Right through the Alps towards people and mountains... The Grande Traversée des Alpes (GTA) between Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean is a long-distance journey. The opportunity to take a long break and put daily life aside.
This itinerary runs along the Swiss and Italian borders while crossing five departments and some of the most famous ranges of the Alps.
1st section: Chablais, Haut Giffre, Aiguilles Rouges, Mont-Blanc
This first part takes us from the shores of Lake Geneva to Chamonix, the ice capital. We discover the Chablais massif with its characterful limestone relief and the green mountain pastures of Abondance! The wild and preserved Dents Blanches massif opens the doors on the Faucigny region. The land of giant waterfalls, lapies and chasms, but also of heavenly alpine plateaus. A few hours hike later and we are into the Aiguilles Rouges massif from where we finally discover Mont-Blanc mountains, a spectaular display of glaciers and rocks. To be continued…
Next departure 21/06/20
From 810 €
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Dates | Status | Prices | |
---|---|---|---|
From 21/06/20 to 27/06/20 |
Guaranteed departure | 810 € | Book online |
From 05/07/20 to 11/07/20 |
Guaranteed departure | 810 € | Book online |
From 19/07/20 to 25/07/20 |
Guaranteed departure | 810 € | Book online |
From 02/08/20 to 08/08/20 |
Guaranteed departure | 810 € | Book online |
From 16/08/20 to 22/08/20 |
Guaranteed departure | 810 € | Book online |
From 30/08/20 to 05/09/20 |
Open departure | 810 € | Book online |
GTA 1 and 2
GTA 3 and 4
GTA 1, 2, 3 and 4
Link up the differents sections of the GTA with a free night stay in a hotel on a B&B basis between the 2 sections (based on a 2 or 3 person bedroom)
The price includes:
The price does not include:
The price is all inclusive from departure to end point.
Personalised tour available
Contact us !Meet at 12:00pm in front of the Tourist Office in Thollon-les-Mémises or at 9:30am in front of Chamonix train station if you have chosen this option.
PIC DES MEMISES - BALCON DU LEMAN
Way up with the cablecar and departure towards the balcony trail overlooking Lake Geneva. Picnic lunch and crossing the Mémises and the alpine pastures of Mottay before descending to Novel valley. Night in the pasture, without baggage.
3.5 hour walk / Elevation: +550m -600m
BISE PASS - BISE VALLEY
From the refuge, climb to Lake Neuteu and Bise pass. Short detour possible by Lake Darbon, beautiful glacial lake, under the mocking eyes of the ibex! Descend into Bise valley to reach Ubine refuge nestled under the north face of Mont Chauffé.
6.5 hour walk / Elevation: +970m -970m
ABONDANCE - LAKE TAVANEUSE
Descent to Abondance village and quick transfer to the valley. Climb to Lake Tavaneuse and to the mountain pass at 1997m. Descent through the pastures and the forest to Lake Montriond. Transfer to Chardonnière refuge. Night in dormitory.
7 hour walk / Elevation: +950m -1350m
DENTS BLANCHES MASSIF - "PAS AU TAUREAU"
Climb to "Tête de Bostan" facing the superb and wild Dents Blanches massif. Cross the "Pas au Taureau" (2555m), short cabled passage, then descend into the lunar-like valley of the "Combe aux Puaires", an unusual area of lappiaz (eroded limestones). Night at Vogealle refuge in dormitory, without your baggage.
7 hour walk / Elevation: +1200m -660m
"BOUT DU MONDE" AND "CIRQUE DU FER À CHEVAL"
From Vogealle refuge, a beautiful descent facing the cliffs of the Tenneverge to the Bout du Monde then to the amphitheatre Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval and its multiple waterfalls. Night in the village Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval.
6 hour walk / Elevation: +100m -1150m
LAKE AND ANTERNE PASS
Short transfer. The day begins throughout the woods, along Rouget, Pleureuse and Souffraz waterfalls. Climb to Anterne pasture at the heart of Sixt-Passy Natural Reserve, a wide high plateau where nestles one of the most beautiful lakes of the area. Kingdom of the marmot and the rare bearded vulture! Ricochet contest followed by a short climb to Anterne pass and descent to Moëde-Anterne refuge. Night in dormitory.
5.5 hour walk / Elevation: +1300m -250m
"ENVERS DU BREVENT" - CHAMONIX
Short descent towards the Arlevé bridge. Here, the landscape is changing, the Fiz limestones give way to the rocks of the Aiguilles Rouges range. Climb up to Brévent pass (2368m), then descend to Planpraz to take the cable car down to Chamonix.
