The Mont Blanc massif
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| French & Italian Alps | |
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| Key Facts | |
Dates : Group : 4-5 persons |
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Day 1 – Chamonix Valley
Meet at Geneva airport. Quick transfer to the village of Chamonix, situated at the foot of the impressive Mont Blanc massif. In front of us we have innumerable glaciers that descend to the valley below the highest mountain in Europe. It is here where alpinism was born, on the 8th of August 1786, when Jacques Balmat and Michel-Gabriel Paccard conquered the top of Mont Blanc for the first time. We select a vantage point to photograph the sunset over the Mont Blanc massive.
Day 2 - Photographing a glacier and a waterfall
The adventure starts in the morning with a hike to a glacier of the Chamonix valley. We use a chairlift that takes us up to 2,000 meters high. From here to the glacier, we have a spectacular and easy hike. We are able to get really close to the imposing walls of bluish ice. Incredible photographic possibilities. Once we get down to the valley, we move to the second location of the day. After a short hike, we reach an impressive waterfall in the Diosaz valley, very close to the Swiss border.
Day 3 – Photographing from the Grand Balcon Nord
We go to the top of Aiguille du Midi using a cable car. The altitude is 3840 meters and the Mont Blanc has never been closer. Then we start an easy hike. This is middle mountain terrain along the western slopes of the Mont Blanc massif, between high snows and glaciers and the deep Chamonix Valley. We have excellent viewpoints and staggering photographic possibilities along the way: the Mont Blanc and the sharp peaks of Aiguilles de Chamonix, airy views over Chamonix far below, and the eastern slopes of the Aiguilles Rouges range. In the afternoon we reach a magnificent viewpoint that overlooks the impressive glacier Mer du Glace, second longest glacier in Europe. We spend the night in the highest hotel of the French Alps.
Day 4 – Photographing the Aiguilles Rouges Natural Reserve and night in a mountain hut
We use a chairlift that takes us up to 2,385 meters high (7,825 feet). Without realizing it, we are right in the middle of the most spectacular landscapes of the French Alps. We spend the day hiking and photographing from a natural shelf facing southeast, half way between the valley and the Aiguilles Rouges tops. Once we reach the hut, we position ourselves for an absolutely breathtaking sunset over the Mont Blanc range. We spend the night in a mountain hut at 2,350 meters (7,710 feet), on the banks of a lake that once was a glacier.
Day 5 – Photographing the wildlife in the Aiguilles Rouges Natural Reserve
We wake up early in the morning in order to photograph sunrise over the Mont Blanc massif. We then hike down to the valley and, with a bit of luck, we’ll be able to see ibexes, chamois, and marmots.
Day 6 – Italian Alps
We change country, crossing from France into Italy through the Mont Blanc tunnel. Our destination is Chamonix's "twin" valley, but on the Italian side. The Mont Blanc is almost unrecognizable from this point of view; the Grandes Jorasses rises imposing in a vertical wall of almost 3000 meters. We use the afternoon to explore the valley.
Day 7 – Italian Alps, Courmayeur, and Aosta
We move again to Italy and spend the morning photographing the Italian Alps from the Val Ferret. Once we are satisfied, we move on to the Italian town of Aosta where we photograph the town and its different monuments. In the evening we move to the town of Courmayeur, at the foot of the Mont Blanc, but always of the Italian side.
Day 8 – Transfer to Geneva
Today is our last day of adventure. In the morning we take shots of Chamonix and the surrounding mountains. From Chamonix we go to Geneva airport, arriving at about 14h00, where we bid farewell until our next adventure together.
Recommend this trip to a friend
Accomodation
Our accomodation is in a luxury chalet with a superb central location, only 5 minutes walk to the bars and restaurants of the town centre, and a few minute drive in the chalet minibus to the Brevent ski lift. It is furnished to a high quality in a contemporary, luxurious style, offering 5 bedrooms all with en suite facilities, a sauna, and a beautiful lounge, bar, and dining area opening onto a decked terrace with fabulous views of Mont Blanc, L’Aiguille du Midi, and Les Bossons Glacier. For entertainment, there is a sound system, DVD player, and flat screen TV. There is also Wifi access.
The price includes
• Meeting/assisting at Geneva airport
• Airport transfer from and to Geneva
• 1 night in a mountain hut, full board
• 6 nights in a luxury chalet in Chamonix, single room, and breakfast included
• Service of the photographer and mountain guide for the entire route
• All lifts and mountain transports
• Travel insurance
• Personal mountain rescue insurance
The price does not include
• Airfare (for recommendations, click here)
• Beverages and meals not specified
• Insurance of photographic material