Descending the Mont Blanc on skis

Ascending Mont Blanc is certainly one of the best memories you will keep in mind as long as you'll live! But skiing it down will for sure be the experience of your life. 

Mont Blanc is the highest peak of the Alps, standing at 4810m, and a true challenge for the experienced mountaineers. Ascending it during summer remains the common way to succeed the challenge, but choosing winter opens the doors to a different and even more magical world. Light is beautiful, cold is biting, silence is soothing, and sensations are stronger! However, you need to be aware that the level required in winter is higher: the ascent is reserved to experienced ski tourers and mountain climbers. 
Our trip will last two days and will take us through incomparable snowy and icy landscapes with Europe at our feet as a reward. 

Itinerary

  • Day 1 The Grands Mulets

    The Grands Mulets Early in the morning, we meet with the guide in Chamonix to take the Plan de l’Aiguille cable car (2317m). From up there, we will cross the Pèlerins glacier that will get us to the majestic Aiguille du midi and its impressive height: we may feel dizzy! Then, from the Bossons glacier, surrounded by crevasses and seracs, we will head to the Grand Mulets refuge, located on a small island, lost in the mountain, where a change of scenery takes on its full meaning.

    Positive difference in altitude : about 700m / Max Alt : 3051m / Accommodation : Grand Mulets refuge

  • Day 2 Mont Blanc ascent

    Mont Blanc ascent After a very early breakfast, we join the Nord du Dôme path, on which we will move skis on our backs. This is a technical path where mountain climbers' capacities will be required to get out of the slopes.
    You’ll be happy to put your skis back on after that rough part of the trip! We thus ski down to the Vallot. From there, we usually end up walking with crampons. The Bosses path appears whilst we’re walking on a magnificent, sometimes aerial, slope. Finally, the peak appears. Here we are, standing stock-still at an altitude of 4 810 meter, open-mouthed and agog.

    After absorbing the breath-taking view of the 360° panorama, it’s time to put our skis back on. We get to the Jonction under the Grand Mulets refuge to get back on yesterday’s tracks and back down to the Plan de l’Aiguille cable car. This is where we say goodbye.

    Positive difference in altitude : about 1700m / Negative difference in altitude : about 2500m / Max Alt : 4810m

ITINERARY CHANGE

The program can be modified by your guide due to weather conditions or participants physical conditions. For safety reasons and to ensure a uniform level corresponding to the one announced, the supervision and organisation boards have the right to interrupt your participation if your technical or physical level are lower than the one required. The interruption will not give you any right of refund or payment of compensation.

Dates & prices

International departures:

No departure for now

Trip code: SRMB

Included

  • A deposit of 30% of the trip’s price will be needed during the booking, the whole price must be paid at least 30 days before departure. 
  • The technical organization of the stay
  • Mountaineering with high-mountain guides
  • Collective equipment provided (ropes)
  • Half-board accommodation in refuges, cottages and lodges
  • Lunch picnics
  • Planned transfers (minibus, cable cars)

Not included

  • Individual equipment : harness, crampons, ice axe, helmet
  • Ski-touring equipment : shoes, skis, skins, knifes, poles
  • Safety equipment : avalanche transceiver, probe, shovel
  • Batteries for the avalanche transceiver (4 batteries LR03 AAA)
  • Drinks and personal expenses
  • Snacks (cereal bars, dried fruits, chocolate bars, etc...) at your own convenience
  • Transfers to the meeting and dispersion points
  • Insurance / assistance : research fees and helicopter rescue, hospitalisation and repatriation mandatory

International flights

If you wish, we can take care of booking your international flights to the closest airport of your destination. 

Terms and conditions

Subscription

Subscribe to one of our activities or travels means accepting general sales conditions. Each client must fill a subscription form, which will be accepted only after the payment of a deposit accounting for 30% of the travel’s price and according to the availability. If you subscribe less than 30 days before the trip, you must pay the whole price during the subscription. You can pay by bank transfer (SWIFT/IBAN) or with your credit card directly through our website (available soon). A booking confirmation will be sent to you be e-mail very soon. 

Invoice procedure

Once your booking is registered, we will send you an email containing the invoice. Full payment is required at least 30 days before your arrival. If the customer does not settle the payment of the travel price within the period agreed upon, Altaï Alpes has the right to cancel the booking free of charge. 

Cancellation policy

If for any reason, you decide to withdraw from a journey, the amount already paid will be refunded subject to the following exceptions:
  • More than 30 days before departure, you will be charged for the amount of 50€
  • From 30 to 21 days before departure, you will be charged for the amount of the deposit (30% of the trip’s price)
  • From 20 to 14 days before departure,  you will be charged for 50% of the trip’s price
  • From 13 to 7 days before departure,  you will be charged for 75% of the trip’s priceLess than 7 days before departure,  you will be charged for the whole trip’s price 

Particular case :

Whatever the cancellation or contract change date, the following fees will be added to the charges above:
  • Airline fixed costs: plane tickets are bought in advance to avoid too high airline prices, however they are non refundable in case of cancellation or plan changes. In that case, the charges above apply to the price of your trip without the plane ticket’s price
  • Ground fixed costs: you will be charged for the fees that were paid early
  • Insurance fees: Insurance fees will not be refunded if you have subscribed to a multi-risk or cancellation insurance. The specific conditions will be written on your subscription confirmationIf you have no choice but to cancel your trip before departure, you must inform Montagne Expeditions and your insurance provider with a written statement as soon as possible, you will get a receipt. 

