Please arrive in Chamonix the day before the start of the tour. We will have a pre-trip meeting with all participants and your mountain guide at our office. The guide will introduce you to the program of the week, the options available, and answer all your questions. He will take the opportunity to check your equipment and help you prepare your bag for the 5 day expedition. If you have booked rental equipment, we will take you to our partner shop to pick up everything you need.

This program is an example of what can be done with good weather and snow conditions. For your safety's sake, your guide may change the route at any time depending on the mountain conditions and the group's abilities.

Departure from Chamonix in the morning and transfer by minibus to Névache, in the Haute Vallée de la Clarée - the starting point of the tour. A gentle hike up to the refuge of Buffère will warm up our legs; this cute little nest of a hut has showers and cosy rooms. After lunch, we will start our trip with some essential avalanche safety training. Later on, if time allows, we will hike above the refuge and make your first tracks on the Crête de Baude or Crête de l'Échaillon (+500m / 2h30).

Today we have several possibilities for the itinerary: one of them being the Grande Manche ascent, a splendid variant to the classic route. Your efforts will be rewarded with a very nice descent to the comfortable Chardonnet hut.

+ 1100 -1000m / 5h

A typically alpine day that winds its way between the Queyrellin ridges through the Casse Blanche pass (2914m). A spectacular dolomitic atmosphere at the edge of this limestone wall, followed by a descent through a wild and secret valley. Finally, a pleasant and gently sloping hike up to reach the Drayères hut. 

+800 -900 / 6h

Another day of great atmospheric surroundings, with an ascent of the Rocher Grande Tempete at 3002m - a superb summit that offers magnificent views, then a nice descent to the refuge of Ricou.

+800 -800 / 4h30

Last day, last summit! We climb the rolling hills above the refuge up to an aerial ridge leading to the Lac Blanc Peak (2980m). A gentle return to civilization as we descend to Névache after this immersion in the immaculate world of the winter mountains. We enjoy the authentic charm of the small hamlet of Névache, and celebrate with a good craft beer brewed in the village. Tired and happy, it's time to head back to Chamonix. 

+850 -1400 / 4h30

You need to be physically fit enough and happy to hike uphill for 600-1000 vertical meters a day, completing 6-hour ski days without being too tired to do it again the following day.

This ski tour is ideal for skiers who have done few single day ski tours and wish to complete their first hut-to-hut tour.

You have to:

• Know how to use ski touring equipment
• Know how to do kick turns
• Be an experienced and confident off piste skier