A walk along the Grand Balcon Sud, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

My first visit to Chamonix was in 1993 when I walked there from the shores of Lake Geneva doing a section of the GR5. Thirty years later I walked there again taking the long way round from Les Houches when hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc. Last summer I actually got to drive into town when Mish and I headed off on our summer road trip to the French Alps.

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Hiking The Tour Du Mont Blanc

My hike along one of Europe’s classic long distance trails. Click on the walk to read the post or use the interactive map to see the route. 

The Tour du Mont Blanc - An Introduction

The Tour du Mont Blanc – An Introduction

It’s been a long two days in the driving seat, it turns out the Alps are a long way from ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day One - Les Houches to Refuge du Fioux

Tour du Mont Blanc Day One – Les Houches to Refuge du Fioux

The storm eventually passed over in the early hours leaving behind a dry but overcast morning. Steve slept right through ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Two - Refuge du Fioux to Refuge de Nant Borrant

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Two – Refuge du Fioux to Refuge de Nant Borrant

The Tour du Mont Blanc and the Alps in general are perfect for hut to hut walking. In France they ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Three - Refuge de Nant Borrant to Les Chapeiux

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Three – Refuge de Nant Borrant to Les Chapeiux

If day one of the Tour du Mont Blanc was an hors d’oeuvre and day two a starter, day three ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Four - Les Chapieux to Rifugio Elisabetta

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Four – Les Chapieux to Rifugio Elisabetta

The small village of Les Chapieux sits at the western most point of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Although it’s ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Five - Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Five – Rifugio Elisabetta to Courmayeur

Dawn brings with it another gloriously sunny day on the Tour du Mont Blanc. We are now in the Italian ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Six - Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Six – Courmayeur to Rifugio Bonatti

“The beauty of adventure is to dream of it, to give air to the imagination, then you also try to ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Seven - Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Seven – Rifugio Bonatti to La Fouly

Today we will enter the third country on our walk around Mont Blanc. This country is a land of mountains, ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eight - La Fouly to Champex

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eight – La Fouly to Champex

For the last week we’ve been in the heart of the mountains. Walking along narrow rugged trails surrounded by snow ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Nine - Champex to Trient

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Nine – Champex to Trient

When we step outside to boot up for day nine of our Tour du Mont Blanc there are ominous dark ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Ten - Trient to Tre Le Champ

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Ten – Trient to Tre Le Champ

Today we have the third and final border crossing of our Tour du Mont Blanc when we say goodbye to ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eleven - Tré Le Champ to Refuge la Flégère

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Eleven – Tré Le Champ to Refuge la Flégère

Stepping onto the wooden balcony that adjoins our room at 6am all is silent in the valley. The cool, still ...
Tour du Mont Blanc Day Twelve - Refuge la Flégère to Chamonix

Tour du Mont Blanc Day Twelve – Refuge la Flégère to Chamonix

The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men, Gang aft agley, An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain, For ...

 

 

The Tour du Mont Blanc – An Introduction

It’s been a long two days in the driving seat, it turns out the Alps are a long way from the UK but at 5pm we roll into Bellevue Campsite in Les Houches. Dark, brooding, rain filled clouds are hanging low over the Chamonix valley cloaking the mountains. The atmosphere is still and electrified, awaiting the coming storm. The driving has stopped but walking the Tour du Mont Blanc is just about to begin. I’m tired but excited in equal measure and I can’t wait for the next twelve days.

Continue reading “The Tour du Mont Blanc – An Introduction”