Top 8: the most beautiful treks and hikes
in the Northern Alps

No idea where to go this summer and enjoy the great outdoors? Would you like to explore some unforgettable landscapes on your own or with your family?

Situated between 3 borders, France, Italy and Switzerland, in this article you'll discover several ideas for treks and hikes that I hope will inspire you to explore the Northern Alps!

Here's our selection of the most beautiful itineraries for your next trip to the Alps, whether for a weekend or a week. There's something for everyone, young and old, beginner or expert, you're bound to fall in love with the beauty of the Northern Alps ;)

Let us help you choose your next holiday between flora and fauna, we promise you, you won't be disappointed!

If you'd like to find out more about our trekking and hiking programmes in the Northern Alps, click here:

• Treks in the Alps
• Hiking in the Alps

Where to go for your first trek as a beginner?

The Northern Alps offer many possibilities for a first trek. Whether in France, Italy or Switzerland, the snow-capped peaks, Alpine lakes, wild valleys and villages with their typical Alpine architecture will win you over!
From short hikes to multi-day treks, there's something for everyone :)

Our treks in the French Alps

In the Vanoise National Park :

1 - Tour of the Vanoise glaciers

Immerse yourself in the paradise of the Vanoise National Park, France's first national park. On this trek, we'll tour one of Europe's largest ice caps.
The Vanoise glaciers lie between the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys, and we'll be setting off from Pralognan, the "little Chamonix" of the Vanoise.

With your boots on and your walking poles, you'll cross a multitude of landscapes as beautiful as they are varied, with unique flora and fauna. A superb wilderness trek around the glaciers and in the heart of the national park: nature has long since reclaimed its rights here!
A guaranteed return to our roots ;)

The paths we'll be following are sometimes vertiginous, but offer superb views. The comfort of the Vanoise refuges is excellent... Perfect to recharge your batteries before each day's walk !

Let's go and discover some beautiful summits together !

-> the programme for the tour of the Vanoise glaciers with a Guide

A brief summary of the programme :

• Duration : 5 days and 4 nights
• Difference in altitude : around 900 to 1000 m per day
• Difficulty : moderate to difficult. The hike has many vertiginous, physical and technical sections, and the path is equipped with cables and ladders to aid progress. You should be able to master the activity and be self-sufficient in the mountains in the easy sections, while the guide will help you in the difficult sections.
• Bonus : Learn about the weather and how to use a mountain rope to help you progress.

2 - Trek in the heart of the Vanoise National Park

Discover the heart of the Vanoise National Park in 5 days !
This easy trek will take you through wilderness at the foot of the glaciers. We're likely to come across chamois, ibex and marmots in this little corner of paradise !
The route takes you through the heart of the park, over easy passes, to the foot of some of the most beautiful glaciers, including Grande Casse (3855m), Grande Motte and Dôme de la Sache (3588m).
A wild itinerary with high altitude passages alternating with the vast mountain pastures of the Vanoise and the magical environment of its mountain lakes ;)

Each day, an authentic and different hike to take in all the scenery. From hut to hut, you'll discover all the diversity of the Vanoise National Park on this trek.

See you at the starting point?

-> the programme for the trek in the heart of the Vanoise with a guide

A brief summary of the programme :

• Duration : 5 days and 4 nights
• Difference in altitude : between 500 and 700 m per day
• Difficulty : fairly easy. There may be some vertiginous sections where you need to concentrate, so it's best not to be afraid of heights...
• Bonus : Learning how to call for mountain rescue and mapping.

3 - The high paths of Vanoise and Haute Maurienne

Within reach of as many people as possible, with friends or family, set off on a 6-day trek in Europe's largest nature reserve, the Vanoise National Park, which borders the Gran Paradiso Park.
Golden eagles, ibex, bearded vultures and chamois rule the area. This is a wild, high-altitude trek, mainly off-piste and fairly easy, with some truly breathtaking scenery.
We'll skirt the glaciers of the Haute Maurienne and the mountain pastures of the Vanoise at the foot of the Grande Casse (3855 m) and the Grande Motte.
We'll discover mountain pastoralism, the making of Termignon blue cheese and flocks of sheep with the famous "patous" who protect the ewes from wolf attacks!
You'll have the time of your life in the wild mountains!

