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Mont Blanc Massif
Ascent to Mont Blanc 4 days
Technical lev. : 4,5 / 5
Physical lev. : 4,5 / 5
. Progressive ascent for better acclimatisation
. Mythical race which is the ambition of many mountaineers
. Possibility of adapting the ascent according to the best times to get past critical points.
. A 4-day trip to the roof of Europe
Dates & Prices
Supervision: 2 people per guide for the 3 days, to optimise your chances of success.
Given the physical and technical difficulty of the ascent of Mont Blanc, this course is only available as a private package.
Dates available on request.
IMPORTANT: Since 2021, reservations in the refuges of the normal route of Mont Blanc (Refuge de Tête Rousse and Refuge du Goûter) are mandatory and nominative to make the ascent. Reservations open in November/December for the following summer.
When the Tête Rousse and Refuge du Goûter bookings open, we register participants subject to availability of the refuges at that time. We will confirm your Mont Blanc course once the hut bookings have been confirmed.
We therefore advise you to start planning your ascent well in advance.
Cancellation fees will be increased by €135 per person. This corresponds to the non-refundable deposit paid to the huts on the Mont Blanc Normal Route.
135 € per person will be deducted from the credit note (booking fees lost in the huts).
Ascent
There are many routes to the roof of Europe. They vary according to their technical nature (cramponing, mixed climbs, glacial ridge crossings, etc.), their starting point (France or Italy), and the support points available in the refuges (Gonella, Gouter, Durier....). Here, we propose the ascent by the normal French route via the Tête Rousse and Gouter refuges: this is the classic ascent that has been covered the most. Although it is a ‘general public’ route, the minimum level required to undertake it is demanding in terms of physical condition and technical ability.
Many mountaineers aspire to climb Mont Blanc: although there are objective dangers that should not be underestimated (rock falls during the crossing of the Gouter couloir in particular), it is an ascent of great beauty that represents the first high point in a lifetime of mountaineering. It is also a gateway to other more ambitious and less popular routes (Matterhorn, Pointe Dufour, etc.).
This ascent requires very good physical condition: allow an average of 8 hours' walking and glacial progression per day. In this demanding terrain, previous mountaineering experience is essential.
If you have no experience of cramponing and mountaineering at altitude, you will need to work with Esprit Montagne on a training and acclimatisation programme involving the ascent of various summits in preparation for this major ascent (e.g. Grand Paradis, Castor, Punta Gniefetti on Mont Rose, etc.).
Mont Blanc is a difficult summit: it is essential to be well prepared, and in particular to acclimatise in order to make this ascent a positive experience.
To complete this information, take a look at this link to the website of the Office de Haute Montagne de Chamonix , which shows that climbing Mont Blanc is a mountaineering experience.
Program
Ascent: +700 m
Meet your mountain guide at 11:00 / 11:30 am in Les Houches in the Chamonix valley. From there, take the Bellevue cable car and then the cog railway to the Nid d'Aigle at 2300m.
A 3-4 hour hike will take you to the glacier and then to the Tête Rousse refuge. This is where you'll spend your first night, at an altitude of 3167m.
Ascent: +700 m
We'll set off early in the morning, at around 5am, via the Tête Rousse glacier to reach the famous Goûter couloir and cross it when the rocks are most stable.
Our objective will be the Goûter refuge. Where we'll settle in for the night ahead.
If you are fit, the Guide will take a moment during the day to walk around the refuge and do some manoeuvres.
Overnight at the Refuge du Gouter.
Difference in altitude: + 1000 m / - 1000 m
Depart early in the morning, after breakfast.
After reaching the Dôme de Goûter, we continue to the Vallot hut. Then we start on the famous Arête des Bosses, a more or less technical route depending on the snow/ice conditions.
The second slope is technically easier, but the effects of altitude and fatigue are already making themselves felt. With a final effort, you'll climb the final ridge leading to the summit of Mont Blanc.
From here, on a clear day, you can take the time to contemplate the view of the Western Alps, and take stock with emotion of the effort you have made.
Then it's time for the descent, via the same route as the ascent, to the Refuge du Goûter. Here you can rest and contemplate the scenery, at an altitude of 3800 m.
Dinner and overnight at the Goûter refuge (3800m).
Ascent: - 1500 m
The night allows the Gouter couloir to refreeze and we descend with the first light of day on the north face, quickly reaching the Tête Rousse refuge before the rockfalls start again. We'll then descend along the same route we took 48 hours earlier to reach Les Houches. There, we can round off this adventure with a well-deserved drink in one of the valley's typical bistros.
