Cicerone Guides: The Tour of Mont Blanc Complete Two-Way Trekking Guide

About this book

The essential guidebook to the 105-mile Tour of Mont Blanc trek in the Alps. One of the best of the world's classic walks, which circumnavigates the Mont Blanc massif in about eleven days through France, Switzerland and Italy. The walk has all the excitement of the high mountains yet none of the worry of altitude sickness. It crosses numerous cols with stunning views of spectacular snow and rock peaks and accommodation along the route is plentiful.

The 'official' Tour du Mont Blanc follows an established route around the main block of mountains containing not only Mont Blanc but its principal allied summits such as Verte, Chardonnet, Gouter, Geant, Jorasses, d'Argentiere, Dolent and numerous others. The author describes the tour both in the traditional 'anti-clockwise' direction and the 'clockwise' direction. There are several alternative routes that subsequently link, and these are also described. The routes have been created to give the very best perspective and appreciation of the whole region. At every opportunity recommendations are made that will bring the walker into closer contact with the area.

The Tour of Mont Blanc is in full colour, with points of interest, accommodation details and overview maps for every stage, along with details of the natural and cultural history of the region. This edition includes new routes around Courmayeur and Arnuva and to Lac Blanc, as well as essential practical information on travel to and around the Mont Blanc Massif, mountain safety, languages, curreency and more. The result is an ideal companion to take on one of the world's greatest mountain adventures.

Contents

Introduction
The Tour of Mont Blanc
The Route
Clockwise or Anti-Clockwise?
Suggested Itineraries
How to Get There
When to Go
Accommodation
Languages
Maps and Waymarks
Notes for Walkers
Safety in the Mountains
Using this Guide
Information at a Glance

The Tour of Mont Blanc – Anti-Clockwise
Stage 1 Les Houches – Bionnassay – Les Contamines
Alt Stage 1 Les Houches – Refuge de Miage – Les Contamines
Stage 2 Les Contamines – Croix du Bonhomme – Les Chapieux
Stage 3 Les Chapieux – Col de la Seigne – Rifugio Elisabetta
Stage 4 Rifugio Elisabetta – Courmayeur
Stage 5 Courmayeur – Rifugio Bonatti
Stage 6 Rifugio Bonatti – Grand Col Ferret – La Fouly
Stage 7 La Fouly – Champex
Stage 8 Champex – Alp Bovine – Col de la Forclaz
Alt Stage 8 Champex – Fenêtre d’Arpette – Col de la Forclaz
Stage 9 Col de la Forclaz – Col de Balme – Tré-le-Champ
Alt Stage 9 Col de la Forclaz – Refuge les Grands – Tré-le-Champ
Stage 10 Tré-le-Champ – Refuge La Flégère
Stage 11 Refuge La Flégère – Le Brévent – Les Houches

The Tour of Mont Blanc – Clockwise
Stage 1 Champex – Ferret
Stage 2 Ferret – Grand Col Ferret – Rifugio Bonatti
Stage 3 Rifugio Bonatti – Courmayeur
Stage 4 Courmayeur – Rifugio Elisabetta
Stage 5 Rifugio Elisabetta – Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme
Stage 6 Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme – Les Contamines
Stage 7 Les Contamines – Bionnassay – Les Houches
Alt Stage 7 Les Contamines – Refuge de Miage – Les Houches
Stage 8 Les Houches – Le Brévent – La Flégère
Stage 9 La Flégère – Col de Balme – Trient
Stage 10 Trient – Alp Bovine – Champex
Alt Stage 10 Refuge les Grands – Fenêtre d’Arpette – Champex
 
Places and Items of Interest on the TMB
The Story of Mont Blanc
Appendix A Accommodation
Appendix B Useful contacts
Appendix C Further reading
Appendix D French–English glossary

Customer Reviews

Biography

Kev Reynolds is a freelance writer, photojournalist and lecturer. A prolific compiler of guidebooks, his first title for Cicerone Press appeared in 1978. A member of the Outdoor Writers Guild, the Alpine Club and Austrian Alpine Club, his passion for mountains and the countryside remains undiminished after a lifetime's activity, and he regularly travels throughout Britain to share that enthusiasm through his lectures.