dossier

Foothills of Mont Blanc Walk

WHERE YOU STAY - DAY BY DAY

Hotel Aux Mille Etoiles***, Les Marecottes 

The Hotel Aux Mille Etoiles is a delightful chalet style hotel, with window boxes bursting with colourful flowers located in the tiny hamlet of Les Marecottes. The rooms are decorated with an alpine flavour. They all have wooden beamed walls and ceilings of warm honey coloured pine, and the wooden carved bedsteads also enhance the Alpine theme. All rooms are equipped with ensuite bathroom, television, hairdryer and direct dial telephone. Some also have balconies. There are lots of cozy sitting areas inside as well as a large outdoor terrace where you can enjoy an afternoon with a book or sunbathe.

Saturday  Arrive in Les Marécottes

You are met at the station and taken to your hotel (5 mins).

Sunday  Emaney Valley/Col de Fenestral  10km/6mi/4hr or 14km/9mi/4hr

Today you’ll explore the beautiful Emaney Valley - shepherds still spend the summer here and you can taste their home made cheeses. You really do have the mountains to yourself and there is every chance of seeing ibex and chamonis. 2 boot walkers return along a terrace path above the valley with wonderful views before descending to the hotel. fff climb past crystal-clear Lake Blantsin and on to the spectacular Col de Fenestral (2451m). There are magnificent 360 degree views of the Paradiso ranges in Italy, the Chamonix Needles and the distant southern Alps.

Monday  Lake Salanfe 15km/9mi/5hr or 22km/14mi/7hr

This morning you follow a little winding route cut out of the cliffs up into the lovely Van valley. From here you climb to Lake Salanfe dominated by the impressive Dents du Midi. There are several optional walks (to suit all levels) up and around the lake - great marmot spotting possibilities!

Tuesday  The Emosson Dam  16km/9mi/4.5hr or 20km/12mi/5.5hr

The best view of the Mont Blanc range from anywhere in the Alps can be had from the Emosson dam. You take the exciting little ‘Mont Blanc Express’ to Chatelard and then jump on the narrow gauge railway tram up to the dam itself. Just sit back and enjoy the panorama! There are several walks from here. The best, though, goes up to the Vieux Emosson lake and then on to the dinosaur tracks - 180 million years old and thus the biggest in Europe.

Wednesday  Rest day Martigny / Chamonix

There is no limit to the walking here but if you fancy a day’s ‘rest’ take the enchanting little train to Martigny or to Chamonix. Martigny is well know for its art exhibitions and beautifully reconstructed Roman amphitheatre. Chamonix has the Aiguille du Midi cable-car , with a breathtaking viewpoint over Lake Geneva, the Matterhorn, the Jura ranges and even Mont Ventoux in the southern Alps.

Thursday  The Trient Glacier   10km/6mi/3.5hr or 17km/10mi/5hr

A train and post-bus today takes you to the once feared Col de Forclaz from where you follow the Trient river to its very source, the vast Trient Glacier . You look up, from a safe distance, at huge ice boulders and yawning blue crevasses seemingly pouring down towards you.

Friday  Gorges de Dailley or The Two Cols  10km/6mi/3.5hr or 19km/12mi/8.5hr

2 boot option: Built by the locals of Les Granges, the staircase that sidelines the waterfall provides an exciting foray into the very depths of the Dailley Gorges today, with their beautiful rock formations and sparkling clear water . A steepish climb out is then rewarded with lovely views of the Rhone Valley and the Dents du Midi above.  3 boot option: A spectacular walk today crosses the two high passes - the Golettaz (2466m) and the Emaney (2462m). There’s a spectacular panorama of the Dents du Midi above the turquoise waters of Lake Salanfe, Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn.

Saturday  Leave Les Marécottes

WALKING DETAILS

There are various independent walks to choose from at both 2 boot and 3 boot level. They mainly follow good paths which are waymarked. We provide detailed intructions together with a good map. The ffwalks are shown above.

Note: modified route notes are provided for pre mid-July & September departures when there is a risk of early/late season snow blocking certain sections of our higher level walks, and when some ski lifts/cable cars do not operate.