What are you waiting for ? Grab your rucksack and let's set off for 6 days of bliss ;)

-> the programme of high mountain trails in the Vanoise and Haute Maurienne with a guide

A brief summary of the programme :

• Duration : 6 days and 5 nights
• Difference in altitude : between 1000 and 1200 m per day
• Difficulty : moderate. This is a mountain hike for experienced mountaineers with good mountaineering skills. Some sections are vertiginous and you may need to use your hands to help you along.
• Bonus : off-piste between mountain pastures, scree and névés. You'll learn about the weather and cartography, and the guide can help you pick up a map to learn how to manage a route if you wish !

4 - Tour of the aiguilles rouges

This is one of France's best-known treks, along with the Tour du Mont Blanc, and it takes place against the backdrop of the breathtaking panorama of Mont Blanc. Above the Chamonix valley, this itinerant tour takes place in 4 stages on demanding trails with many aerial passages in the Aiguilles Rouges massif nature reserve.
Would you like to get out into the great outdoors in the Alps for a great trek, a change of scenery and to make the most of your mountain holidays?
Our team of guides will take you along the wild and aerial paths of the Tour des Aiguilles Rouges, which will remain engraved in your memory for a while...

We may come across ibex, marmots and, with a bit of luck, chamois or bearded vultures nesting in the Bargy or Fiz ranges.
Lac d'Anterne and the summit of Le Buet will be a bonus on our way if the weather holds out ;)

Between mountain pastures, rocks, forests and wild animals... Fancy an adventure?

-> the programme for the tour of the Aiguilles Rouges with a guide

A brief summary of the programme :

• Duration : 4 days and 3 nights
• Difference in altitude : between 900 and 1000 m per day
• Difficulty : moderate to difficult. The route has many vertiginous, physical and technical sections, and the path is equipped with cables and ladders to aid progress. You are on your own in the mountains in the easy sections, but the guide will help you in the more difficult sections.
• Bonus : Learn about the weather and how to use a mountain rope to help you find your way. During the adventure, your guide can help you improve your cartography, showing you Ign maps and how to use a GPS in the field.

5 - The Beaufortain tour

Rendezvous in Beaufort country !
Alpine pastures as far as the eye can see, right next to the Mont Blanc massif!
The famous ski mountaineering races: La Pierra Menta, Le Grand Mont and La Grande Journée will be our landmarks on this superb tour of the Beaufortain.
It's a fairly easy trek, with plenty of time to enjoy the lakes and take a dip in the afternoon, as well as the peaks and pretty cols where you might be lucky enough to spot a chamois. Above all, it's a paradise for marmots and pretty flowers... There are so many beautiful colours along the way !
As we round Lac d'Amour at the foot of the Pierra Menta, we'll be making the most of the fine weather and forgetting our watches if the weather's on our side ;)
We'll set off from the far south of the Mont-Blanc Massif to cross the Beaufortain in the footsteps of Gargantua and his Brèche, before passing the foot of the Pierra Menta and continuing on to Arèches and its summits. We'll then climb the Grande Journée above Albertville and perhaps the Mirantin to finish in Beaufort country.
Believe us, the evenings in the refuge are a real treat !

An ideal trek to disconnect from the fast-paced world and get back in touch with yourself in the midst of unforgettable scenery and wild animals !

-> The Beaufortain tour programme

A brief summary of the programme:

• Duration : 5 days and 4 nights
• Difference in altitude : between 700 and 900 m per day
• Difficulty : easy to medium. This is a mountain hike for experienced climbers with good mountaineering skills. Some sections are vertiginous and you may need to use your hands to help you along. If you're used to doing long mountain hikes, this course will be easy enough for you ;)
• Bonus : You'll learn about the weather and get some mapping experience. The guide can take the map with you to learn how to manage a route if you wish!

6 - Easy trekking in the Parc des Ecrins

The Ecrins National Park is one of the wildest massifs in the Alps. On this trek, you'll discover the Champsaur and Valgaudémar valleys.

