Fri 1 – Sat 9 Sep 2028 · Chamonix, France

Chamonix and Mont Blanc

Nine days of lift-and-walk hiking facing the massif, from Les Praz and Argentiere.

—8 nights2 bases + 1 hut3,842 m highest point2026 prices as a pattern

Mont Blanc above the Chamonix valley · Ximonic, Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

2026 figures used as a pattern. Every price, timetable and closing date on this page is a 2026 (or older) figure. Nothing for 2028 has been published. GAP means not verified; inference means my reasoning, not a source.

Before the days start

What this place physically is

Chamonix sits at about 1,000 m in a valley running roughly north-east to south-west. On the south-east side is the Mont Blanc massif: Mont Blanc at 4,805–4,808 m, the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 m, the Aiguilles de Chamonix and the Mer de Glace. On the north-west side are the Aiguilles Rouges: Brevent at 2,525 m, Flegere, Lac Blanc and the Index. The two sides face each other across about 1,000 m of valley floor. The exact bearing of the valley is a GAP.

Why it matters to a hiker. The famous Chamonix views are taken from the Aiguilles Rouges, looking across at the massif. The Mont Blanc faces point north-west toward the valley, so they are back-lit in the morning and front-lit from about 14:00 to sunset (sun azimuth 190–283 degrees). That one fact sets the hour of most days below. The Aiguilles Rouges are named for their colour in early-morning light.

What you cannot get anywhere else. A cable car from 1,033 m to 3,842 m in one continuous rise, and a lake, Lac Blanc at 2,352 m, that mirrors the whole massif on calm evenings. You can also see glacier retreat measured in stairs: the Mer de Glace surface has dropped about 4–6 m a year, and the stair count down to the ice cave grows every season.

The Mont Blanc range from a grassy ridge
Rémih · Wikimedia Commons
Chamonix from Le Brevent
Zairon · Wikimedia Commons

Aiguilles Rouges balcony

Days 2, 4, 5

Brevent, Planpraz, Flegere, Cheserys and Lac Blanc. The face-on Mont Blanc views, and the afternoon light.

Aiguille du Midi summit
Christian David · Wikimedia Commons

Mont Blanc massif side

Day 6

Aiguille du Midi, Plan de l’Aiguille, Montenvers and the Mer de Glace. High altitude, glacier, Grand Balcon Nord.

Aiguillette des Houches
Rémih · Wikimedia Commons

Lower valley

Day 3

Les Houches and Servoz. The lift-free Aiguillette des Houches, and the Gorges de la Diosaz as the wet option.

Col de Balme and Le Tour
Guilhem Vellut · Wikimedia Commons

Upper valley

Days 5, 7, 8

Argentiere, Le Tour, Balme, Vallorcine. Quieter base, the Col de Balme on the Swiss border, Peclerey.

Optional reserve-day trips to Switzerland (Emosson) and Italy (Courmayeur, tunnel permitting) are on Day 8.

8nights, 2 bases + 1 hut
3,842 mhighest point
9.8 kmlongest hike (6.1 mi)
2,500 m+ascent on foot, to 2,700 summed
5lift days, EUR 173 Multipass
20:09sunset 1 Sep, 19:58 on 8 Sep

The answer first

How many days

Book 9 days: arrive Fri 1 Sep and leave Sat 9 Sep. Seven of the nine days are usable. Every lift-dependent hike falls on or before Fri 8 Sep, which is ahead of the earliest likely 2028 closing Sunday (10 Sep). The trip also has 3 swap days for the 4 weather-critical outings.

LengthNightsUsable daysWhat it buysWhat it losesValue of the extra days
5 days
Fri 1 to Tue 5		43Aiguille du Midi with Grand Balcon Nord and Mer de Glace, Lac Blanc, and Brevent with Grand Balcon Sud, but only if all three days are clearNo weather slack. At about 1 wet day in 3, expect to lose one headliner. Aiguille du Midi comes before any acclimatisation. 40% of the trip is travel.Baseline. The worst ratio of transatlantic cost to useful days.
7 days
Fri 1 to Thu 7		65The three headliners plus a Lac Blanc hut night or the lift-free Aiguillette des Houches. 1–2 swap days.No upper valley (Balme, Le Tour, Vallorcine). Thin margin if two bad days arrive back to back.High. Both extra days are weather insurance for three weather-dependent outings.
9 days
Fri 1 to Sat 9		87All of the above, plus the upper valley from an Argentiere base (Col de Balme, Montagne de Peclerey, Vallorcine and Emosson) and a third swap day. Every lift day falls in 2–8 Sep.Italy and Switzerland only as optional reserve-day trips. No Tour du Mont Blanc.Medium. Each day adds one secondary hike plus slack, all inside the safe lift window.
11 days
Fri 1 to Mon 11		109Adds Courmayeur and Skyway (tunnel permitting) or Emosson, and a rest dayIf 2028 closes on Sun 10 Sep, Mon 11 has no Brevent, Planpraz, Bellevue, Index or Vallorcine gondola. The Courmayeur day depends on the tunnel.Low. The extra days land on the closing weekend or on lifts that may already be shut.
14 days
Fri 1 to Thu 14		1312A full 10–11 stage Tour du Mont Blanc with 1 buffer, or about 4 more weather days11–14 Sep may have no Brevent, Planpraz, Bellevue or Index, and the Balme and Flegere gondolas are borderline. Thu 14 may already be on autumn hours. Outdoor pool, luge and the summer bus timetable end.Lowest for a valley-based trip. Worth it only for the TMB, which this plan does not recommend.

