Tour Mont-Blanc

Arrive in Geneva, and transfer to Chamonix, the world-famous resort and mountaineering center in France. An airport pickup is included, making this an easy and relaxing hour and a half journey. Enjoy your first impressive views of Mont Blanc, with time to relax at the pool and outdoor patio of our Chamonix hotel before joining the group for our trip meeting, followed by dinner.

Before setting forth on our run of the Tour du Mont-Blanc, we’ll enjoy a few of the many excellent trails in the Chamonix valley, as we get oriented and take in the views. We’ll run one of Chamonix’s dramatic “balconies,” with big views of the glaciers of Mont Blanc and the Aiguilles Rouges natural preserve.

An undulating trail leads through alpine pastures and pine forests, over the Tricot pass and through the quiet and quaint Miage valley on one of the prettiest corners of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Passing through a tiny hamlet of stone houses where cows and horses graze peacefully surrounded by hanging glaciers, we’ll run to the small village of les Contamines and stay in a cozy hikers’ inn. Our luggage will meet us here.

Following an old Roman trail, we continue the tour with a long, steady ascent across two lofty passes, Col de la Croix du Bonhomme and Col du Bonhomme. After lunch near the pass, we’ll descend into the Valle de Glaciers and stay in shared dorm space in a popular hikers’ inn along the valley floor.

Leaving France, a gradual ascent through quiet alp pastures leads to the Col de la Seigne and into Italy. Here you’re greeted by an amazing view into the Veny valley and the Mont Blanc range. The Aiguille Noire de Peuterey is particularly impressive from this vantage point, and Mont Blanc itself dominates the view ahead of you. Continue down valley and into the medieval village of Courmayeur, with narrow, cobblestoned alleyways and a lively, pedestrian-only core.

After one of our favorite breakfasts on the tour, a second day in Courmayeur gives you a chance to rest and soak in the hot spring spa at nearby Pré Saint Didier. For those who want to run, the area around Courmayeur is filled with beautiful, quiet single track and huts serving delicious treats, cappuccino, and beer!

Courmayeur is an atmospheric village with cafes, bakeries, gelaterias, and no shortage of sidewalk cafes. It’s great for people-watching and spending a leisurely day. If you feel like taking in the view, the nearby Helbronner Skyway cable car ascends high above the valley to the upper reaches of Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco in Italian) for close-up views of the highest peaks in the Alps. Dinner will be on your own tonight in Courmayeur.

The Italian side of Mont Blanc is steep and rocky, and the Grand Jorasses rivals Mont Blanc as the focal point of our views. Today, we’ll say goodbye to Courmayeur, and head up to Rifugio Bertone, overlooking the beautiful Val Ferret. From there, we’ll run some of the best single track on the tour, stopping at the stunning Rifugio Bonatti for lunch.

After lunch, it’s time to tackle the ascent of Grand Col Ferret, one of our highest points on the trip, on the Italian-Swiss border. From here, we’ll run beautiful, rolling green single track filled with some very contented cows. We’ll descend to the quiet village of la Fouly, where we’ll settle in for a quiet night at the end of the Swiss Val Ferret.

Today’s run leads us along the Ferret river and through quiet Alp hamlets, finally climbing to the pretty lakeside village of Champex, where we’ll enjoy a lunch break. Next, it’s through woods and meadows and past farms, as we climb to a height of land with views of Switzerland’s Rhône valley and the historic city of Martigny, far below. We’ll enjoy a break at a high mountain cafe before descending to our evening at either Col de la Forclaz or the nearby hamlet of Trient.

An optional Swiss PostBus to Champex will shorten the day for those who prefer a shorter day.

Our last day running around Mont Blanc is a classic, as we climb to the Col de Balme pass on the border with France. Enjoy gorgeous views of Mont Blanc and the entire Chamonix valley as we cross the pass and descend to la Tour. Finish with a run through the Chamonix valley, or hop a bus or train for the ride back to Chamonix, where we enjoy a delicious celebratory dinner at a favorite local restaurant.

Today we say “au revoir” to the Tour du Mont-Blanc and the Vallée du Trail, and depart for our post-Mont Blanc destinations.