Chapeau and Tête des Prapators

15 Montenvers

16 Montagne de Blaitière

17 Chalet de Cerro

18 Montagne de la Côte

19 Refuge de Bel Lachat and Le Brévent

20 Grand Balcon Sud – La Flégère to Planpraz

21 Lac Blanc

22 Tête de Villy

23 Col de Salenton

24 Lac Cornu and Lacs Noirs

Chapter 5 – Argentière

25 Argentière Valley Walk

26 Pierre à Bosson

27 Tête du Grand Chantet

28 Aiguillette d’Argentière – Les Chéserys

29 Argentière Glacier Pointe de Vue

30 Aiguillette des Posettes

31 Refuge Albert Premier

32 Croix de Fer

Chapter 6 – Vallorcine

33 Vallorcine Valley Walk

34 Pointe de la Terrasse and Tré-les-Eaux Valley

35 Cheval Blanc

36 Dinosaur Tracks

37 Bel Oiseau

38 Col de Barberine and Fontanabran

39 Refuge de la Pierre à Bérard

40 Mont Buet by the Normal Route

41 Refuge de Loriaz

42 Emosson from Loriaz

43 Mont Buet by the north ridge

Chapter 7 – Courmayeur

44 Punta della Croce

45 Mont Fortin

46 Mont Chétif

47 Col and Lac Liconi

48 Mont de la Saxe

49 Tête Entre Deux Sauts

50 Tête de Ferret

Chapter 8 – Multi-day Treks

51 Vallorcine to Plaine Joux

52 Tour of the Aiguilles Rouges

53 Vallorcine to Servoz

54 Italian Val Ferret Circuit

Appendix A Mont Blanc Region Tourist Offices

Appendix B Useful Terms and Glossary

Appendix C Transport in the Chamonix and Courmayeur Valleys

Appendix D Rainy Day/Rest Day Activities

Appendix E Hut Etiquette

Appendix F Climbing Peaks and Hiring Guides

Updates

June 2019

Updates

WALK 17 CHALET DE CERRO

The Chalet de Cerro is, like many in this area, a café or crémerie on a site where there has been a shelter and viewing point since tourists started showing an interest in the glaciers. When the Bossons glacier was much deeper it was very popular to hire a guide for a crossing. And even without setting foot on the glaciers, back in the late 19th and early 20th century the views from either side of the glacier weere quite stunning.
Things have changed over the last century and the retreat of the glaciers has been especially marked these last decades. To the extent that the glacier views are very different now.
The hike up to the Chalet de Cerro remains a pleasant outing, but you need to go onwards 30-45 minutes to get any glaical views. And even then, the view is of the edge of the glacier in profile but nothing more. This is no longer the place to study glaciology, but it will bring home the fact that the climate is changing and this change is having a huge effect on our mountains.

Route
The route to the chalet is correctly described. Once at the chalet follow a well-marked trail from tbhe terrace. This goes up the moraine, past several viewpoints. Eventually it is clear you can not safely go any further.
My description of views on P124 is no longer correct. But it should be pointed out it's still a good walk.

WALK 18 MONTAGNE DE LA COTE

The views from the Chalet du Glacier des Bossons and the Chalet des Pyramides are also compromised by the retreat of the glacier. Again, still worth going but just in the last few years the glacier has lost a massive amount of ice and is a shadow of its former self. However, the Montagne de la Côte is a great walk, especially with the added historical interest described in the book.

Reviews

Fabulous trails for walking in the Chamonix area.

Cicerone has an amazing collection of books and when I am heading to a new area for walking or running, I like to take one or two with me. On a trip to Chamonix in the French Alps, I packed the Cicerone Trail Running in Chamonix and Mont Blanc Region book as well as the Mont Blanc Walks book.

Mont Blanc Walks has 50 day walks and four multi-day walks. The guidebook explores the popular walking region around Mont Blanc (4808m), which is the highest mountain in Western Europe. The book suggests walking routes in France and Italy, which range from 3km to 20km, as well as four multi-day treks. There are walk routes – graded 1 to 3 – on a variety of terrain, including valley footpaths, ridges and via ferratas.

The author, Hilary Sharp, offers good descriptions and tips and it was hard to choose which walk to go for. To be honest, I don’t think you’ll find a rubbish walk in this area!

During my stay in Chamonix, I mixed walking and running on routes in the Cicerone trail running and walking guide. (There is a bit of obvious cross over between the books because there are trails that are great for both walking and running.) We enjoyed two routes that we mainly walked (although were we fancied we did run, too!).

Fiona Outdoors blog

Book of the Month for May 2016 - Trek and Mountain magazine

Having lived in Vallorcine (near Chamonix) for 23 years, and having led walking groups in the region for most of that time, the author of this book Hilary Sharp must know the mountain paths like the back of her hands. That certainly comes across in this book of 50 day walks and four multi-day treks which focuses on the French and Italian sides of the Mont Blanc massif. The book presents a variety of walks containing everything from easy 3-hour valley walks to challenging 9-hour alpine routes, and covers the areas around Chamonix, Courmayeur, St Gervais les Bains, Les Houches, Servoz, Les Contamines, Plateau D'Assy and Argentiere. Many of these areas (and indeed paths) will be familiar to anyone who has walked the Tour du Mont Blanc, and if that gave you a taste for the endless variations and corners to be found in this part of the world, then 'Mont Blanc Walks'is a great place to start if you want to spend more time exploring some of these areas.

