124
alt caption
By Jack Harris
2024-06-13T00:00:00.000Z • Chamonix

Five Days Around Mt Blanc

A visual diary of our loop around Mt Blanc

Hike
1
Hike

Day One - Thu June 13th

Les Houches 🇫🇷 to Refuge des Pres 🇫🇷

Morning:
  • Breakfast at Rocky Pop Hotel - link
  • Took the Bellevue Charlift from Les Houche to Bellevue
  • Stop at Refuge Miage For Snacks - link
Afternoon:
  • Les Contamines For Lunch And Supplies
  • Finish the day at Refuge Des Pres - link
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned


2
Hike

Day Two - Fri June 14th

Refuge des Pres 🇫🇷 to TCabane du Combal 🇮🇹

Morning:
  • 7am breakfast at the Refuge
  • Climb to the pass where we'll have significant snow for a few kms
Afternoon:
  • Lunch and supplies at Les Chapieux
  • Walk up the valley to Refuge Mottets
  • Cross the Pass Into Italy where we'll have more snow.
  • Finish the day at Cabane du Combal - link

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

3
Hike

Day Three - Sat June 15th

Cabane du Combal 🇮🇹 to Chalet La Grange 🇨🇭

Morning:
  • 7am breakfast at Cabane du Combal
  • Walk one hour walk to La Visaille Taxi At 8.30am
  • Take the Taxi To Arp Nouvaz
  • Climb up to the Pass Into Switzerland likely some big snow sections
Afternoon:
  • Lunch and supplies at La Fouly
  • Option here to skip some kms thorugh the valley with a taxi/bus
  • Climb up to Champex Lac
  • Hopefully a sunny swim and cheese + beer at the lake
  • Staying at Chalet La Grange with the place to ourselves - link

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

4
Hike

Day Four - Sun June 16th

Chalet La Grange🇨🇭to Gîte Le Moulin 🇫🇷


Morning:
  • 6.30 breakfast at Chalet la Grange
  • Coffee + tarts + supplies at Col De La Forclaz coffee and tarts
Afternoon:
  • Lunch at Refuge Le Peuty
  • Climb up to the pass at Col De Balme. Likely snow
  • Staying at Gite Le Moulin - link

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

5
Hike

Day Five - Mon June 16th

Gîte Le Moulin 🇫🇷 to Chamonix 🇫🇷

Morning:
  • Breakfast at Gite le Moulin
  • Snacks At La Flegere
  • Snacks at Chalet De La Floria
Afternoon:
  • Finish in Chamonix
  • Lunch and drinks
  • 2pm bus to Geneva/Airport
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned

Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned
Image not captioned


Gear list

This list is minimal but should be comfortable and keep the weight down which will make everything more enjoyable. We pass fully stocked sports stores multiple times so if you decide you need something extra it's easier to start without it and pick it up on the way than overpack and carry weight you don't use.
It'd be worth carrying 100 euros each at any time. Most huts and places have card but some don't.

Gear

  • Pack/Bag: 15L will work at a squeeze or 20L would be about perfect if you don't plan to take much more than what's below
  • Shoes: Recommend trail shoes unless you're experienced with boots
  • Bottles/Flasks: There's water everywhere on the trail. Should only need to carry bottles that hold 1-1.5 litres
  • Sleeping bag liner: You have to have one of these for the huts. Don't need anything warm or fancy, you get duvets/pillows at the huts.
  • Poles: Definitely needed for the snow this year
  • Crampons/Micro spikes: Definitely need for the snow this year

Clothes

This is based on two sets of clothes. One for walking and one for the evenings. At each hut we have showers so we can wash, change into clean warm clothes, wash the clothes from the day and hang them to dry inside overnight.
  • 1 x sports socks
  • 1 x warm socks
  • 2 x exercise top
  • 2 x warm long sleeve top
  • 2 x shorts/tights
  • 1 x warm tights/pants for evenings or if we get a cold day
  • Waterproof Jacket
  • Cap: Something to keep the sun off
  • Lightweight Puffer
  • Beanie/Gloves
  • Lightweight towel

Other Items

We can co-ordinate this with the group so we don’t all pack the same things.
  • Toiletries Soap: Toothbrush (Seth and Seamus..), sunscreen, earplugs etc
  • Chargers: The number of plugs are limited so we could probably co-ordinate getting a multi-USB charger thing for our group
  • Group Items: Melatonin, Panadol, Plasters, Scissors, Blister stuff etc. I'll sort a bunch of stuff for us all
  • Water filter: Not really needed but handy to drink from streams etc without worrying