The hike has vertiginous, physical and technical passages, the path is sometimes equipped with cables and ladders to allow the progression.
You must master the activity, you are autonomous in the mountain in the easy passages, the guide will help you in the difficult passages.
You will learn about the weather and how to use a mountain rope to help you progress.
10 clients per AMM maximum
Physical lev. : 4 / 5
Physical lev. : 4 / 5
Trained Sportsman 4/5:
You master the sporting activity of the trip you are buying!
Effort corresponding to approximately 1200 - 1700m of ascent per day.
You like and practice endurance sports at a good level.
7 days & 6 nights
Participants : 4 to 10
July to September
All Inclusive in Mountain Hut
Crossing the Monte Rosa Massif on foot is one of the most beautiful hiking trips in the Alps, It is surely the Alpine hiking trip that most resembles the Himalayan trek!
The hike has dizzying, physical and technical passages, the path is equipped with cables and ladders to allow progression.
You must master the activity, you are autonomous in the mountain in the easy passages, the guide will help you in the difficult passages.
You will learn about the weather and how to use a mountain rope to help you progress.
Example of level : Passage of the Col Lauson in the Grand Paradis
Physical lev. : 4 / 5
Physical lev. : 4 / 5
SPORT TRAINED
Effort corresponding to approximately 1200 - 1700m of ascent per day.
You like and practice endurance sports at a good level.
6 days & 5 nights
Participants : 4 to 8
From August to September
All Inclusive
A wild trekking trip, that will take you to the discovery of some beautiul valleys in the Aosta Valley region, in Italy. The Cogne Valley, the Gran Paradiso Massif and the beautiful Valgrisenche valley to finish await you.
From860
Hiking across the Alps with Esprit Montagne
It's a dream for many hikers! Esprit Montagne, together with our Trekking and Mountain Guides has traced different treks, to allow you to complete the Alps Trekking Traverse in several years!
The perfect mountain trip to discover beautiful alpine landscapes and the alpine
During these treks through the Alps, you will be able to admire the panoramas that make the Alpine Arch one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on the planet. It is the easiest mountain region to access for Europeans, which allows to discover it much more easily, Esprit Montagne has selected some of the most beautiful trekking routes for a perfect hiking adventure!
We have chosen to start this hiking adventure in Saas Almagell, near Saas Fee in Switzerland, to begin with the second highest mountain chain in Europe:
Monte Rosa - the Pennine Alps
The Monte Rosa massif culminates at 4634 meters above sea level with the Punta Dufour (Dufour Spitze), it is the third highest summit in the Alps after Mont Blanc (4809 m) and Mont Blanc de Courmayeur (4748 m).
This massif forms the border between Switzerland and Italy, between the valleys of Saas Almagel and Macugnaga and then between Cervinia and Zermatt! We are going to walk in the Walser country, the architecture here is really typical: the wooden chalets are placed on pillars with a large stone or lauze, to prevent mice from entering the house! But there are many other interesting details that your Guide will explain to you!
Trekking across the Alps: different routes for all levels and all tastes
You can realise the dream of many hikers, in several weeks or years of trekking: the Alps Trekking Traverse! You can do it at your own pace, by choosing more or less easy sections to start your journey with. At every trekking trip you take, you will complete a part of the Traverse Route and trekking after trekking you will be able to complete the entire Alps Traverse.
Hiking in the Alps - Monte Rosa Walser Tour
This trek takes you at the discovery of the Monte Rosa massif, starting from Saas Almagell, in the Swiss Valais, via the Monte Moro Pass at 2985 meters in Italy to reach Magugnaca. You will then walk to Alagna via the Turlo Pass, which is one of the high passes of the Monte Rosa Walser Tour. You will continue to walk on the Walsers trails, to reach at Gressoney-Saint Jean. The view of the Monte Rosa Massif is magnificent and we understand why in the Walser local dialect "Monte Rosa" meant mountain of ice! We will continue on the paths of the Monte Rosa Tour, to arrive in the Champoluc valley and then head towards Cervinia! We will finish the trekking traverse in the beautiful city of Aosta, which is known for its many Roman monuments: the Italian Dolce Vita will be waiting for you!