Why 9, not 7 or 11

Why 9 and not 7. Day 7 to day 9 is where the upper valley and a third swap day come in. Neither crosses the lift risk line.

Why 9 and not 11. Day 10 is the first day that could hit the 2028 closing Sunday, and day 11 the first that could have no Brevent or Flegere at all.

Why arrive Fri 1 rather than Sat 2. Both keep lift days before 10 Sep. Arriving on the 1st makes the last full day Fri 8, so even a 9 Sep surprise closure costs nothing. The departure day also catches the Saturday market. A UTMB on 28 Aug–3 Sep would overlap either arrival date equally (UTMB 2028 dates are a GAP).

Decision rule. If CMB publishes 2028 dates with the Brevent, Planpraz and Index group closing on 17 Sep, nothing in this plan changes. You could add a day, but flights will already be bought by then.

The full Tour du Mont Blanc: no

  • Length. Official site: 5–12 days, most commonly 7–10, about 170 km and close to 10,000 m of ascent. A 10–11 day TMB fills the whole 1–14 Sep window with no buffer.
  • Lift timing works against it. Starting anticlockwise from Les Houches on 2 Sep puts the Chamonix-side stages on about 11–13 Sep, exactly when their lift shortcuts close.
  • Huts close around 20 Sep. Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme (stage 2) is closed for renovation until about June 2029.
  • Booking. 2027 bookings opened 15 Oct 2026; by the same pattern 2028 would open about 15 Oct 2027 (inference, unpublished). Peak huts book 6–9 months ahead.
  • Rockfall. The Swiss section between Prayon and Branche (Orsieres) has been rerouted since July 2026.

Hut-free alternative (recommended). Walk the Chamonix side of the TMB as day hikes from valley beds: Grand Balcon Sud (Day 2), Flegere to Lac Blanc (Day 4), Col de Balme (Day 7). The optional Lac Blanc night matches the official site’s “2-day/1-night taster”. A full TMB is better as its own trip in July or August.

If you only get N days

DaysKeepDrop
7 (Fri 1 to Thu 7)Les Praz for all nights except the hut. Days 2, 4–5 and 6 as written; Day 3 becomes the swap day.Argentiere, Balme, Peclerey, the Day 8 reserve
5 (Fri 1 to Tue 5)One base (Les Praz). Day 2 Brevent and Balcon Sud; Day 3 Aiguille du Midi with Grand Balcon Nord and Mer de Glace (acclimatisation compromised); Day 4 Lac Blanc and Cheserys as a day hikeThe hut, the Aiguillette, everything in the upper valley. On a wet day, drop the Balcon Sud first.
11 (Fri 1 to Mon 11)All of the 9-day plan, plus Courmayeur (tunnel permitting) and Emosson, with a rest dayDo not put any lift-dependent day on Sun 10 or Mon 11 until the 2028 dates are out

Where you sleep

Bases and light

BaseNightsDatesWhy
Les Praz3Fri 1, Sat 2, Sun 3Quiet hamlet at the foot of the Flegere gondola. You walk to the lift, so the small free Flegere car park (capacity GAP; a low-quality tip says arrive by 08:30) stops mattering. On the Mont-Blanc Express line.
Refuge du Lac Blanc (optional)1Mon 4Evening and dawn at the lake after the day crowd has left. Half board EUR 80 pp (undated), cash only, no children under 8. If declined, take a 4th night in Les Praz.
Argentiere4Tue 5 – Fri 8Upper valley, quieter than Chamonix, on the train line. Col de Balme and Le Tour are close. Only small grocery shops.

Not Chamonix centre. Parking is EUR 19.90 per 24 h (chamonix.net says EUR 22.50, a conflict), evenings are busy and the noise is unsourced but likely (inference). The stay research recommends a quiet hamlet as the main base.

Prices are proxies (2026, aggregators): holiday rentals average EUR 159 a weeknight and EUR 218 a weekend night (Kayak), with September the cheapest rental month. The average 3-star hotel is about EUR 132 (Skyscanner, inconsistent). Tourist tax rates are being reset for 1 Jan 2027, so no current figure exists (GAP).

Light, 45.92 N 6.87 E, CEST

DateCivil dawnSunrise (flat)Sunset (flat)Civil duskSummit colour, evening
Fri 1 Sep06:2306:53–06:5420:09–20:1220:4020:31–20:43
Thu 7 / Fri 8 Sep06:3007:0119:5820:28about 20:17–20:30 (interpolated)
Thu 14 Sep06:4007:09–07:1019:44–19:4720:1420:05–20:17

The three research files agree within about 3 minutes. Times assume a flat horizon. Direct sun on the valley floor arrives later and leaves earlier (no sourced valley-floor figure). Daylight drops from about 13 h 18 m to 12 h 38 m across the window.