The receipt date will be taken as the cancellation date to charge cancellation fees.  

If Montagne Expeditions has no choice but to cancel a group travel due to an insufficient number of participants, the decision will be taken and the clients informed at least 31 days before departure. Altaï Alpes can also cancel a departure due to exceptional events threatening participants safety (social events, strikes, weather conditions). In that case, the trip’s price will be fully refunded but the participants will not get any compensation.

Changes to travel contract

If any change in travel contract is made at the customer’s request, the customer shall pay any fee that might arise from this change. In any case, every request for changes shall be notified in writing. In case of external events that could not be foreseen, Altaï Alpes might change some aspects of the travel contract. We will inform you of any changes as quickly as possible.

Pricing

All group travel prices on our website have been calculated for the indicated number of participants for each trip. The price list is confirmed after the booking. If the number of participants is lower than expected, an additional payment charge might be applied. For each travel and program, we mention the price per person – valid for the minimum number of participants – and we provide you with detailed explanations about the services included or not. Any change in the exchange rates or in the price of travel services in particular regarding the cost of the fuel, might entail price revision.

Contract transfer

In case of contract transfer by the customer to an assignee, modification and cancellation conditions apply. 

Insurance

We recommend you to get your personal insurance before your departure to cover the activities undertaken by Altaï Alpes. If you have not purchased any of our insurances, we ask you to email us your insurance contract information (company, contract name, contract number, phone number) and bring those information with you on your trip. 

Practical info

Staff

Your trip will be supervised by a high-mountain guide who will teach you the technical elements needed for the good progress of your stay. He may need to modify the program in order to ensure safety regarding weather conditions and participants physical conditions.

Food

Meals
  • Lunch picnics and diners in refuges.
  • Bring some snacks according to your own tastes.

Drinks
  • Personal drinks are not included in the trip’s price : water, tea, coffee, beer, coke...

Accommodation

Dormitories are equipped with blankets (bring your own sleeping bag). Sleepers are available in the refuges. Bring some earplugs to avoid being bothered by the noise.

Transportation

During this trip, transport will mainly be on foot and skis, but there will be short journeys on private transfers (bus or minivan), chairlifts and cable cars. 
You will carry all of your belongings and you material in a 35/40L alpinism backpack, equipped with straps to carry your skies, ice axe, etc..

Budget & exchange

France is in the Eurozone. Therefore, the unit of the currency is the Euro.

Credit cards and debit cards are very useful for cash advances (but don’t forget to bring your PIN number!). 
ATMs are available in most of the towns you will cross during your stay, but there are no guarantees that your credit card will actually work in France.
Also, refuges often don’t have EPT (Electronic Payment Terminal): it is best to bring cash.
Be aware of the fees usually applied when purchasing products or services on a credit card. 

Always take more rather than less, as you don’t want to spend your trip constantly feeling short on funds. 
As currency exchange rates can often fluctuate, we recommend to check the following website for daily exchange rates: https://www.xe.com/

Tips

Clients usually pay for the guides’ drinks : you might find it practical to make a group kitty at the beginning of your stay (no obligation). 

Supplied equipment

  • Collective material (ropes) if needed.
  • Sleepers and blankets in shelters : bring your own sleeping bag.

Material

Technical material

Skis
  • One pair of light touring-ski equipped with breaks or safety straps
  • One pair of ski-touring shoes with VIBRAM-type sole
  • 1 pair of sticky sealskins suitable for ski
  • Knife
  • Sticks with fender washers 

Other
  • Safety equipment : avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe
  • Crampons with « anti bott » system
  • Ice axe
  • Life blanket
  • Harness and swivel snap hook
  • Clasp knife
  • Thermos or bottle
  • Headlamp with replacement battery
Everything must be in good condition before departure. 

Personal equipment

Head
  • Windproof bonnet
  • Hat or cap
  • Scarf
  • Solar cream (high protection index), face + lips
  • Glacier sunglasses (category 4 index) + ski goggles
  • A balaclava can be useful in case of wind or great cold

Upper body
  • 2 technic breathable underclothing with long sleeves (Carline type, no cotton, it is drying too slowly)
  • 1 breathable technic undershirt
  • 1 thick polar coat
  • 1 windproof and waterproof coat (Gore-tex type)
  • 1 pair of windproof mittens (polar or wool)
  • 1 pair of windproof gloves (polar or wool)
  • 1 pair of under gloves 

Lower body
  • 1 pair of technic tights (Carline type)
  • 1 pair of comfortable mountain pants
  • 1 pair of windproof and waterproof pants (Goretex type)
  • 2 pair of socks (one thick, one thin) 