Hiking across the Alps - Gran Paradiso
We leave the charming city of Aosta to cross the first Esuropen National Park, the Gran Paradiso Park, which was created on December 3, 1922 in Italy: it is surely the wildest area in Europe and, together with the French Vanoise National Park, it is the largest protected area in Europe!
During this hiking traverse, you will be able to climb Gran Paradiso, which is a fairly easy mountaineering summit at 4061 meters!
This trek allows you to achieve many passes and peaks over 3000 meters and to walk along great glaciers: the ascent of Gran Paradiso is not mandatory, it is placed in the middle of the trek, so that you can either rest or climb the summit leaded by a Mountain Guide of the Esprit Montagne Team! We will then continue our trekking traverse heading towards the Grée Alps, the border massif between France and Italy, to finally reach the Vanoise massif, which you will be able to discover during the next trek!
Going on a trek for several days: how to prepare?
To be well prepared to go on a Trek lasting several days, you have to choose your route well, so that it is at your physical and technical level:
Esprit Montagne has a clear and precise level scale: click here to see it!
We advise you to practice an endurance sport all year round or a few months before going on a Trek: it is not worth training for many hours a week, but a regularity of effort , while keeping the pleasure, and a low to moderate pace will allow you to support the first physical levels.
Mountain Trip Organisation: the little "+" of Esprit Montagne
The trip that has a positive impact on our environment!
Esprit Montagne is a small travel agency on a human scale, which designs programs that go beyond the classics, with a particular philosophy:
We are setting up Mountain Beekeeping to safeguard the local species: the black bee, a species endemic to mountain areas. The black bee is a species adapted to mountain temperatures, which best withstands the cold of our winters: the preservation of this species is important for the survival of mountain bees, which risk to disappear because of crosses with non local species ...
we avoid transport and favour local products that the hut keepers prepare for us!
to find out more about all the steps we take and discover our Philosophy: click here!
What is the GR5 or the route des Grandes Alpes and what is its route?
The GR5 is a hiking trail that crosses the French and Swiss Alps and the Vosges. It is part of the network of Great Hiking Trails (GR) that covers all of France.
The GR5 starts at the Swiss border, crosses the northern Alps in France, passes through the towns of Chamonix, Modane, Briançon, before crossing the Italian border to end on the Mediterranean Sea in Nice. The trail is approximately 1,500 kilometers long and offers an unforgettable hiking experience through spectacular mountain scenery. The best time to do it is between June and October.
What is the most beautiful part of the GR5?
Crossing the Alps on the GR5 is an exceptional experience in its entirety. The most beautiful part of the GR5 starts in the French Alps and crosses the Italian and Swiss Alps to the Mediterranean coast with the Maritime Alps. It is therefore difficult to say which part of the GR5 is the most beautiful, as each section offers a unique and beautiful hiking experience in its own way. It also depends on preferences, season and weather conditions.
However, some parts are often considered particularly spectacular. For example, the section through the Vanoise National Park in the French Alps offers breathtaking views of glaciers and alpine peaks.
Discover our treks in Vanoise by clicking here and here!
The crossing of the Écrins massif is also famous for its wild and grandiose landscapes.
We can propose you this trek perfect for beginners!
All in all, the GR5 offers an unforgettable hiking experience as a whole, and everyone can find parts that they consider particularly beautiful and memorable according to their personal preferences. It is important to choose the right season to do this route, but also to look at the weather, you will enjoy this gr5 even more if you have good weather!
Where to start the GR5 in the Alps by foot?
The GR5 is a long distance hiking trail that crosses the Alps from the North to the South, from the North Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. The GR5 officially starts in Hoek van Holland (near Rotterdam) and ends in Nice.
However, a departure is also possible from the shores of Lake Geneva with, as first objective, the Tarentaise. A first section through the Savoyard Alps, up to the Mont-Blanc, with the Fiz chain and the Beaufortain in the background.
The gr5 hike is one of the most famous and difficult hikes in the Alps. Many factors must be taken into account when preparing this hike. In particular the equipment to bring, we advise you to take a rain cape, good shoes for the alpine parts and something to insure yourself (like a rope) for the aerial passages. You should also take into account the duration of the trip, the weather conditions and the positive altitude changes to overcome. You should also look for an experienced Mountain Guide who will guide you and teach you methods to become autonomous in the mountains. This requires good preparation to ensure that the hike will be safe!