Fri1

Arrive, settle in Les Praz

GVA or ZRH → Les Praz → flat walk to Chamonix

Base Les PrazLifts noneAltitude ~1,000 m
Les Praz with the Arveyron and the Grand Balcon Nord behind
Tangopaso · Wikimedia Commons
Fri 1 · arrival

Check in, guest cards, groceries, a flat evening walk

From GVA it is 80–90 min by road. From ZRH, the nonstop lands 06:30 (2024 SWISS times), then 2h45 by train to Geneva (unsourced), then the shuttle. A valley arrival around midday is plausible but unverified. Check in and collect a guest card per person. Super U Les Pelerins is open daily; Carrefour Chamonix is open Sunday until 12:30.

Evening: a flat walk into Chamonix, then watch the summit colour on Mont Blanc from the valley, about 20:12–20:43. The Musee du Mont-Blanc runs 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–18:00 and is closed Tuesdays (one source gives afternoons only in September, a conflict).

Why this hour. No lifts and no altitude on a jet-lagged day.

0 km walk, flat0 m ascentEUR 0 liftsnone booking
Map — Les PrazMap — GVA to Les Praz
Transfer options (2026 prices)
  • Shared shuttle EUR 28–55 pp, 80–90 min.
  • Private transfer EUR 150–250 per vehicle.
  • Scheduled coach EUR 11–20, first 04:00, last 20:00.
  • Train: price GAP, 2–2.5 h via St-Gervais-Le Fayet.

Wet-weather swap. None needed; nothing is committed today.

Les Praz de ChamonixOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Sat2

Brevent, then the Grand Balcon Sud home

Chamonix → Planpraz → Brevent → Balcon Sud → Flegere → Les Praz

Walk 5.5 km / 3.4 miTop 2,525 mBooking none
A trail in the Aiguilles Rouges with the Mont Blanc range beyond
Tiia Monto · Wikimedia Commons
10:00 · Planpraz gondola

Brevent summit, lunch, Grand Balcon Sud no booking

Planpraz gondola from Chamonix at 10:00, the Brevent cable car to 2,525 m, lunch at Planpraz, then walk 12:30–15:00 and take the Flegere gondola down by 17:00 at the latest. The Brevent summit in late morning is side-lit, not ideal light, but it is the widest panorama in the valley. “Sunset from Brevent” does not work in September: the last descent is 16:45.

Why this hour. Walking toward Flegere ends the day at your own door, so there is no dash for the last Planpraz descent. It puts the walk in the early afternoon, when the massif turns from side-lit to front-lit. Moderate effort for jet legs, and 2,525 m starts the altitude ladder toward Day 6 (no sourced acclimatisation schedule).

5.5 km / 3.4 mi Planpraz to Flegere+300–350 m loopi 299, AllTrails 3462–2.5 h walkingEUR 25 + 43 + 19 Planpraz return, Brevent return, Flegere one way
Map — BreventMap — day routeLift dates
Decision rule, hazards, wet-weather swap

Last descents (2026): Brevent 16:45, Planpraz 17:00, Flegere 17:00. All lifts are covered by the Multipass.

Weather rule. If cloud sits on Brevent at 09:00 but the forecast clears after midday, skip the summit and walk only the Balcon. If it is raining, swap with Day 3’s wet option or the Montenvers part of Day 6.

Hazards. Steep pegged steps with a handrail about 1 km in; no exit points once you are walking.

Wet-weather swap. Montenvers train and the ice cave (works in cloud), plus the Musee du Mont-Blanc.

Le Brevent, ChamonixOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Sun3

Aiguillette des Houches, no lift

Merlet car park → Aiguillette des Houches and back

Walk 9.8 km / 6.1 miAscent +765 mLift none
Aiguillette des Houches
Rémih · Wikimedia Commons
10:00 stable · 08:00 unstable

Aiguillette des Houches lift-free insurance

Official figure 9.8 km (6.1 mi), +765 m, 4 h return, 1,520 m to 2,285 m. Other figures: 12 km (7.5 mi) and +1,000 m (a second official listing); 9.1 km and +910 m (randos-montblanc). On a stable forecast start at 10:00 from the Merlet car park and be on top 12:30–14:00 for better light. Unstable: start 08:00 and be down by 13:00.

Why this hour. Sunday has no lift queues on the weekend’s busiest lift day, and it saves the lift days for weekdays. It is the lift-free insurance day: if Day 2 failed, it can swap with Day 2.

9.8 km / 6.1 mi official+765 m ascent4 h returnEUR 0 liftsnone booking
Map — AiguilletteMap — Merlet car park
Car-free, extension, wet-weather swap

Booking and parking. Parc de Merlet was closed all of 2027; its 2028 status and the car park’s capacity are GAPs.

Car-free. The nearest station is Les Houches, which adds a climb to the start (amount GAP). Without a car, take Day 8’s Chapeau hike instead.

Extension. Bellachat refuge and Brevent for strong walkers.

Wet-weather swap. Gorges de la Diosaz at Servoz: 09:30–18:15 in September 2026, EUR 7.50, 1–1.5 h. It closes when there is rockfall risk. Pair it with the indoor pool (Richard Bozon, EUR 7.90 or EUR 6.30 with the guest card) or the QC Terme spa (day pass EUR 52, no under-14s).

