Recent Posts

  • Col des Rachasses
    As a ski instructor, I don’t want to add too many glacier ski tours to the site. We aren’t high mountain guides at White Marmotte, so we don’t take customers onto glaciers. (This article is purely my personal view, for information only). The Col…
  • Lac Blanc – Chamonix Hiking
    Lac Blanc is easily the most popular day-hike destination around Chamonix, perhaps the most popular in the Alps. And after a visit there, you’ll find it isn’t hard to see why. There’s the iconic panorama reflected photogenically in the waters, a refuge serving lunch…
  • Aiguillette des Houches – Chamonix Hikes
    A very pleasant day-hike, the Aiguillette des Houches nonetheless provides a stiff climb that is rewarded with a fantastic view. Like the Aiguillette des Possettes at the opposite end of the valley, the Aiguillette des Houches is also a great day hike with splendid…
  • The History of the TMB
    Today, the Tour du Mont Blanc is the most popular long distance hike in Europe, if not the world. But how did it become established, and who was the first to walk it? To find the answer, we have to go back to 1767,…
  • La Jonction – Chamonix Hikes
    The trek to La Jonction is one of the toughest of the classic day hikes around Chamonix. With around 1500 metres of ascent in seven kilometres, the climb feels relentless. The rewards are some of the best up close views of the Chamonix glaciers….
  • Aiguillette des Possettes – Chamonix Hikes
    The Aiguillette des Possettes stands at the head of the Chamonix valley, dividing it into two branches. One leads to Le Tour, culminating in the Col de Balme. The other winds up over the Col du Montets before descending to Vallorcine and the Swiss…
  • Chamonix Hiking – the Grand Balcon Nord
    Along with Lac Blanc, the Grand Balcon Nord is one of the must-do day hikes of the Chamonix Valley. The cable car access lets you get high into the mountains with relatively little effort, taking you straight to awe-inspiring views and a great mountain…
  • Col du Belvedere
    With a magnificent setting, a sunny aspect, and an amenable 500 – 800 metres of ascent, the Col du Belvedere is a great introduction to ski touring in Chamonix. The route takes you from the edge of the Flegere ski area to the summer…
  • When to visit Chamonix
    When is the best time to come to Chamonix? It’s a question we get asked all the time but the answer really depends on what you want to do here. Ski touring is best in the spring, mountain biking in June and September, hiking…
  • Tales of the Alps – Napoleon’s unpaid bill
    The story of a very longstanding debt owed to a very small village At the dawn of the 19th century, newly republican France was at war with much of Europe. In the south-west of the country, the Alps formed a natural barrier against invasion,…
  • Tales of the Alps – Barry der Menschenretter
    How a St. Bernard named Barry became a Swiss legend Although relatively unheard of outside his native Switzerland, Barry is known as the most famous dog in the country to the Swiss. In German, he is called Barry der Menschenretter, or “Barry the people…
  • What to bring on our navigation courses
    Covid-19 has led to a few changes in how we run our navigation courses, and this affects what you need to bring as well. As far as possible, we’d like you to bring your own materials rather than use stuff we give out, but…
  • Alpine flower notes: Alchemilla
    Lady’s mantle Alchemilla A fascinating plant that is easy to overlook, lady’s mantle can be seen flowering across the Alps from spring through to autumn. There are many species worldwide, but the most common in the Western Alps are alpine lady’s mantle (Alchemilla alpina)…
  • Alpine Wildlife Notes: Eurasian Lynx – Lynx Lynx
    The Eurasian Lynx is a distinctive species of wild cat that was common in the Alps until the 19th century. Together with the grey wolf and the brown bear, it was one of the three big predators that were intentionally eradicated across much of…
  • Le Sapey walk
    An almost circular walk from Les Deux Alpes to Venosc via the delightful pastures in Le Sapey. Distance: 15km Ascent: 500m Descent: 1100m Sustenance: La Moliere early in the walk, and Venosc village at the end Once a thriving farming community, the isolated hamlet…