5 hour walk / Elevation: +750m -750m
End point around 3:00pm in Chamonix.
Elevation: +/- 700m to 1300m per day.
Walking time: 5 to 7 hours per day.
Type of trek: mountain trails with some well equipped aerial sections.
Group from 6 to 14 people supervised by a qualified mountain leader.
6 nights in refuges and gites.
All accommodation offers hot showers.
For the nights without your luggage at the accommodation (you will get it back the night after), here are the things to add to your backpack (about 2 kilos are enough !):
- small toilet bag
- sleeping bag liner sheet
- change of clothes (bare necessities !)
Breakfast and dinner are provided in each accommodation.
Picnics are included and are carefully daily prepared by your guide, including a variety of healthy salads and local products.
To be able to easily walk 15km (on flat trails) in 3 hours maximum.
If this is not the case, at least 3 weeks before departure, 2 to 3 times a week, we advise you to undertake some prior fitness training: 4 to 5km jogging or 3 to 4 hours hiking or cycling. Your physical preparation will enable you to enjoy your trek to the maximum.
IGN Top 25 - 3528ET/ Morzine and Top 25 - 3530ET/ Samoëns (1/25 000).
From mid-june to mid-september.
Meeting point at 12:00pm in front of Thollon-les-Mémises tourist office.
If you wish, we can pick you up at Chamonix and transfer you to the departure point in Thollon-les-Mémises; optional service costing 45€ per person, to be booked on registration.
Meet at 9:30am with your baggage in front of Chamonix train station.
BY TRAIN
Inbound: depart Gare de Lyon (Paris) TGV Paris/Bellegarde/Evian
There are regular buses from Evian to Thollon Les Mémises (40mins) http://www.thollonlesmemises.com
Return train: depart Chamonix at 3:15pm arrive in (Paris) Gare de Lyon at 9:49pm.
Times given are indicative and should be verified in a train station or on OUI SNCF.
BY CAR
Take the A40 motorway to Annemasse, free parking and bus sat-leman ligne-141-evian-annemasse or train to Evian-les-Bains, then to Thollon-les-Mémises thollonlesmemises.
Return: From Chamonix to Annemasse by train OUI SNCF
For your car: free parking in Thollon-les-Mémises, Chamonix and Annemasse.
Chamonix, free parking at the Biolay car park opposite the Montenvers train station or if you wish to leave your car in a covered garage, contact :
Chamonix Auto Park : 04 50 53 65 71 (40 to 50€ per week).
CLOSEST AIRPORTS
Geneva (GVA)
1 hour by car to Chamonix.
Bus and minibus services direct to your accommodation (25-35€ pp each way)
Lyon (LYS)
2.15 hours by car to Chamonix.
Train every 2 hours to Chamonix, 4.15 hour journey (40-45€ pp return)
Paris (PAR)
7 hours by car to Chamonix.
Train every 2 hours to Chamonix / 5-6 hour journey (80-120€ pp return)
End point around 3:00pm in Chamonix.
Thollon Les Mémises
Evian-les-Bains
Chamonix Tourist Office : +33 (0)4 50 53 00 24
If you book a night in the Chamonix valley, you can ask to your hotel reception a bus/train pass so you can public transports for free in the Chamonix valley.
www.chamonix.com/pdf/chambus.pdf
In accordance with regulations, we are covered by Professional Liability Insurance. In no case can we be responsible for your own Personal Liability. If you chose to take out repatriation insurance with EUROP ASSISTANCE whom we propose, Altitude Mont Blanc will only serve as an intermediary between the client and the insurer. We cannot influence either party. We adhere to strict conditions of sale. You are responsible for compliance with the reporting procedures of any incident.
Before making any decision, contact EUROP ASSISTANCE.
If you are late please contact the agency as soon as possible on: +33 (0)4 50 79 09 16 or +33 (0)6 42 49 76 07
Clothing
Other Equipment
Bring a comfortable backpack of 30 to 40 litres for your personal belongings for the day (warm clothes, waterproofs, water, plate and cutlery for your picnic, sunscreen and your identity papers) and please keep a little room to carry a picnic and snacks.
Your baggage will be transported between accommodation by our vehicle (except day 1 and day 4). You are allowed 1 soft, sports type bag with all your possessions inside, no heavier than 12kg. Your bag has to be carried everyday by the driver to refuges, which access is not always easy!
Please use one bag per person; gathering together the belongings of two people usually leads to a heavy bag. Two bags of 10kg is better than one bag of 20 !
Luggage which are too big and too heavy won't be accepted by the drivers!