Aiguillette des HouchesOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Mon4

Flegere, Cheserys, Lac Blanc, hut night

Les Praz → Argentiere (bags) → Flegere → Lacs de Cheserys → Lac Blanc

Walk ~7.8 km loop / 4.8 miAscent +570 mHut optional
Lac Blanc
Mrvoyage · Wikimedia Commons
12:00 · at the lake by 15:00

Lac Blanc by the ladders, then the hut book the hut

09:00 check out; drop bags at the Argentiere lodging (by car or free train) and ask them to store them; be back at the Flegere gondola by 11:30. Flegere (1,877 m) via the Lacs de Cheserys, then up the ladders to Lac Blanc (2,352 m). The full Flegere-Cheserys-Lac Blanc loop is 7.8 km (4.8 mi), +570 m round trip (randos-montblanc). This day walks the climbing half and Day 5 walks the direct descent; the split distance is inference.

Why this hour. You reach the lake at 15:00, ahead of the storm window, and more than 2 hours before sunset (about 20:05), which is the photographers’ rule for calm water. Golden light on the massif runs about 17:30–19:30. Monday is a weekday, and the day crowd leaves on the last gondola anyway.

7.8 km / 4.8 mi full loop+570 m round tripEUR 19 Flegere one way upEUR 80 pp hut half board, cash~40 places booking by phone after 31 May
Map — Lac BlancMap — routeHutAllTrails — Cheserys
Booking, decision rules, hazards, wet-weather swap

Booking. Refuge du Lac Blanc: online via refugedulacblanc.fr until 31 May, then by phone only (07 67 56 74 14). About 40 places, half board only, cash only, no children under 8. The 2028 booking opening date is a GAP; book the day it opens. Cancellation terms are a GAP.

Weather rule. If storms are forecast from early afternoon, skip Cheserys and take the direct route: Flegere to Lac Blanc, about half of the official 7 km / +500 m return route, 1h45 up. Decide the hut night itself 48 h out.

Hut-free version. Walk the 7.8 km loop as a day hike from Les Praz, back on the Flegere gondola by 17:00 (last ascent 16:30), and keep the 4th night in Les Praz.

Hazards. Ladders on the Cheserys-Lac Blanc stretch are exposed. Climb them on this day rather than descending them. Swimming is banned by prefectural order, and dogs are banned in the reserve.

Wet-weather swap. Cascade de Berard from Le Buet (Vallorcine): 3.8 km (2.4 mi), +203 m, 1h40, by train or bus.

Lac Blanc, ChamonixOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Tue5

Dawn at Lac Blanc, down, move to Argentiere

Lac Blanc → Flegere → Les Praz → Argentiere

Descent ~3.5 km / 2.2 miDrop -500 mMuseum shut Tuesday
Lac Blanc and the massif
Tiia Monto · Wikimedia Commons
~06:30 · dawn

Dawn on the lake, direct path down, move base short day

First colour on the high summits is about 06:28–06:40 (interpolated between 1 and 14 Sep). From here Mont Blanc itself is back-lit at dawn; the colour is on the Aiguille Verte and Drus side. Then Lac Blanc to Flegere by the direct path, about 3.5 km (2.2 mi), -500 m, 1–1.5 h (from the official route), the Flegere gondola down, collect anything left in Les Praz, and continue to Argentiere. Shop on the way: Argentiere has only small grocers.

Why this hour. Dawn is the one hour the hut night buys that a day hike cannot. The afternoon is short on purpose, to rest before Day 6.

3.5 km / 2.2 mi descent-500 m dropEUR 19 Flegere one way downnone booking
Map — Lac BlancMap — Argentiere
Optional, wet-weather swap

Optional (only if fresh and clear). Col de Balme from Le Tour, which gets Day 7’s main sight in early.

Wet-weather swap. Descend early and spend the afternoon at the cinema (Cinema Vox adds afternoon showings on bad-weather days) or at the spa.

The Musee du Mont-Blanc is closed Tuesdays.

ArgentiereOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Wed6

Aiguille du Midi, Grand Balcon Nord, Mer de Glace

Chamonix → Aiguille du Midi → Plan de l’Aiguille → Montenvers → train down

Summit 3,842 mWalk 5.7 km / 3.5 miSlot timed
Aiguille du Midi summit
Christian David · Wikimedia Commons
08:10 · first cabin

Aiguille du Midi, then the Grand Balcon Nord to Montenvers timed slot

First cabin 08:10 (2026, 31 Aug–13 Sep band; last ascent 16:00). Summit until about 10:00, back down to Plan de l’Aiguille (2,310 m), walk about 10:30–13:30, Montenvers 13:30–16:00, train down by 16:30. Grand Balcon Nord, Plan de l’Aiguille to Montenvers: 5.7 km (3.5 mi), +140 m / -523 m, 2h30 (official).

Why this hour. The air is clearest in the morning and convection builds in the afternoon. The Vallee Blanche is lit from the east. You have climbed through 2,525 m and slept at 2,352 m, so this is not the first altitude day (no sourced acclimatisation guidance). Midweek is quieter than the weekend (anecdotal).

5.7 km / 3.5 mi Balcon Nord+140 / -523 m ascent / descentEUR 83 + 42 Midi return, Montenvers packageD-1 Midi slot release
Map — Aiguille du MidiMap — day routeAiguille du MidiMontenvers
Booking, cut-off, hazards, decision rule

Booking. Timed slot online, with new tickets released D-1; same-day box office subject to availability. Pass holders must reserve too. GAP: whether a summit return lets you get off at the mid-station. Ask; the official “North Balcony package” is EUR 68.40. Both lifts are covered by the Multipass.

