Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermatt
Introduction
We start the day with a walk along the river Arve to access a mountain Gondola from the small village of Les Praz. Hiking on the Grand Balcon to Plan Praz, we having wonderful views back onto the Mont Blanc massif with Mont Blanc at 4810m, all the aiguilles (spiky rock needles) and glaciers. From our lunch spot we watch paragliders flying high in the sky with sweeping views of the mountains. After you can descend back into Chamonix on the Gondola or continue to the Col du Brevent and the top of the Brevent mountain.
Distance: 8.5km Gain: 559m Descent: 447m
Distance: 3.21km Gain: 591m Descent: 104m
Leaving France we climb up to the Col du Balme and the border with Switzerland before descending through alpage, then forest into the small settlement of Le Peuty and onto the Cold du Forclaz
Distance: 8.62km Height Gain: 722m Descent: 1041m
A fairly arduous, but spectacular day as we ascend alongside the Trient Glacier to the Fenettre d’Arpette with amazing views back over to France. We descend down into the Arpette Valley before arriving at the beautiful lakeside village of Champex-lac.
Distance: 14.08km Gain: 1518m Descent: 1577m
Today we follow a traditional route named the ‘Bovine’ passing through forest and high alpage arriving at a mountain farm house for drinks with sweeping views of the Rhone valley.
Distance: 13:91km Gain: 961m Descent: 1021m
A gentle morning sees us descend through pretty small villages to reach Sembrancher. We then transfer via local transport along the Route de Mauvoisin before ascending up to the beautiful Louvie Hut for our overnight stay.
Distance: 14.68km Gain: 1216m Descent: 1248m
A gentle morning sees us descend through pretty small villages to reach Sembrancher. We then ascend to Verbier for lunch before retreating to a local hotel.
Hiking out past the picturesque Lac de Louvie we ascend up to the Col de Louvie before starting our traverse of the Grand Desert below the Rosablanche glacier, and over to the Col du Prafleuri. An initially steep descent sees us arrive at the newly constructed Cabane de Prafleuri run by the friendly Babette for refreshments, before descending to the Dix Dam and our hotel.
Distance: 14:49km Gain: 1348m Descent: 1404m
Ascending to the Dam wall we hike along the mighty Lac Dix and follow the path to the head of the lake. Ascending on a steep trail we climb up to the moraine and traverse over towards the Pas du Chèvre at 9500ft with fine views of Mont Blanc du Cheilon. After a short scramble and ladder section we reach the pass and descend to Arolla with excellent chances to see the national Swiss flower: Edleweiss.
Distance: 17.76km Gain:1364m Descent:1448m
Rest day - Enjoy a well-deserved total rest and relaxation at our comfortable hotel, where you can unwind and recharge. Alternatively, seize the opportunity for a short leg-stretching hike through the stunning Swiss landscapes. After your hike, indulge in a delightful lunch in the picturesque village of Evolene. Here, you can experience the charm of a traditional restaurant, where you can savor the rich flavors of local dishes such as Raclette or Fondue, making for a truly memorable culinary experience.
Breakfast included.
After a short transfer to Les Hauderes, and the small hamlet of Villa we begin our gentle climb up to the Col de Torrent at 9570ft. Far reaching views to the perfectly shaped Dent Blanche and the Moiry Glacier before descending to the spectacular Moiry Dam.
Distance: 10km Gain: 920m Descent: 729m
Utilising a mountain funicular we ascend out of St - Luc to pick our trail that climbs up to the Meidpass at 9154ft. Wonderful views over the the Schwartzhorn, Gletschorn and Weishorn. We lunch alongside a small lake before descending down through meadows and forest to reach Gruben.
Distance: 14.7km Gain: 813m Descent: 1159m
Hiking up through forested trails and emerging onto alpage we make the steady climb up to the Augustbordpass at 9495ft. From the pass we descend then traverse over before taking a tiny cable car to St Niklaus and catching the train into the car free town Zermatt in the shadow of the Matterhorn.
Distance: 13.08km Gain: 1283m Descent: 1133m
Arriving early ? Departing later?
We often get asked about additional travel ideas so the following serves as a guide:
Geneva - This is a great city set on the shores of Lac Leman. In the summer months especially its well worth a visit. We have a informative online article on the LBH website with many good suggestions for places to visit and explore:
’48 hrs in Geneva’ - https://livebreathehike.com/blog
Chamonix - The vibrant capital of mountaineering with a cool atmosphere and great selection of shops, cafes and restaurants.
The main hub of information for the valley can be found here https://www.chamonix.com/chamonix-mont-blanc,0,en.html
Some personal recommendations:
Aiguille du Midi - A phenomenal Telepherique that takes you high up in the Mont Blanc massif affording close views of Mont Blanc and the Vallee Blanche glacier system beyond. It is possible to take a further Telepherique all the way Helbronner onto the Italian side of the Mont Blanc. This makes for a wonderful day trip.
https://www.chamonix.com/aiguille-du-midi-step-into-the-void,80,en.html
Montenvers Train - A traditional cog train departing direct from Chamonix takes you all the way to the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) glacier. From this point is it possible to descend inside the glacier for a truly unique experience.
https://www.chamonix.com/montenvers-mer-de-glace,81,en.html
It is possible to buy a combined ticket for both excursions.
Vevey - The 5 star Trois Couronnes hotel is an excellent location for some end of trip R&R
Live Breathe Hike focuses on providing unique travel experiences that connect you to your natural environment and leaves you feeling invigorated and refreshed. We focus on attention to detail, exceptional customer service, and a strong commitment to environmental and ethical standards. LBH have been designing and running trips for over 25yrs (we started in 1997!) and pride ourselves in doing nothing less than 100%. Our ethos is simple…..we want our clients to have the most amazing, life-changing experiences, and create lasting memories
Q. Is the accommodation listed in the itinerary guaranteed?
A. While we endeavour to ensure that the accommodation listed on the itinerary will be where you stay, open occasion it may be necessary to switch to an alternative.
When this happens we work hard to ensure that the alternative accommodation is of the same or a better standard, that it's location is close to the original destination, and that the overall impact is minimised in every way.
Accommodation details will be finalised and shared close to the trip departure (4-6 weeks in advance), however remains subject to change up to and following departure.
Q. How challenging are the treks / hikes?
A. we have graded this trip as a level 5
You / your party members should also be comfortable carrying your personal possessions required for the day in a rucksack, which might include items such as:
A water bottle
Snacks
Camera / phone / electronics
Waterproof / windproof jacket / trousers
Warm top / sun hat / sun cream
Any other items you would want to access while out for the day
If you would like further advice on the suitability of this trip for you or your party, please contact us.
Q. Do I have to do the planned activities, every day?
A. Not necessarily. Clients can request a 'rest day' or perhaps the opportunity to break from the scheduled itinerary.
It should be noted that on some days our excursion may form the transit between overnight locations, so a rest day may require the guest to make their way to the next location under their own initiative or at their own expense - in all cases we will work with guests to best accommodate their request.