This easy trek takes place in a superb mountain area within the Parc des Ecrins, where you walk at the foot of the glaciers and the great walls of the heart of the massif. The refuges are very pleasant and the organisation of the trek allows you to travel light, your back will thank you ;)
The Esprit Montagne team will prepare your itinerary so that you can discover the most beautiful paths and off-piste routes in the Ecrins.
Along the way, your Guide will manage the pace and the choice of the day's itinerary according to the weather, so that the stages are as beautiful as possible !
Your Guide is qualified and passionate about the region: he'll show you around better than anyone else and find you the most beautiful spots so that you can return home with beautiful memories and shared moments ;)

Grab your walking poles and let's get ready for a week of pure relaxation !

-> The Ecrins trek programme

A brief summary of the programme :

• Duration : 6 days and 5 nights
• Ascent : between 700 and 900 m of ascent per day
• Difficulty : fairly easy. There may be some vertiginous sections where you need to concentrate - it's best not to be afraid of heights! If you're used to doing long mountain hikes, this course will be easy enough for you ;)
• Little extras : Learning how to call for help in the mountains and mapping.

Our hikes in France in the Alps

7 - Hiking weekend in Le Buet - Lac Blanc

Chamonix is the perfect place for a sporting weekend in the mountains!
You can spend your first night in a refuge before climbing Mont Buet, culminating at 3096 m. The panoramic views are breathtaking, and make you forget all about the hard work involved in the ascent... The first day is easier at Lac Blanc, so you can get off to a gentle start in an imposing setting with Mont Blanc, the roof of Europe, as a backdrop ;)

This programme is suitable for those who want to have a good time over two days for a rejuvenating mountain sports weekend!
If you're coming from a long way away, you can follow this up with a three-day break in Chamonix. You can ask us for advice on the must-do activities and trails in the Chamonix area!
Finally, the night at the Pierre à Bérard refuge at the foot of the Aiguilles Rouges will be a great opportunity to meet and share with other hikers ;)

Ready to do a 3000?

-> The Buet - Lac Blanc programme

A brief summary of the programme :

• Duration : 2 days and 1 night
• Difference in altitude : between 1000 and 1400 m per day
• Difficulty : moderate. A mountain hike for experienced hikers. Some sections are vertiginous and you may need to use your hands to help you along. What's more, the gradients are not insignificant... Between 1,000 and 1,400 m of ascent per day is no mean feat.
• The little extra : Learning about the weather and mapping experience, the Guide can help you pick up a map to learn how to manage a route if you wish !

8 - 5-day Chamonix tour

Discover the most beautiful hikes in the Chamonix valley, walk at the foot of Mont Blanc and get off the beaten track with your Guide.
Our guides will show you the most beautiful walks and share their experience with you! Each evening, you'll enjoy the comfort of a good Chamonix hotel.

The route takes in exceptional panoramas in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif, between the imposing glaciers of Argentière and the Mer de Glace. The most beautiful peaks in Chamonix, such as Les Drus, Aiguille Verte and Aiguilles de Chamonix, will be part of the backdrop to the trip, and finally, the Jonction glaciers at the foot of Mont Blanc to round off this week in style...

Each day we'll be leaving from our hotel, located near Les Gaillands, next to its lake and its cliff face, well known to mountaineers the world over. It's a peaceful spot with lots of chalets, just a five-minute walk from the centre of Chamonix. We'll take the valley shuttle and train to the trailheads.
When you have a break, you can take the Aiguille du Midi cable car to admire the Vallée Blanche and the Cosmiques ridge, or the Planpraz cable car to the summit of Le Brévent, where the view is exceptional.

Discover the best classic hikes in Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc with Esprit Montagne's guides and enjoy an all-inclusive mountain hiking holiday !

-> 5-day hiking programme in Chamonix

A brief summary of the programme :

• Duration : 5 days and 5 nights
• Difference in altitude : between 900 and 1400 m per day
• Difficulty : moderate. Mountain walking for experienced hikers. You'll be walking between 6 and 7 hours a day. What's more, the changes in altitude are not insignificant... Between 900 and 1400 m of ascent per day, that's no mean feat.
• Bonus : Learn about the weather and get some mapping experience. The trip is all-inclusive, so you don't have to worry about a thing ;)

Now you're ready to select the programme that inspires you most, and have no excuse not to go !