Weather rule. At 07:00, check the Meteo-France Chamonix bulletin and the summit. If it is clouded in, move this day to Day 7 or Day 8 and do Day 7 now.

Cut-off. If you are not past Signal Forbes by 13:00, skip the cave and catch the train. The last train from the summit was 16:30 in 2026.

Cold. Summit estimated -9 to +1 C before wind chill, from a standard lapse rate (inference). Bring gloves and a hat.

Hazards. The ride gains about 2,800 m in one go. Altitude symptoms can appear from about 2,500 m on a fast ascent (third-party source). Children under 3 are not allowed and under 5 is not recommended. On the walk take the right fork at 2,071 m via Signal Forbes (2,198 m); the left shortcut goes through couloirs the tourist office calls dangerous in snow. At Montenvers the stairs down to the ice cave are given as 100, 200, about 430–440 and about 580 steps in different sources, metal openwork, and the climb back up is the hard part. Do not walk out onto the ice beyond the cave: in September the bare ice and crevasses are most exposed.

Wet-weather swap. Montenvers and the ice cave alone, which works in cloud.

Aiguille du MidiOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Thu7

Col de Balme, then Montagne de Peclerey

Le Tour → Charamillon gondola → Col de Balme → Peclerey loop

Col 2,191 mPeclerey 6.7 km / 4.2 miBorder Swiss, carry ID
Col de Balme and Le Tour
Guilhem Vellut · Wikimedia Commons
09:00 · first lift

Col de Balme, then Peclerey if stable added

09:00 Charamillon gondola and Autannes chairlift from Le Tour; at the col by about 09:45. Col de Balme (2,191 m) is about 20 min on a wide track from the top of the lift (10Adventures route 4.8 km / 3.0 mi, +81 m). Peclerey 13:00–16:30 only if the forecast is stable: Montagne de Peclerey loop from Le Tour or Le Planet, 6.7 km (4.2 mi), +630 m, 3h20, high point Tete du Grand Chantet 1,967 m, no lift.

Why this hour. The col looks down the valley toward Mont Blanc, which means looking into the sun in the afternoon, so go in the morning. In 2025 the Balme lifts closed 14 Sep and in 2026 on 20 Sep, so Thursday is safe under either pattern.

4.8 km / 3.0 mi Balme route+81 m Balme6.7 km / 4.2 mi, +630 m Peclereyprice GAP Balme lift, Multipass covers it
Map — Col de BalmeMap — Peclerey
Harder option, weather rule, wet-weather swap

Lifts (2026). First 09:00, last return ascent 16:30, last descent 17:00. The Swiss border is at the col (Schengen; carry ID).

Harder option. Refuge Albert 1er from the col: 8 km (5.0 mi) on the official page, +511 m, difficult, 3h15 one way, at the edge of the Glacier du Tour. Whether 8 km is one way or return is a GAP.

Weather rule. Unsettled: do only Balme and be off by 13:00. Rain: swap with Day 8.

Wet-weather swap. Lac d’Emosson by train (Day 8), or Cascade de Berard.

Col de BalmeOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Fri8

Reserve day

Use it in this order: a skipped headliner first, then one option below

Priority Midi, Lac Blanc, BreventLast lift day likelyTomorrow travel
Glacier des Bossons
Florian Pépellin · Wikimedia Commons
Fri 8 · flexible

Skipped headliner, or one of four options reserve

First any skipped headliner (Aiguille du Midi, Lac Blanc, Brevent). Then one of: Lac d’Emosson (Switzerland); the Chapeau from Les Tines (5.3 km / 3.3 mi, +503 m, 2h40, no lift, close to Argentiere, a viewpoint over the Mer de Glace side); a tandem paraglide from Planpraz; or Courmayeur, only if the tunnel is open. Keep this day light; tomorrow is travel.

Why this hour. It is the last full day and the last day before the likely lift closing weekend, so a miss on Day 2, 4 or 6 can still be repaired here. Nothing is booked on it, because the forecast decides.

5.3 km / 3.3 mi Chapeau+503 m ChapeauEUR 100–148 paraglide, 15–20 minEUR 59 return Skyway, low season
Map — ChapeauMap — Emosson route
Details for each option
  • Lac d’Emosson. Mont-Blanc Express to Le Chatelard, changing at Vallorcine (about 1 h from Chamonix). Then VerticAlp Emosson: funicular every 30 min 08:35–16:05 (2026), then a panoramic train to the dam (1,930 m). Price GAP; pay in CHF; the guest card does not cover anything beyond Vallorcine. The dam was open until 31 Oct in 2026.
  • Tandem paraglide. Minimum age 4–12 depending on the operator; weight cap about 100–120 kg. Wind-dependent; book ahead with flexibility. One operator flew daily until 13 Sep in 2026.
  • Courmayeur. Last return departures were 14:30 from 8 Sep in 2025 and 13:45 from 7 Sep in 2026, so this is a morning-only option.
VallorcineOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it
Sat9

Home

Argentiere → Saturday market → GVA

Transfer 80–90 minMarket to ~13:00Buffer Saturday traffic
Les Praz de Chamonix station
Tiia Monto · Wikimedia Commons
Sat 9 · transfer

Market if the flight is late, then the airport

If the flight leaves late afternoon, the Chamonix Saturday market runs about 07:00/08:00–13:00 on Place du Mont-Blanc. The transfer to GVA takes 80–90 min from Chamonix (Argentiere adds time; GAP). Allow a margin for Saturday traffic.