Other
  • Toilet paper + lighter
  • Biafine (sunburn cream)
  • One sleeping bag
  • One toilet bag with one quick-drying towel
  • 1 plastic bag (100L) + one upper bag to protect your belongings and backpack from the rain
  • 1 waterproof sleeve to put your ID, phone, money, insurance/ assistance contract with all your emergency numbers
  • Some warm-hands and feet  




Luggage

  • You will be carrying your one-day belongings and equipment in a 40L- bag (equipped with ski racks, ice axe,…)
  • Your personal belongings will stay in the lodge in another bag (travel bag)

Medicine

Your guide will be carrying a first-aid kit. However, plan to bring your own pharmacy kit :
  • Personal medicine
  • Pain killers (paracetamol)
  • Double-skin 
  • Elastic adhesive tapes
  • Bandages
  • Local disinfectant
  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Antispasmodic
  • Anti-diarrheal pills
  • Eye drops
  • Light tranquilizers and sleeping pills 
  • Earplugs 
Non-exhaustive list.

Passport

Please make sure your passport and travel documents are valid.

Visa

  • Up to 90 days visit in France : citizens from most countries do not need a visa to visit France.
  • Over 90 days visit in France : non-EU or non-EFTA citizens must have a visa to visit France over 90 days.

For further information, please check the following website : https://france-visas.gouv.fr/

Identity card

For EU citizens, you can use your identity card to travel to France. 

Mandatory vaccines

No required vaccination. 

Health information & recommendations

It is important to consult your doctor for medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements. 
Please keep in mind that we are often in remote areas, away from medical facilities. Please carefully read the brochure and itinerary when selecting your trip, to make sure our style of travel suits you. 

Please note you will travel to high altitude. Most people can travel to 2 500m with minimal effects. However, everyone reacts differently to altitude and altitude sickness can occur. 
For details on how to best prepare your trip please consult your physician. 

Weather

The weather in the French Alps varies up and down the mountain chain. It is a mountainous region between 800 and 4000 meters, so altitude plays a big part in the local weather. 
As you climb higher into the mountains it gets 1 degree cooler every 100 meters. It is the case all year around but other factors such as temperature inversions and winds influence the climate.  The sun plays a very important role too. In the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky, some lower or north facing valleys are blocked from the sun by mountains for a large part of the day and are colder.  

Spring can be a bit unpredictable : rain, sometimes even some snow interspersed with hot sunny days. 
It can be quite hot in summer: around 20 to 30 degrees, but the fresh mountain air cools you down during your hike. 
In autumn, temperatures start to cool down, but it is still perfect conditions for a walking holiday.  
During winter time, the higher you get, the more snow you will see. Snow usually starts to fall in November and stays until April. 

Keep in mind that weather conditions are unpredictable. Therefore, the trip organization can me modified for your safety. 

Electricity

There will be electricity in most places you will stay. If you are scared to run low on battery, we advise to bring an external battery charger.  

Power plugs in France have the particularity of being male and female at the same time : they have 2 prongs and a receptacle. If you need an adapter, please purchase if before departure.

In France the power plugs and sockets are of type E. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz.

Local time

France is in the Central European Time Zone. Central European Standard Time (CET) is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1).

Like most states in Europe, Summer Time (Daylight-Saving) is observed in France, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+2).
After the summer months, the time in France is shifted back by 1 hour to Central European Time (CET or GMT+1).

Sustainable tourism

We do our best to offer trips subscribed to the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism. Our aim is to allow visitors to discover the many facets of France by taking you off the beaten path and getting you in touch with its nature and residents, while ensuring that your visits do not have a negative effect on its natural environment and people.

  • Most of our accommodations are run by locals, thus ensuring that the largest part of the revenue generated through your trip will stay within the region.
  • France is known for its exquisite cuisine. The art of cooking and the joy of eating are part of everyday life. Each region has its particular foods and flavors which we would like you to explore and appreciate.
  • Water is a precious and rare good. Our team and those travelling with us are thus advised to use it with consideration and avoid excessive water use where possible.
  • Please try to recycle your waste whenever possible, even though recycling may not be a well-known concept in all areas.
  • Be cautious and respectful when hiking. Make sure to wear suitable footwear and avoid picking flowers, moving stones or lighting fires.  
Request a quote
Region
France
Activity
Mont Blanc Ski-Touring
Duration
2 days
Group
2 to 2 people
Code
SRMB
Price
From €995
Level
4/5
Comfort
3/5
Language(s)
English

Strengths

  • Fascinating landscapes and a magical peak
  • A 2500m descent !

Guide's advice

Unique sensations during the Mont Blanc ascent that will be the icing on the cake to conclude a ski touring season !

Required level

Ascending the Mont Blanc with your skis is a high altitude race reserved to excellent ski tourers. You must know all the technics to hike and go down, in every slope and all kind of grounds (ice, powder snow,…). Participants must also know crampons technics because part of the hike will be using crampons. The race will take place in high altitude mountain. This means you need to be in great shape, both physically and mentally, and already acclimated. A regular training during the season, in high altitude, will guarantee your success to ascend. That is why we will ask you to give us a list of all the experiences you had during winter and all the peaks you hiked with crampons, in order to confirm your participation with the guide.
Request a quote