Classic Chamonix Day Hikes

The Mont Blanc Massif is home to some of the most spectacular hiking terrain in Europe. Added to this, the lift infrastructure provides access to high level walks that would otherwise be hard to reach. For a fun hiking holiday the Chamonix Valley has it all – high mountain views, alpine wildlife and exciting trails. If you want a great day out in the mountains for a family or group of friends, why not let us guide you on one of the classic Chamonix day hikes listed below. And if you’re not sure which one is for you, get in touch and let us put together the perfect adventure for you and your group.

Prices depend on the length of the trip, and are for your entire group of up to 12 people. Prices do not include lift passes (if required) or food and drink. Lift pass prices are given as a guide only.

Lac Blanc

This is perhaps the most famous hike in the region, and with good reason. The lake itself is a celebrated viewpoint, popular with photographers. It also has a refuge providing a lunch menu, snacks, drinks and Tour du Mont Blanc accommodation. Hiking here takes in some of the beautiful balcony paths of the Aiguilles Rouges, with constant views across the valley to Mont Blanc, the Grandes Jorasses and the Aiguille Verte.

Half-Day Programme

We’ll meet at the Flegere lift station at 8.30am to catch the first gondola. Then we’ll carry on up the Index chairlift to arrive at 2385 metres, slightly higher than the lake itself. From here, an undulating path winds its way across the hillside below the jagged Aiguilles Crochues. At Tete Aubury, we cross the rocky ridge along an exposed footpath, before tackling the final climb to the lake. Here we’ll take a refreshement stop at the refuge before descending. Depending on time, we can take the direct path back to the Flegere lift station, or extend the route to cover more of the scenic Grand Balcon Sud.

Price: €140 per group (not including lift ticket at €30 per adult, €25.50 per child under 14)
Grading:
Physical Technical

Full-Day Programme

For the full-day version, we’ll catch the Flegere gondola at 9.00am. From here we’ll take the Grand Balcon Sud to a stone hut – the grandly named Chalet des Cheserys. The balcony path is a great warm up as it follows an undulating route through delightful scenery, passing below an attractive waterfall. From the chalet, we climb up to the Tete aux Vents and the scenic Cheserys lakes. We can often see wild ibex around here, and the animals are not as shy as usual. The path up to Lac Blanc gradually gets steeper before taking in a ladder section. We’ll stop for lunch at the lake, either a picnic on the shore or at the refuge. Following lunch, we can take a stroll along the lake shore before we head down the path back to Flegere. Depending on the time, we can extend the hike by taking one of the paths that lead down to Argentiere instead.

Price: €270 per group (not including lift ticket at €22 per adult, €18.70 per child under 14)
Grading:
Physical Technical

Get in touch at bookings@whitemarmotte.com to book a full- or half-day guided Lac Blanc hike.

Grand Balcon Nord

Another of the classic Chamonix day hikes, the Grand Balcon Nord connects the Aiguille du Midi mid-station at the Plan de l’Aiguille with the Montenvers cog railway. The path follows a broad shelf of open terrain sandwiched between the treeline below and the granite faces of the Chamonix Aiguilles above. After a short climb to the Signal Forbes, we are rewarded with views of the Mer de Glace glacier. A few zig zags take us down the the Montenvers hotel and train station. Here we have several sightseeing possibilities, including the gondola trip down to the glacier ice caves (additional costs may apply). Depending on time and tiredness we can either take the train back to Chamonix or walk down via the Mottets buvette. This trip can be combined with a trip to the top of the Aiguille du Midi for a bigger day out.

For this full day programme, we’ll meet at the Aiguille du Midi cable car station at 9.00am. After taking the lift up to Plan de l’Aiguille, we’ll hike north-east towards Montenvers. At lunchtime, we can either stop for a picnic or eat at a mountain restaurant along the way.

Price: €270 per group (not including lift ticket at €38 per adult, €32.30 per child under 14)
Grading:
Physical Technical

Send us an email at bookings@whitemarmotte.com to book a guided trek on the Grand Balcon Nord.

Other Options

If you’d like to do one of the many Chamonix day hikes not listed above, or something specific such as a willdlife spotting afternoon, a private navigation session or an introduction to trail running, get in touch and we’ll see what we can organise for you. Send an enquiry to bookings@whitemarmotte.com for more information.