Why this hour. Departure day is lost to the transfer, so nothing else is scheduled. The only fixed point is the flight.

80–90 min to GVAEUR 28–55 shared shuttle ppEUR 0 liftsnone booking
Map — Argentiere to GVAMap — market
Homebound routing

Recommendation: nonstop to ZRH outbound, one-stop from GVA on the way home, if fares are close. A 09:55 ZRH departure cannot be reached from Chamonix the same morning, and would cost Day 8 as a transfer to Zurich.

ArgentiereOpen in Maps
Lift-dependent: no lift, no walkLift-free: your own legs and a train or carBooked slot: a timed ticket or a hut bedWeather-gated: the forecast decides it

Each evening at 18:00

Daily weather decision rule

Read the Meteo-France Chamonix bulletin (en.chamonix.com/meteo) and MeteoBlue, then sort tomorrow. The hut night is the one fixed piece; decide it 48 h out.

ForecastDo
Clear and stableAiguille du Midi, if not done yet
Clear morning, storms after 15:00Morning lift hikes (Brevent, Lac Blanc), off exposed ground by 15:00
Cloud above about 2,500 m but dryThe Balcon Sud, the Aiguillette or Peclerey (below the cloud)
RainThe wet list: Montenvers and ice cave, Musee du Mont-Blanc, Gorges de la Diosaz, Cascade de Berard, pool or spa

Logistics and money

Getting there and around

Flights from YYZ

  • No Toronto-Geneva nonstop. None found for 2026: Air Canada flies Montreal-Geneva, not Toronto.
  • Toronto-Zurich is nonstop. Air Canada daily (787-9, 2026). SWISS is seasonal, 5 weekly in summer 2026; 2024 times were YYZ 16:35 to ZRH 06:30 and ZRH 09:55 to YYZ 13:00. Flight time 8h50–9h15.
  • 2028 on sale about 11 months out, roughly Sep–Oct 2027.
  • Fare snapshot. Air Canada showed “from CAD 968” to Geneva. A snapshot only (2026).
  • Recommendation: nonstop to ZRH outbound, one-stop from GVA home, if fares are close. GAP: one-stop routings, ZRH-Chamonix door-to-door time, fares.
  • Avoid Milan Malpensa. No Toronto nonstop and it depends on the tunnel.

Rental car and entry

  • Leaving from the Swiss side of GVA needs the Swiss motorway vignette (CHF 40, 2026). On-the-spot fine CHF 200 plus the vignette price. Swiss-side rentals usually include it; French-sector rentals do not.
  • Crit’Air sticker rules for Chamonix: GAP. Check certificat-air.gouv.fr before travel.
  • ETIAS has slipped to 2027 with no firm date; fee EUR 20. Verify about 6 months out.
  • Roaming passes cost CAD 50–75 for 14 days (Telus, Bell, Rogers, 2026).
  • Offline maps: AllTrails offline needs Plus (about USD 36 or EUR 30 a year). The tourist office route pages give a free GPX per hike.

Mont Blanc tunnel (Courmayeur only)

  • In Jan 2026 ATMB said 2027 and 2028 repeat the autumn closure model: one cycle of about 3.5 months (15 weeks) each autumn.
  • The 2025 closure ran 1 Sep to 12 Dec. The 2028 start date is unpublished.
  • Assume the tunnel may be shut for the whole trip. Then there is no bus to Courmayeur and no practical day trip. Alternatives: the Great St Bernard tunnel or the Little St Bernard pass (drive times GAP), or the lift chain Aiguille du Midi, Panoramic Mont-Blanc (EUR 125.50, morning only, not on the Multipass), then Skyway down.
  • When open: toll about EUR 56.40 one way or EUR 70.40 return (valid 7 days); bus 35–50 min (EUR 9–35).
  • Check atmb.com in early 2027 and again about 12 months out.

In the valley

  • Guest card (official page): free from your host, one per person. Free Mont-Blanc Express between Servoz and Vallorcine only; St-Gervais and the Swiss section are not covered. Buses are not free. Discount on passes of 2+ days (2-day EUR 5 instead of EUR 9; weekly EUR 10 instead of EUR 18); none on single rides or night buses after 21:00. Validate on every boarding.
  • Timetables. The summer bus timetable ended 6 Sep in 2026 and the Mont-Blanc Express summer timetable 13 Sep (2028: GAP). The Chamo’nuit night bus ran Les Houches-Argentiere every 45 min, 20:50–midnight.

Multipass or single tickets (2026, adult)

The plan uses lifts on 5 separate days: Days 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Single tickets come to EUR 250+ before the Balme lift.

DayLiftsSingle tickets (EUR)
2Planpraz return + Brevent cable car return + Flegere one way25 + 43 + 19
4Flegere one way up19
5Flegere one way down19
6Aiguille du Midi return + Montenvers hiking package83 + 42
7Balmeprice GAP

Multipass, consecutive days: EUR 98 for 1 day, 113 for 2, 128 for 3, 173 for 6. Non-consecutive: 2 days for EUR 128, 5 days within 15 days for EUR 173. Child and senior 6-day pass EUR 147.10. Hands-free card EUR 3.

Buy the 5-day non-consecutive pass (EUR 173). It still fits if Aiguille du Midi moves to Day 8. It also covers the Skyway and the Tramway, works as a bus ticket, and excludes Panoramic Mont-Blanc.