Cicerone's recent design style is clear and easy to read, with background information presented at the beginning including accommodation, mapping, plants and wildlife, transport, languages and more. Most of the obvious questions about hiking/ backpacking in the region are answered in this section, though one omission is an explanation of the legalities/practicalities of wild camping, one of the least understood issues for visitors.

The routes themselves are clearly described and come with sketch maps that, used in conjunction with local maps, are ideal for planning your hikes. There are plenty of our personal favourites included here: the spectacular walk to La Jonction in Chamonix (where glaciers split), the beautiful walk to Lac Pormanaz in the Fiz mountains, the north ridge of Mont Buet, Tete Nord des Fours... the list goes on. The itineraries for multi-day treks is a great little section too, as not only are there some terrific suggestions here, it also gets one thinking about what other routes one can devise to pack in the views, test the legs, and beat the crowds. With the snows melting fast in the region, why not treat yourself to this excellent book and start planning your summer?

Trek and Mountain magazine

"This is a super guide for anyone planning some summer days walking near Mont Blanc. Chamonix and Courmayeur can be extremely busy and this suggests other valley options that have top-class walks and top-class views. In all it features 50 day walks and four multi-day treks, all graded for difficulty and with indications of the best periods for setting out - or not. Handily sized for a rucksack or jacket, it is meant to be used with the IGN Top 25 maps but an overview map is also recommended so you know what is in sight at the top. Good little tips can suggest extras on the route or options to avoid such as a "little southward ridge that gives good walking but has very exposed sections'. Detailed route descriptions are matched with superb photos and sketch maps but a bonus is information on transport links and accommodation.

In short, this is an incitement to head for the hills, especially as many of the walks require just ordinary fitness levels."

Connexion, February 2016

The whole area is a great outdoor destination and if you haven’t been before you are missing out on one of Europe’s great travel destinations. The area has an abundance of accommodation options to suit every budget, awesome infrastructure and a truly glamourous feel about it (especially the honeypot of Chamonix).

Hilary describes the area with the expert knowledge she has. The introduction section is very well thought out with plenty of information on flora and fauna, getting there, geology and a little bit of history and a detailed section on the all important safety and security. Mont Blanc Walks is a great little guide and those used to the Cicerone way of presenting guides will not be disappointed. The guide is jam packed with 50 day excursions throughout the whole range, including Courmayer (if you can cope with the eyewatering fee through the Mt Blanc tunnel).

What I like about Cicerone guides is that most guides usually include several multi day treks. Alpine regions are superbly serviced for these with a wealth of comfortable mountain huts that can sometimes be as large as a small hotel, complete with WiFi and TV! The area will be most famous for the Tour de Mont Blanc but not everyone wants a 10 day endurance challenge. Mont Blanc Walks has four short multi day treks to offer, each 3 or 4 days long and staying in mountain huts. The descriptions are purposefully vague so you can plan for yourself the actual route you want to do if you feel there is something special you want to see. The routes are either circular (as the spectacular Tour du Aiguilles Rouges) or finish at points where a bus connection can be caught. So there is no excuse to get out and have a spectacular night in the mountains.

Mont Blanc Walks is an ideal companion to a holiday in the region, it is well written by someone who is local and has a wealth of knowledge, Hilary has made a great job of the third update. I am definitely excited about going for a visit and one of the short treks is certainly on the cards. I would have liked to have seen a graded list of the routes as that would save a little time when planning a day out but other than that a nice guide that you should definitely pack if you are visiting the area.

Climbing Gear Reviews, April 2016

All levels are catered for, with some quite low-level walks and a decent number of more challenging hikes into the higher altitudes. The author lived in the Chamonix valley for many years and the guide benefits from her insights.

Arguably the most useful aspect of this guidebook is the range of off-the-beaten-track walks. These will allow users to avoid the crowds that flock to the slopes of the Mont Blanc area in peak season. On a similar vein, a selection of four multi-day treks is proposed. Any of these would provide a good introduction to multi-day walking while again avoiding the well-beaten tracks of the Tour de Mont Blanc and the GR5.

Irish Mountain Log, Spring 2016

By Hilary Sharp

Hilary Sharp is British, a qualified Accompagnatrice en Montagne (International Mountain Leader), and is based permanently in France. After 23 years living in the Alps she now lives in northern Provence, within easy driving distance of the southern French Alps. She runs her own trekking business, Trekking in the Alps and Provence, guiding walks in winter, spring and summer (hilaryalp@gmail.com; www.trekkinginthealps.com; www.trekkinginprovence.com). Her love of walking and climbing has taken her to many parts of Europe and further afield. Hilary occasionally contributes to British walking magazines and is author of Trekking and Climbing in the Western Alps (New Holland, 2002).

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