Walking Around Chamonix

After a week of settling in with Dianne my group of clients arrived on Sunday afternoon – I met them at Geneva airport. Once again I was fortunate to have a lovely group of hikers who were looking forward to a week of walking some highlights of the tour de Mont Blanc.

They were undaunted by poor weather forecasts which was just as well as we launched into a few days of rain and cool temperatures. We explored the Petit Balcon Nord, the forests above Servoz to Lac Vert and Prarion, above Les Houches, soaked but unbowed. All of us were immensely grateful to Refuge proprietors who took pity and allowed us to picnic indoors.

Approaching Lac Vert

Walking around Lac Vert

The latter part of the week thngs improved and we had terrific weather for the two most important days, from La Flegère to Lac Blanc and the Tete de Balme, above Le Tour.

We took the telepherique to La Flegère and the path winds steadily up north-westwards with fantastic views of the Mont Blanc massif across the yawning space of the Chamonix valley. It climbs gradually from 1871m to 2353m, arriving at a mountain refuge and a beautiful (but usually busy) mountain lake.

Lac Blanc and a chough

After another excellent picnic watched by red-legged alpine choughs we made our way down steps and ladders to the Lacs Cheserys where a casually bold chamois had been strategically placed by the local tourist office for the purpose of providing a foreground for the photographs of passing walkers.

Posing chamois

The walk continues along lovely paths back to La Flegère, from which a steep descent brought us back to la Praz, just in time to miss the bus.

From Lac Cheserys towards the Mer de Glace

For the walk above Le Tour we cheated, using the Charamillion Gondola and chairlift, which whisked us up to nearly the Col De Balme. The early threat of rain evaporated and left us in sunshine as we followed a delightful grassy ridge which went airily along, switchbacking to the Col de Possettes.

Grassy ridge on Tete de Balme

Time for the last picnic of the week, after which most headed down to the gondola whilst a few climbed a last undulation up to the Aiguille de Possettes. This broad crest passes between cottongrass ponds and rock outcrops to the summit cairn before turning sharply back into the valley and Le Tour.