Budget (2026 figures, sourced only)

Item2026 figure
Multipass, 5 non-consecutive daysEUR 173 adult; EUR 3 hands-free card
Refuge du Lac Blanc half boardEUR 80 pp (undated), cash
GVA transferShared EUR 28–55 pp; private EUR 150–250 per vehicle; coach EUR 11–20
Lodging (aggregator averages)Rentals EUR 159 a weeknight / EUR 218 a weekend night; 3-star about EUR 132
Chamonix parkingEUR 19.90 per 24 h (or EUR 22.50 per chamonix.net)
Tunnel toll (if used)EUR 56.40 one way / EUR 70.40 return
Skyway (optional)EUR 59 return
Paragliding (optional)About EUR 100–148
RoamingCAD 50–75 for 14 days
ETIASEUR 20
FlightsSnapshot “from CAD 968” to GVA (Air Canada page; not a 2028 fare)

What to do, and when

Deadlines

WhenWhat
Early 2027, again about Sep 2027ATMB 2028 tunnel calendar (decides whether Courmayeur is possible at all)
When announcedUTMB 2028 dates (montblanc.utmb.world). If 28 Aug–3 Sep, book lodging immediately.
About Sep–Oct 2027Summer 2028 flights on sale; decide ZRH vs GVA; book a rental car if wanted
At flight purchase (inference)Lodging in Les Praz and Argentiere on free-cancellation rates. Agency short breaks often have a 4-night minimum.
About 15 Oct 2027 (from the 2026 and 2027 openings)TMB booking platform opens for 2028. Only relevant if you change your mind on the TMB.
As soon as it opens (date GAP)Refuge du Lac Blanc, online until 31 May 2028 and by phone after
Spring 2028CMB publishes 2028 lift dates; confirm nothing falls before 9 Sep
About Mar 2028ETIAS status and passport validity
At bookingTravel medical cover including mountain rescue, helicopter evacuation and repatriation. French state helicopter rescue is generally free, but doctor and hospital bills are charged; Italian and Swiss rescue charges are a GAP.
About 30 Aug 2028Conditions re-check routine (trip-planner Phase 2; not yet scheduled)
D-1 and the evening before Day 6Aiguille du Midi timed slot (D-1 release; same-day box office as fallback)

2026 patterns, not 2028 dates

Closed or changing in the window

Item2026 patternEffect on 2028
Prarion gondola (Les Houches)Closed after 6 Sep (7 Sep in 2025)Not used
Brevent, Planpraz, Bellevue, Index, Vallorcine gondola, Bossons chairliftClosed after 13 Sep (14 Sep in 2025, 15 Sep in 2024)Likely 10 or 17 Sep (inference). All plan days fall before.
Flegere gondolaTo 20 Sep (21 Sep in 2025)Safe
Balme (Le Tour side)To 20 Sep (14 Sep in 2025)Day 7 safe under both patterns
Aiguille du Midi31 Aug–13 Sep first 08:10, last ascent 16:00; autumn hours from 14 SepNo 06:10 starts in September
Montenvers / Mer de Glace gondolaGondola 10:00–16:30 to 13 Sep; cave closed 17 Oct–1 NovSafe
Panoramic Mont-Blanc09:00–13:45 from 7 SepMorning only
Skyway2025: 08:30–14:30 from 8 SepMorning only
Mont Blanc tunnel2025 closure from 1 Sep; 2028 start GAPCourmayeur may be impossible
Grands MontetsClosed summers 2025 and 20262028 GAP; not in the plan
Parc de MerletClosed all of 20272028 GAP; Aiguillette car park status unclear
Refuge de la Croix du BonhommeClosed until about June 2029TMB only
TMB Prayon-Branche (Orsieres)Rerouted for rockfall since Jul 2026TMB only
Valley buses, Mont-Blanc Express summer timetablesEnded 6 Sep and 13 SepThinner service late in the trip
Outdoor pool, lugeOutdoor pool to 13 Sep; luge weekends only from 15 SepFine
Musee du Mont-BlancClosed TuesdaysDay 5 is a Tuesday
French school rentreeAbout 1–4 Sep (2028–29 calendar GAP)Families leave; quieter
Jeune genevoisThu 7 Sep 2028 (derived, verify)May affect Geneva shops
Mont-Blanc Express fleetNew trains phased in to autumn 2027Possible disruption

chamonix.net lift dates and times is the source for most lift rows.

Physical risk

Hazards and gotchas

Hazards

  • Altitude, Aiguille du Midi. A rise of about 2,800 m in one ride. Symptoms (nausea, dizziness, fatigue, rapid pulse) can start from about 2,500 m, and fitness is no protection (third-party source). Keep the visit short if you feel unwell. GAP: official medical guidance; see a doctor if anyone has a heart condition or is pregnant.
  • Cold. The summit is near or below 0 C in a normal September (estimated -9 to +1 C before wind chill).
  • Mer de Glace stairs. Sources give 100 to about 580 steps. Metal openwork, steep, not wheelchair-accessible. The count grows each year. Stay off the open ice without a guide.
  • Ladders, Cheserys to Lac Blanc. Exposed; climb them, do not descend them; avoid when wet. The Index route to Lac Blanc has narrow, exposed ledges and loose scree; this plan does not use it.
  • Grand Balcon Nord couloirs. The left shortcut at 2,071 m is dangerous in snow. Take the right branch via Signal Forbes.
  • Grand Balcon Sud. Steep pegged steps with a handrail.
  • Rockfall. 2026 was a record rockfall year in heat. Gorges de la Diosaz closes for rockfall and the TMB has been rerouted at Orsieres. Hot spells raise the risk.
  • Thunderstorms. Localized after 15:00, widespread from 17:00, with a sharp temperature drop. Lifts stop in lightning and high wind.
  • Early snow. Possible above about 2,500–3,000 m (a single 2007 report; no climatology).
  • Emergency. 112 everywhere; PGHM is the French high-mountain rescue.