IMPORTANT: The programme described above is for information only.
Esprit Montagne or the Guide may modify the programme if they deem it necessary due to the weather, mountain conditions or if the participants do not have the physical or technical level required to complete the climb and ensure the safety of all participants.
No changes to the programme can be reimbursed.
Materiel
If you have any doubts or simply need clarification on what gear to take for your climb, you can take a look at our Blog page "What gear for mountaineering?"
N.B. Consider a change for when you are back to the hut (you can leave some stuff at the hut).
IMPORTANT: if a person is not properly equipped and dressed, the mountain guide may decide not to allow him/her to take part in the climb. We ask you to read carefully the equipment list provided in the programme PDF and to call us if you have any doubts.
Level
IMPORTANT :
The ascent of Mont Blanc is accessible to people with very good mountaineering experience, a very good level of fitness and a good prior acclimatisation carried out 1 week / 10 days before the ascent.
A list of summits is required to book the 4-day ascent of Mont Blanc.
If your list of summits is not sufficient, the mountain guide will have to assess your technical level and physical condition on a previous route: in this case, we offer the ascent of Mont Blanc in 5 days https://www.espritmontagne.com/fr/d_327_ascension-du-mont-blanc-stage-alpinisme-5-jours.php
Our guides only take people to Mont Blanc who have recently acclimatised, are physically fit and trained for this type of ascent and are technically prepared. If you are new to mountaineering, we can offer you other routes that will give you an insight into the high mountain environment and provide an introduction to mountaineering techniques (please contact us).
This is a long, purely glacial route that requires a good level of training, technique and concentration. Some short sections are steep (55°), sometimes icy, and require a good command of ice axes and crampons.
You need to be acclimatised to the altitude to maximise your chances of reaching the summit and to avoid mountain sickness: you need to have already climbed summits at 3500 metres or to have slept at altitude one or two weeks before Mont Blanc.
You will be working on a high mountain route, so you need to be aware of the dangers associated with this activity and this race (crevasses, falling seracs, falling rocks, avalanches, very low temperatures).
We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
It is very important that :
Useful infos
Bad weather is often the cause of failure when climbing Mont Blanc: lack of visibility, strong wind, precipitation.... are just some of the factors that lead the guide to decide not to undertake or complete the route, for your own safety. We try to anticipate weather conditions as much as possible: weather forecasts beyond 3 days are trends but do not give a precise understanding of what the reality of the terrain will be. That's why we ask you to trust your guide and the agency who, if the weather is uncertain, will take the decision at the last moment whether or not to attempt the climb.
If mountain or weather conditions do not allow the climb to be made as planned, an alternative programme will be proposed if possible and the price readjusted.
On the other hand, if the decision is taken to attempt the ascent and the group does not reach the summit for various reasons (bad weather, poor mountain conditions, fatigue or illness of one of the participants, etc.), no refund or compensation will be provided.
The guides only take people to Mont Blanc who have recently acclimatised, are physically fit and trained for this type of ascent and are technically prepared. If you are new to mountaineering, please contact us to arrange a suitable preparation programme.
In order to guarantee the safety of the group, if your technical level and/or physical condition do not correspond to those required for the ascent, the guide and the organisation reserve the right to interrupt your ascent. Under no circumstances will this interruption give rise to any reimbursement or payment of compensation.
IMPORTANT: Since 2021, reservations in the refuges of the normal route of Mont Blanc (Refuge de Tête Rousse and Refuge du Goûter) are compulsory and nominative to make the ascent. Reservations open in November/December for the following summer.
When the Tête Rousse and Refuge du Goûter bookings open, we register participants subject to availability of the refuges at that time. We will confirm your Mont Blanc course once the hut bookings have been confirmed.
We therefore advise you to start planning your ascent well in advance.
Meeting with the mountain guide at 11.00 / 11.30 am in Les Houches, at the Bellevue cable car departure point: click here to see the map.
The group leaves Les Houches in the early afternoon.
You can park your car in Les Houches, in the car park next to the cable car.
Cancellation and repatriation insurance is compulsory, as is mountain search and rescue insurance (minimum cover 10,000 Euros).
Esprit Montagne offers the following insurance: https: //www.assurance-multi-sports.com.
If you wish, we can arrange a taxi for you from the airport: don't hesitate to ask for details when you make your booking.
When you register online, you can choose whether or not you wish to take part in the car-sharing scheme to get to the starting point of your course. Once you have made your booking, by logging back into your Esprit Montagne personal account, a section dedicated to carpooling will be available. Here you will find the contacts of participants on your course who are interested in carpooling, enabling you to contact them directly.
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