Climb Mont Blanc from Italy & finish in France - experience the best of both worlds! The Italian itinerary is less busy but more difficult than the classic Mont Blanc route.
Pure climb to the summit, unaided by lifts - offering a more authentic alpine experience & sense of challenge
Increased flexibility & a more personalised guiding experience
More flexibility to maximise your chance of summiting
Chamonix may be the classic starting point to climb Mont Blanc but there is a lesser known way that goes all the way from Val Veny in Italy to the summit of Monte Bianco, without using any uplifts at all.
Starting in the beautiful valley of Val Veny near Courmayeur, you will hike up to the Gonella Hut at 3071m where you will spend the night before striking out for the summit of Mont Blanc via the Piton des Italiens route. Spectacular scenery and breathtaking views will surround you as you reach the top of Western Europe’s highest glacier at 4809m.
The descent is via the Gouter refuge, back down to Chamonix along the more traditional route to the Nid d’Aigle above Les Houches, so on this trip you get to experience both sides of this iconic mountain.
The beauty of the Italian itinerary is that it is a lot less frequented than the classic Mont Blanc route, so you will cross paths with far fewer people along the way. It is also a longer and more technical route, which is not suitable for beginners to mountaineering, but perfect for anyone looking for more of a challenge in an authentic alpine environment.
Our climb Mont Blanc course is a 6 day trip that includes 3 days of acclimatisation and mountain skills training in and around the Chamonix valley. You will summit some of the smaller but classic peaks such as Aiguille du Tour (3544m), practice glacier safety techniques on the Vallee Blanche and spend a night at the Albert 1er mountain hut. These preparation days will be challenging but a lot of fun, and you’ll get to explore a lot of the famous Mont Blanc Massif.
The final 3 days will be spent climbing Mont Blanc, with a guide ratio of 1:1, to ensure greater safety and enjoyment. The Italian route is considered something of a “purists” route due to the lack of lift assistance, the solitude of the ascent and the fact that it is somewhat longer than the classic route in terms of daily altitude gain and the length of the summit day. If you’re looking for a dose of authentic alpinism, this is it.