The Vallée Blanche
from Courmayeur to Chamonix - Mont Blanc

Your day

Vallée Blanche – from Courmayeur to Chamonix - Mont Blanc

A wonderful itinerary 24km long in the middle of Mont Blanc massif. A unique and incomparable ski glacier descent on the famous "Mer de Glace”, surrounded by majestic granite peaks.

The itinerary starts from the New Torino Hut, at 3.375 mt (Punta Helbronner), and arrives in Chamonix at 1.042 mt.

You will ski through breathtaking granite spiers, crevasses and seracs.
You need to be a good skier but the route does not involve major technical difficulties. The descent takes between 4/5 hours, considering breaks to take pictures and for lunch.

Arrival by skis in Chamonix in the afternoon, where you will enjoy a well-deserved beer!
In case of poor snow at the bottom part of the glacier, you will avoid it by taking the Montenvers train to reach Chamonix.
Return to Courmayeur by bus or private minibus, through the Mont Blanc tunnel.

The Program

• Meeting with the guide between at 9:00 am (unless changes take place due to the weather) in front of the Sky Way cablecar departure in Courmayeur;
• After a material check (add maybe a goog Capuccino), you will catch the Sky Way cable car in Courmayeur to reach Punta Helbronner at 3.375 mt. Once on the top you will have the chance to visit the architectural perfection of the Sky Way building, Italy's highest cable car, and from its terrace you can admire the view on the Dent du Géant (Dente del Gigante), on the whole glacier that extends to your feet and finally on the summit of Mont Blanc;
• Descent of about 2000 meters in the middle of the impressive Mont Blanc chain; the descent takes between 4/5 hours;
• Arrival at the Montenvers Train Station at 1900 mt. - as the glacier level has seen an important decrease in the last few years, you must walk about 200 mt on the stairchase to reach the train station;
• Train from Montenvers to Chamonix - you can stop for a beer and lunch in the charming village of Chamonix;
• Bus back to Courmayeur.

Equipment

The Mountain Guide will equip you with the safety material:

• avalanche transceiver
• shovel and probe
• harness

Personal equipment

• Off-piste skis, minimum 88 mm at the foot
• Backpack, min 25 lt
• Ski poles (if possible with large rings, for off-piste skiing)

If you do not have your own off-piste skis, we can advise you on renting the necessary equipment.

Picnic / food

• Remember to bring a sandwich or snack to eat during or at the end of the run
• 1 lt of water and a thermos

Useful Infos

Meeting point in the morning

Meet the guide and the rest of the group at the Sky Way cable car ticket office in Courmayeur at 9am: https://goo.gl/maps/MMBB5iZa1HbQYvsd9

Picnic / food

• Remember to bring a sandwich or a snack to eat during or at the end of the descent
• 1 lt of water and a thermos

Hotel / Overnight stay 

If you are staying near by Aosta, you can easily move from one valley to another day by day depending on where snow conditions are best  and at the same time take the chance to visit the historic center of the ancient Roman city and maybe enjoy the traditional Aosta Valley cuisine at the end of your ski day.

Insurance:

we recommend to have your own personal travel insurance, covering accident abroad and repatriation.

How to reach Aosta Valley:

• Via Chamonix Mont Blanc – you can reach Chamonix by train from the main French airports or from Geneva airport – then you can reach Courmayeur – Aosta Valley through the Mont Blanc Tunnel (there are buses connections from Chamonix to Aosta Valley, but if you would like to be free to move it is advisable to rent a car).
• Via Geneva or Martigny - you can easily reach Martigny by train from Geneva airport - then you reach Aosta city center via the tunnel of Grand Saint Bernard (there are buses connections from Martigny to Aosta Valley, but if you would like to be free to move it is advisable to rent a car).
• Via Milan/Turin airport – rent a car directly to reach Aosta via the highway.

Level

Level required:

The Vallée Blanche is a glacier itinerary, therefore you need to be an intermediate skier who has done off piste before and can easily ski without falling.