Climb Mont Blanc in 3 Days course

Itinerary for the 3 Day Mont Blanc Course

Day 0: 

Telephone appointement with your guide for a program briefing, plus gear check, and confirm meeting time in the morning of Day 1, around 8-9 AM.***

Night in the hotel (2 or 3 *** depending availability) in shared twin room on Bed & Breakfast base. Dinner is at your charge.

*** Have no worry, you will have enough time Day1 to go over the gear check and leave afterwards in the mountains. The guide will bring you the gear, if  you have requested from us.

Day 1: Hike up to Tete Rousse glacier

Departure either from les Houches, Bellevue cable car (accessible by free shuttle bus from Chamonix). Or from TMB train, Le Fayet (accessible by free train with your guest card from Chamonix). 

Take the tramway up to the Nid d'Aigle (Eagle’s Nest) at 2300m, followed by a 3-4 hour hike up to the Tête Rousse glacier.

Dinner and night in the Tête Rousse hut (3167m).

Altitude covered: +700 m
 

Day 2: Ascent of Mont Blanc, back down to the Gouter hut

The longest day of around 10 - 12 hours. A very early morning start (depending conditions) through  the Tete Rousse glacier, to reach the famous Gouter couloir.

Rock scrambling will be required on the aiguille du Gouter until the Gouter hut where you will  have a short rest.

Following then climb towards the Dome de Gouter and continue up to the Vallot Hut. From there the first technical steep part starts towards the Mont Blanc summit.

The second slope is easier technically, nevertheless you need to remain focus to counteract the effects of the altitude and fatigue before climbing the final ridge to the Mont Blanc summit.

At the summit you will have enough time to take photos, catch your breath, enjoy a 360° view over the Western Alps, and congratulate each other! (unless it is really windy)

Please note the Gouter and Tete Rousse huts are interchangable, depending on when we are able to get reservations.

Altitude covered: + 1700 m / - 1000 m
Diner and night in Gouter hut (3800m).

Day 3: Descent of Mont Blanc

After a restful night, time to descent the whole path. Breakfast at 7am.

Brief stop at the Tete Rousse hut for a drink before heading down to the Nid d'Aigle train. Cable car to les Houches or train to le Fayet. Upon the pace of your walk, you should be back in Chamonix for mid-afternoon, around 2-4 pm. 

2 SLOTS FOR THE SUMMIT
This means that your guide will choose the best weather window to get to the summit: either Day 2 from Tête Rousse hut, or Day 3  from the Goûter hut. If you make an attempt and don't reach the summit, for whatever reason, there is no second attempt. EXCEPT if you reach to an agreement with your guide, for an additional fee to be paid directly to him. This is subject to be discuss with the guide on the moment, he is the one that knows on the moments, the ability and physical strength of the clients. Keep in mind that : the way up it is only half way, the way down often is more strenuous. 

Altitude covered: - 1400 m

We strongly suggest, that you plan an extra day in Chamonix,  in case we have to shift our summit day due to weather.

Equipment List for climbing Mont Blanc

Please click here to see the required equipment list, which includes the rental price list.

Climbing experience to book this 3 Day Climb Mont Blanc Course

We will be climbing snow and ice up to 40 degrees. Basic rock climbing (grade II and III) in some sections.

The climb to the Goûter hut can be described as a rock scramble. Rock climbing experience is a real advantage.

It is obligatory to have previous moutaineering experience, including use of crampons and ice-axes, in order to choose the 3 day program. If in doubt, choose our 5 days program!

If you don't have the required experience or fitness level, your guide will be obliged to stop your course and you will not be refunded.

Fitness level required to climb Mont Blanc

There will be 6 to 8 hours of walking per day, 10-12 hours for Mont Blanc summit day, with vertical climbs of between 800 and 1700m.

Excellent fitness is therefore required. Please arrive fit; you cannot get in shape on the mountain!

Changes to the program

Option if bad weather forecast on day 2:

• Day 1: Tete Rousse hut
• Day 2: Gouter hut ascent. Sleep in Gouter hut
• Day 3: Mont Blanc ascent and descent to Tete rousse and Chamonix valley

We will also propose you the following options:

• Climb Gran Paradiso (4060m) or Mont Rose (4653m) in Italy,  no refund  

  Change in the program which implies travelling to Italy, for Grand Paradis and Monte Rosa : we get organized in between clients and guide's car for traveling. If there is not enough space for all the participants, we must book a taxi, which requires extra costs to be paid by the participants

• Staying in Chamonix a few extra days while waiting for better weather. We will do our best to get places in the huts and find a new guide, if yours is not free. Note that these 2 factors are totally independent on us.  Extra expenses at Chamonix will be at your charge (hotel, meals, etc)
• Cancel the course.  If you are in a group, this decision needs to be unanimous. In this case we will give you a credit proportional to the number of days lost to be used for your next attempt, or we will reimburse you for any unused services, both taking in consideration cancelation fees, (any hotel nights or cable car used will be taken in account).

Accommodation

In mountain huts, and a  2 or 3*** hotel in Chamonix ( Pointe Isabelle upon availability). If you require accommodation the night before or after your tour, just let us know.

There is no tap water in the huts, so please budget for the purchase of bottled water. (6-8 € a bottle). Bring a silk sleeping-bag liner for the refuges. Blankets and pillows are provided.

For the Gouter and Tête Rousse huts, due to intense demand, the accommodation are reserved in advance, usually by mid-April. On the moment, if weather changes, with the hut keeper, we do our best to move dates ( upon availability).

In Tête Rousse you may sleep in tent at the Base camp if we don't get places inside the hut, (2 persons in a 3 places tent, fitted with confortable mattress and very warm sleeping bag). These tente are settled on a wooden platform. Diner and breakfast will be taken in the refuge, 200 m from the camp.

Meals

Half board (dinner and breakfast) provided in the huts.

Hearty packed lunches are provided, which you carry.

You can bring your own extra snacks, e.g. energy bars, dried fruit and nuts. Don't bring anything heavy, or things which might squash, leak or spoil.

Vegetarian options available on request.

Cost and availability for the 3 day Mont Blanc Climb course

2025 prices are subject to changes depending on 2025 rates for huts and guides!

There will be a 2:1 client to guide ratio for this course.
If you would like a 1:1 client to guide ratio (i.e. a private course) then the additional cost will be 1240 €. In this case you can choose your preferred dates (depending on huts availability).

Our planning is changing constantly  - GET IN TOUCH directly by mail or phone / Whats app + 33 6 95 04 23 02  as we have other different dates/ program / routes available too.

The cost includes:

• Organisation of the trip
• High mountain guide (alpinism state qualified) 
• All accommodation (2 nights in mountain hut, 1 night in a hotel ** or ***  (upon availability) in Chamonix in a shared twin room depending on availabilities. In case no twin room is available or the other person don't want to share the room a single one will be booked with an extra cost of 90€ to pay.
• All meals (except dinner in Chamonix on Day 0)
• All transport within the Chamonix valley by free bus/train
• Safety equipment provided by your guide (rope, ice screws, etc)
• Tramway / cable cars

The cost does not include:

• Transport to and from Chamonix before and after the course
• Personal expenses (drinks in the refuges for you and your guide, additional snacks, etc)
• Personal equipment and clothing (equipment can be hired from CMBG, please ask)
• Single room supplement, 97 € per night
• Alpine climbing insurance
• Gratuities

SPECIFIC CANCELLATION COSTS:  there is a 120 € per person deposit included in the price for the booking of the huts. In case of cancellation of the course, this amount is non-refundable.