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 half journey. Enjoy your first impressive views of Mont Blanc, with perhaps time to relax at the pool and outdoor patio of our charming Chamonix hotel before meeting the group for dinner.

Arrival: Geneva.  Plan to arrive by the day your tour starts.  You can book a private or shared shuttle from GVA to Chamonix.  The trip takes 1½ hrs.  We recommend booking early with Mountain Dropoffs or Chamonix Valley Transfers.

We like to warm up with a day hiking around Chamonix. There are many choices, and you can talk them over with your guide. One of the classic hikes in the region takes us to Lac Blanc, high above the village.

This high-mountain lake sits in the Aiguilles Rouges, across the valley from Mont Blanc, and commands one of the greatest mountain views anywhere. We’ll make good use of local cable cars so we can enjoy more time hiking near the lake. Return to Chamonix for a 2nd night.

Starting with a bus to les Houches and then cable car above the Voza pass, an undulating trail leads through the alpine pastures and pine forests of the lovely Bionnassay valley.  Then a steep climb over the Tricot pass reveals  the quiet and quaint Miage valley on one of the prettiest corners of the TMB.

Passing through a tiny hamlet of stone houses where cows and horses graze peacefully surrounded by hanging glaciers, there are 2 small restaurants, each with great outdoor patios that encourage you to slow down and enjoy where you are for awhile.  Finally, we’ll descend to the small village of les Contamines for a night at a friendly hiker’s inn or a nearby hotel. Our luggage will meet us here.

A quick bus ride (or easy morning warmup walk) brings us to our trailhead at the Notre Dame de la Gorge chapel. Hiking up along an old Roman road, we continue the TMB tour with a long, steady ascent across two lofty passes, the Col du Bonhomme, followed quickly by the Col de la Croix du Bonhomme.

After lunch near the pass, we’ll descend into the Valle de Glaciers, and stay in a popular hiker’s inn along the valley floor, with a charming dining room and new private rooms.  There are only 3 small inns in this valley, and if all are full, we’ll transfer to a nearby hotel – usually in Landry or along the Roselend lake – for a night in 3-star comfort.

If you aren’t staying in one of the les Chapieux inns, we’ll start with a morning transfer back to the valley to the trailhead at Ville des Glaciers.  Hiking into the back of this bucolic valley, a gradual ascent leads through quiet alp pastures to the Col de la Seigne, leaving France and into Italy.

From the pass, 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, perhaps stopping at the popular Elisabetta hut for lunch.  A short ways past Elisabetta, we’ll book a private taxi to meet at the trail and transfer into the medieval village of Courmayeur.

Courmayeur is a beautiful town with narrow, cobblestoned alleyways and a lively, pedestrian-only core. Our luggage will be waiting for us at our 3-star village hotel.

After one of our favorite breakfasts, a second day in Courmayeur gives you a chance to either rest up or take an optional dayhike high above town.  The hike along a scenic ridge to the Bonatti hut is always a highlight, a steep, wooded climb followed by a mellow and glorious balcony walk.  From Bonatti, we descend down to the valley floor and take a bus back to Courmayeur.

Courmayeur is an extremely atmospheric village, with cafes, bakeries, gelaterias, and stylish shops. It’s great for people-watching and relaxing. Or take the cable car 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. Or spend an afternoon hiking to the comfortable outdoor restaurant terrace at Col Checrouit, with great food and unbeatable views. The options are plentiful! 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. We’ll begin the day with a short private transfer to the upper reaches of the Italian Val Ferret to start our hike.

On this stage of the TMB, we’ll cross the Grand Col Ferret and into Switzerland, with rolling green meadows filled with happy cows. We’ll descend to the tiny village of la Fouly and spend the night in a comfortable 3-star hotel. If our hotel is full, we often stay in a friendly hiker’s inn with private rooms in nearby Ferret

One of the easier hikes on your Mont Blanc tour takes you through woods and up to the delightful, lakeside village of Champex. This is a nice moderate day passing pretty waterfalls and tiny villages.  If you prefer a bigger day, an optional route up to the Orny glacier is sure to get your legs burning, with an alpine hut to visit and inspiring mountain views.

Champex is a pretty lakeside village, a peaceful oasis and great place to spend an afternoon on a terrace overlooking the lake. Your luggage be waiting at our 3-star village hotel.

The next stage on the TMB takes us through woods and farms with sweeping views of the Rhone valley. The Bovine route includes a great stop at an alpine farm.

Weather permitting, a more rigorous possibility leads to the Fenetre d’Arpette with famous views to the Trient glacier, a popular variant on the traditional TMB route. Hard work, but worth it. We’ll stay in the popular hiker’s inn at either Col Forclaz or nearby Trient.

If these inns are full, we’ll take a private taxi back to Chamonix for an extra night there.

The final hike on our Mont Blanc tour leads us through woods and meadows to the Balme pass on the border with France.  Enjoy gorgeous views of Mont Blanc and the entire Chamonix valley as we reach the pass and stop to contemplate our journey.  There is a friendly restaurant here, if you’d like to linger at the border.

For a shorter day descend to la Tour by gondola, but there are also beautiful trails winding down through blueberry and alpenrose bushes. Finish with a bus ride from le Tour back to Chamonix, where we meet up with our luggage once again, and enjoy a delicious celebratory dinner at a favorite local restaurant.

Today we say au revoir, and depart for our post-Mont Blanc destinations.

Departure: Geneva.  Plan departure for the day your tour finishes.  You’ll need to book a private or shared shuttle from Chamonix to GVA, and the trip takes 1½ hrs.