Gotchas and known issues

  1. The guest card makes trains free between Servoz and Vallorcine only. Buses are discounted, not free, and older flyers that say otherwise are out of date.
  2. The Multipass excludes Panoramic Mont-Blanc, and holders still need an Aiguille du Midi slot.
  3. Last lift descents are 16:45–17:00. Miss the Flegere one and Les Praz is about 800 m below on foot.
  4. “Sunset from Brevent” is impossible by lift in September.
  5. The Lac Blanc hut is cash only, takes no children under 8, and books by phone only after 31 May.
  6. The Tramway du Mont-Blanc’s Nid d’Aigle top station is reserved for mountaineers with a hut booking, so day visitors get Col de Voza or Mont Lachat. Left out for that reason.
  7. On Sundays most shops close. Carrefour Chamonix shuts at 12:30; Super U Les Pelerins opens daily. Argentiere has only small grocers.
  8. A Swiss vignette is needed if the rental car leaves from the Swiss side of GVA.
  9. “Les Bains de Chamonix” does not exist under that name. The options are QC Terme (no under-14s) or the Richard Bozon pool.
  10. “Lac de Peclerey” does not exist; the walk is the Montagne de Peclerey.
  11. AllTrails figures here come from search snippets (the site returned 403 to page fetches). Official and AllTrails figures differ; ranges are given where they disagree.
  12. Tourist tax rates change on 1 Jan 2027; the only grid found is from 2019.

The honest state

State of knowledge

Verified (2026 sources, used as a pattern)

  • 2026 lift dates and hours for the early-September band (chamonix.net, en.chamonix.com)
  • Aiguille du Midi prices and D-1 ticket release; Montenvers prices
  • Official trail figures: Lac Blanc, Grand Balcon Nord, Aiguillette, Cheserys, Chapeau
  • Guest card coverage; 2026 Multipass prices
  • Les Praz and Argentiere on the rail line; Super U Les Pelerins open daily
  • Lac Blanc hut terms (two conflicting season ranges, both covering early September)
  • ATMB statement on the 2027–28 closure model; 2025 closure from 1 Sep
  • No Toronto-Geneva nonstop in 2026; Toronto-Zurich nonstop exists
  • TMB 2027 booking opened 15 Oct 2026; Croix du Bonhomme closed until about 2029
  • Computed sun times

GAP or inference

  • Every 2028 date and price, including the lift closing Sunday (inference: 10 or 17 Sep)
  • UTMB 2028 dates; tunnel 2028 start date; TMB 2028 booking opening (inferred about 15 Oct 2027); Lac Blanc hut booking opening and cancellation terms
  • Flegere and Merlet car park capacity; Parc de Merlet and Grands Montets in 2028; Balme lift price
  • Whether an Aiguille du Midi return allows a mid-station exit; Mer de Glace step count
  • Valley-floor sun loss times; September thunderstorm frequency; freezing level; fraction of days with a clear summit
  • ZRH-Chamonix door-to-door time; one-stop YYZ-GVA routings; Argentiere-GVA transfer time
  • Emosson prices; Courmayeur drive times by the alternative routes; Crit’Air status
  • Acclimatisation ordering (inference); the Day 4/5 split distances (inference); the base split (inference from the stay research)

Open questions for you

  1. Group size and ages. These limits decide who can do what: Aiguille du Midi (no children under 3; under 5 not recommended); Lac Blanc hut (no children under 8); paragliding (minimum age 4–12 by operator; weight cap about 100–120 kg); guided glacier walks (12–15+); QC Terme spa (14+).
  2. Car or no car? The plan works without one, except that Day 3 then becomes the Chapeau hike or Peclerey.
  3. Fitness ceiling in km and ascent per day. The plan peaks at 9.8 km and +765 m (official figures; up to 12 km and +1,000 m on another official listing).
  4. Do hut nights appeal? That decides whether Day 4 is a hut night or a day hike, and whether a TMB is worth a separate July or August trip.

Day-of links

The handful actually tapped in the field

Weather

Meteo-France ChamonixRead at 18:00 for tomorrow, 07:00 on Day 6

Lifts

Lift dates and timesConfirm 2028 closing dates in spring Aiguille du MidiTimed slot, released D-1

Huts and tickets

Refuge du Lac BlancOnline until 31 May, then phone 07 67 56 74 14Refuge du Lac Blanc, by phone

Rescue

112Emergency, PGHM for the high mountain

Before you go

Checklist

Ticks are saved in this browser.

Countdown

Departure from Toronto is Thu 31 Aug 2028; the first day in the valley is Fri 1 Sep.

— until 1 Sep 2028