Day 1 of our special hiking tour is reserved for arriving and settling in. Make sure to reach Chamonix by 6pm, because that’s when you’re meeting your guide and the group at the Residence*. Once we’ve all gathered, we’ll have a welcome dinner at 7 p.m. Then a good night’s sleep, and—the adventure begins!

*Upon check-in, a €500 security deposit per room will be required—credit card only, American Express, virtual payment cards, or cash aren’t accepted—which will be released on your departure day.

Meals: Dinner at Le Monchu
Accommodation: Luxurious hotel or chalet

We’ll kick off the trip with a beautiful, 10.5-kilometer (6.5 miles) loop hike near Cordon in Haute-Savoie. We’ll get to appreciate the whole massif from afar and move into the pre-Alps area. Let your guide tell you a bit about the valley, the times of settlement, and how it grew popular. We’re going to avoid the crowds by going on this moderately challenging route, with otherworldly views. Then we’ll retreat back to Chamonix for the night.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 10.5 km (6.5 mi), 5 hours
Elevation gain: 819 m (2,687 ft)
Accommodation: Luxurious hotel or chalet

Day 3 is dedicated to stepping through history, hiking the geological trail of old Émosson, with panoramic views and traces of dinosaurs dating back 240 million years ago. Departing from the VerticAlp funicular, we’ll go to Lake Émosson and walk along it for about 1.5 km (1 mile). Then we’ll go towards Gorge de la Veudale, where spectacular views await, followed by the famous dinosaur footprints site. The return is via Vieux Émosson Lake to return to the same path, so we can finish the hike at the top of the Émosson Dam. We’ll learn a bit about glaciers, their melting and the environmental context, and then return to Chamonix.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 12.4 km (7.7 mi), 5-6 hours
Elevation gain: 833 m (2,733 ft)
Accommodation: Luxurious hotel or chalet

The ride up to Aiguille du Midi is a thrill in itself—an almost surreal ascent from 1,035 m (3,395 ft) to 3,777 m (12,392 ft) in under 20 minutes! As the highest vertical ascent cable car in the world, it feels part scenic flight, part roller coaster. You rise fast, through clouds, and land on a platform clinging to the edge of a cliff. It’s dramatic, beautiful, and not for the motion-sensitive. We’ll grab lunch at Refuge du Plan de l’Aiguille, then set off on the Grand Balcon Nord hike—one of the most spectacular trails in the French Alps. Winding across the southern slope of the Chamonix Valley, the trail offers nonstop views of Mont Blanc and the immense Mer de Glace glacier.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 6.8 km (4.2 mi)
Elevation gain/loss: +235 m (+770 ft), -622 m (-2,040 ft)
Accommodation: Luxurious hotel or chalet

Today we’ll be going to Lake Pormenaz. We’ll take the Route de la Côte until the first bend, and continue walking towards Gorges de la Diosaz, crossing the Souay torrent. We’ll go up, leaving the paths of the Tête de la Fontaine and the Bajulaz on the right, then follow a long, steep slope to a pyramid-marker to reach the Chalets des Alpages de Pormenaz. We’ll cross over towards the Chalets de Chavanne-Neuve and the peak Pointe Noire de Pormenaz—where we’ll find some geological curiosities— and then go to the Lac de Pormenaz.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 11 km (7 mi), 5-6 hours
Elevation gain/loss: +1,061 m (+3,481 ft), -839 m (-2,753 ft)
Accommodation: Luxurious hotel or chalet

Starting from Col de la Fenêtre, today we’ll be touring around Les Contamines-Montjoie—the only Nature Reserve in the whole of Mont Blanc! Apart from enjoying some quintessential Alpine scenery, we’ll also visit the charming village of Les Contamines-Montjoie, with its historic appearance, its Baroque churches, and traditional architecture. More than 70% of old farmhouses have been renovated to honor the typical Savoyard style. Return to Chamonix.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 11 km (7 mi), 5-6 hours
Elevation gain: 423 m (1,388 ft)
Accommodation: Luxurious hotel or chalet

The trail today will take us to the Bonatti Circuit and Val Veny. Look forward to an Aperol Spritz with a view of Grand Jorasses at the Bonatti hut! The hut was named after a legendary Italian mountaineer who helped set it up. We’ll have a leisurely afternoon in Courmayeur’s downtown—don’t miss out on the local Focaccia and gelato! After a banger panorama of the whole Chamonix, it’s time to return to your accommodation in Chamonix.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Hiking: 7.2 km (4.5 mi), 4 hours
Elevation gain: 545 m (1,788 ft)
Accommodation: Luxurious hotel or chalet

It’s time to say goodbye to Mont Blanc and the Chamonix area. If you’d like to stay longer, your guide will be happy to give you recommendations!

Meals: Breakfast